Alexandre Pato is no lame duck

By John F. Molinaro, CBCSports.ca

The first round of the FIFA U-20 World Cup isn't over, but that hasn't stopped some of the top pro clubs in the world from beating down the door of Alexandre Pato.

Still only 17, Pato has already been tagged as the most exciting and promising Brazilian player to emerge since Ronaldinho, the former two-time FIFA World Player of the Year who currently stars for FC Barcelona.

Europe's big clubs are keeping close tabs on Brazil's Alexandre Pato. (NORBERTO DUARTE/AFP/Getty Images)

No wonder Chelsea, AC Milan, Real Madrid and Inter Milan have all recently made bids to pry Pato away from his Brazilian club, Internacional. The youngster, who many are calling the next Ronaldo, is a lethal goal scorer, boasting superior technical ability, intelligence and strength in the air.

He also has some lofty goals.

"My dream is to be on the senior Brazilian national team, and who knows… play in a World Cup, be a famous player known throughout the world, an idol for lots of people. This is what I want; this is what I dream about," Pato told CBC Sports.

Born Sept. 2, 1989 as Alexandre Rodrigues Da Silva, the Brazilian striker commonly goes by the name Pato, a tribute to his hometown of Pato Branco, which translates into English as White Duck.

The baby-faced Brazilian comes by his talent naturally.

Pato began playing futsal, an indoor version of soccer, when he was only four and earned a scholarship to a local soccer school four years later. That paved that way to him signing with Internacional when he was only 13, spending several years with the club's youth team before making his debut with the senior side last November as a 17-year-old.

Pato made the most of his chance to play with Internacional's senior team, scoring a goal and setting up three others in his debut game, a 4-1 win over Palmeiras. A month later, the Brazilian youngster scored in the semifinals of the FIFA Club World Cup in Japan, as Internacional went on to upset Barcelona in the final.

He followed that performance up two months later by scoring five goals to help Brazil win the 2007 South American Youth Championship in Paraguay, which allowed the South American nation to qualify for this summer's U-20 World Cup and the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Despite his natural ability, the Brazilian believes he has a lot to learn.

"I have to improve a lot. I am a young player, and only starting to play right now," the Brazilian admitted.

"Players need experience to be the best in the world, to be idols and slowly but surely I hope to get there. ... I will have to gain experience. By taking a look, I understand what I have to do on the field."

Asked about the pressure of people calling him the next Ronaldo, the shy Brazilian teenager smiles and says, "Who knows the future? I work hard today so that tomorrow I will be a great player."