Ronaldo urges Mario Balotelli to maximise talent

Former Brazil striker Ronaldo has urged Mario Balotelli to make the most of his talent, warning the forward not to follow a path that cut Adriano's career short at the highest level.

Balotelli has been a consistent scorer for club and country since signing for AC Milan in January, but was previously dogged by off-field controversies during a spell at Manchester City.

Ronaldo believes that Balotelli should learn a lesson from Adriano's fall from grace, while focusing on cementing his legacy by winning silverware.

He told La Gazzetta dello Sport: "We have all done some stupid things at some point in our lives, but it's important to realise when it's time to quit.

"Adriano had crazy skills and a fantastic physique. He could do whatever he wanted on the pitch. However, at some point he simply couldn't do it anymore. So the only advice I can give Balotelli is to focus on his football and not to throw away his talent.

"Balotelli has everything to become a great, but he must win titles first. The difference between becoming a champion or just a good player is whether you win important trophies."

The 22-year-old is currently representing Italy in the Confederations Cup, scoring the winning goal in their opening 2-1 victory over Mexico on Sunday.