Adriano de Souza- Net Worth, Family, Baseball & Retires

Adriano de Souza is more than a World Surfing Champion; he’s a hero, a warrior, and the definition of commitment.

He not only won competitions and World Titles while fighting against the top surfers in the globe over the last 15 years, but he also inspired the present Brazilian storm to take over the surfing world.

 Since 2005, he has competed on the World Surf League Men’s World Tour.

De Souza’s inspiring journey to the top turned even his harshest critics into true believers, and he remains one of the most respected and lethal surfers on Tour.

Adriano surfs with greater passion than anyone else, regardless of the stakes. He rides each wave as if it were his last, and his heart is on his sleeve.

He is adored and appreciated by true surf lovers all over the world because of this. Let’s know more about Adriano de Souza through the article here. 

Adriano de Souza: Quick Facts 

Early Life & Childhood 

The determined regular footer, Adriano, grew up in a favela in the suburbs of Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Adriano began surfing at the age of eight and was competing within two years. After his brother bought him a used surfboard for $7 when he was eight years old, the water became his refuge.

At the age of 15, the press dubbed him the next big thing in Brazilian surfing.

Adriano, however, captured the world’s attention when he won the World Junior Championship in 2003.

He was leaving home alone at the age of 14 to pursue his dream of becoming a professional surfer.

Adriano more than made up for his lack of raw talent with hard effort and commitment. When he first joined the Championship Tour in 2006, he inspired a generation of Brazilians, especially after winning.

Adriano De Souza: Height, Weight & Age 

Adriano is a robust and stocky athlete with a muscular body that helps him balance when surfing and stay on the surfboard.

In April of 2024, the Brazilian professional surfer is 37 years old.

Moreover, Adriano stands at the height of 5 feet 6 inches tall. Similarly, he weighs approximately 62 kilograms. 

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Tragic Family Story 

Adriano’s mother refused to get out of bed for days and weeks due to her anguish.

She would cry for days inside her room, and when Souza and his brother inquired, their father would respond with the same response: mum is just unwell.

In reality, Adriano’s mother had depression shortly after being born, and he was not permitted to visit her.

Furthermore, if he tried, his father would push him away from his mother, telling him that she was just sick and that everything would be alright.

The saddest thing was that his father had to leave his job to care for his mother full-time. But he put up a small shop in front of the house, selling only drinks and small household items.

Adriano’s mother was erratic; when Adrian was a child, she set the house on fire and left. Furthermore, she exposed the surfer to the fire, but luckily, a neighbor saved his life.

Afterward, Angelo, Adriano’s older brother, turned 18 and joined the military as a dock security guard to help and support the family. In addition, the military adored him because of his well-developed physique as a result of his surfing.

Professional Career 

Adriano qualified for the world tour in 2006 and has been a persistent threat at the championship’s business end ever then.

His accomplishments include victories at the Billabong Pros in 2009, 2011, and 2012.

In addition, he also won the 2011 Rip Curl Pro and a second-place finish at the 2012 Quiksilver Pro.

Another outstanding achievement came when he was named the 2013 Rip Curl Pro Overall Champion, the first Brazilian guy to do so.

While Medina became the first Brazilian to win a World Title in 2014, De Souza, the veteran, fulfilled a longtime dream the following year at the Pipe Masters in a six-man title duel.

He came in as the biggest underdog, yet he won the contest and took home the 2015 World Title.

The man known as ‘Mineirinho’ indicated at the end of the disrupted 2020 season that the 2021 season would be his final. He’s opted to leave the competitive circuit to pursue other endeavors.

Adriano de Souza: Brother Influence 

Angelo is Adriano’s younger brother. During the week, Angelo would get up at 5:00 a.m. every day and work at a military base near Guaruja.

And he’d arrive home from work around 6 p.m. Every day, Adriano watched his brother do this.

And when he watched his brother grab a surfboard and go surfing with his pals over the weekend, he realized what was causing his enjoyment.

Adriano then decided to sneak and follow his brother to the beach on a summer evening. Despite the concern, eight-year-old Adriano still followed his brother.

Adriano’s life was turned upside down when his brother decided to teach him how to surf. He felt at ease as soon as the warm water touched his body, and he decided what he would do with the rest of his life.

Overview 

Many consider Adriano de Souza to be the “hardest worker” on the WSL Tour.

Adriano, according to many observers, including 1989 World Champion and WSL commentator Martin Potter, is more eager to learn, more willing to fight.

Moreover, former top-44 surfer and WSL commentator Ross Williams comment on Adriano, stating that he spends more time learning the game and evolving his surfing than any of his peers/competitors. 

Few other surfers have earned the same reputation for putting in the effort to develop and improve their competition surfing skills.

Most other WSL surfers are naturally talented individuals who don’t put 100 percent effort into their professional careers — and so rarely reach their full competitive potential during surfing heats.

Adriano credits Peter Abramson and David Tepper as his major surfing influences, even though they rarely achieve 100 percent.

He arrives at the venues of the surf events far earlier than his opponents, often weeks in advance, to adapt and learn as much as possible, according to WSL commentators Potter and Williams during WSL surf broadcasts.

They also discuss how Adriano practically “never falls” on his waves and how he enjoys fighting for the inside position and surfing the opening wave of each heat.

Adriano’s Mention on Encyclopedia of Surfing 

In the Encyclopedia of Surfing, Adriano is described as a “motivated pro surfer, built like a terrier and fastened to his board with a wide, squat, function-first stance” by surf journalist/historian Matt Warshaw.

Adriano “ride with near-monomaniacal fervor and often willed his way to heat victories against more capable surfers,” according to Warshaw, during his World Title campaign.

He was hailed as a legitimate and deserved World Champion, according to Warshaw, “after years of being overlooked or derided by surfing’s English-speaking tastemakers.”

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Dedication 

The story of Adriano asking and begging Banzai Pipeline top local surfer Jamie O’Brien to stay at his house during the season finale in Hawaii has become legendary in the surfing world.

He persuaded O’Brien to stay so that he could surf the break every day and learn its tricks directly from O’Brien).  

It demonstrated Adriano’s willingness to go to great measures to develop his surfing skills and win the WSL Surfing World Title.

Adriano de Souza Accomplishments 

Throughout his career, Adriana has taken home numerous accolades and awards. Here are the significant achievements he gained during his career. 

• 2003 – 1st Place: ASP World Junior Championship (Youngest champion ever – Age 16)
• 2011 – 1st Place: Rip Curl Pro Portugal
• 2012 – 1st Place: 6-star Billabong Pro
• 2013 – 1st Place: Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach (Became the first Brazilian winner)
• 2014 – 1st Place: Hurley Australian Open of Surfing
• 2015 – 1st Place: Billabong Pipe Masters (First Brazilian to win at Pipeline), Overall:                   Samsung Galaxy Championship Tour &  Margaret River Pro
• 2016 – 3rd Place: Oi Rio Pro
• 2017 – 1st Place: Oi Rio Pro
• 2018 – 5th Place: Quiksilver Pro France
• 2019 – 5th Place: Tahiti Pro Teahupo’o

Adriano de Souza: Retirement 

Adriano de Souza, the 2015 world surfing champion, has announced that he will retire from the WSL Championship Tour at the end of the 2021 season after a decade and a half of competing at the greatest level.

“Many elements influenced my decision.”

Souza explained,

“I’ve dedicated the last 15 years of my life to surfing.”

“I can see this new light now that I’ve decided to retire at the end of next year,” he said. “It will offer me a better opportunity of closing out with an excellent 2021 season.”

De Souza’s experience on the WSL Championship Tour was exceptional, and he will be missed in competitive surfing.

Adriano de Souza: Wife 

Adriano de Souza, the WSL world champion, married Patricia Eicke in a poolside ceremony in 2016. In addition, she is a model.

Adriano announced his marriage through the civil ceremony to his model girlfriend, Patricia Eicke, via an Instagram post.

The photo shows the duo sharing their first kiss as a married couple, without the altar or a slew of champagne-sucking relatives and friends.

However, the (supposed) legal documents that bind them together are also on the desk. Patricia created a beautiful film montage with images of the pair in 2012. 

Talking about kids, the couple has not welcomed any new member in their small family until now. 

Adriano de Souza: Net Worth 

Adriano has spent almost his entire life surfing. He began surfing when he was only eight years old.

When the surfer was still a teenager, he won first prize and used the money to buy his brother a new home.

Furthermore, the winning prize money was sufficient for the down payment, and he wanted to repay his brother’s kindness.

Adriano De Souza is one of the few surfers who has made significant money from the sport.

Adriano De Souza’s net worth is believed to be between $2-$5 million, with lifetime earnings of over $2 million.

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Social Media Presence 

Adriano, a Brazilian surfer, is a frequent user of social media. He also posts images from his personal and professional lives.

Below is the link to his social media along with his recent (2021) number of followers;

Instagram– 441k followers 

Facebook– 402k followers 

Twitter– 75.9k followers

FAQs 

Does Adriano de Souza still surf?

The good news is that he does surf, but only as a guest, and there is still a chance that he will return to the game.

He is, after all, a legend who has won World Championships.

Where does Adriano de Souza currently reside?

Adriano De Souza is a Brazilian citizen who lives in Florianopolis, Santa Caterina.