Freddy Adu was the saviour of Football in America. A player that would ignite interest of soccer. The Michael Jordan of Football. So much was expected of a man so young but it just didn’t happen for him. He was supposed to lead a country, along with Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey to great things. Donovan and Dempsey kept their end of the bargain. Adu didn’t.
At the age of twelve, while playing in an under 14’s tournament in Italy, his mother apparently turned down a six figure sum from Inter Milan for him, on advice from his agents. Fours years later, he had played and scored in the MLS. At fourteen.
Many critics at the time believed he was too young and he lacked mental and physical strengths needed for professional football. After 99 games and at the age of 17 he was transferred from D.C United to Real Salt Lake. And after only 7 months there he got on a plane and signed for Portuguese club Benfica. His move to Europe had finally arrived. 6 years in the making.
Well this was it. He would take Portugal by storm and earn a move to one of the biggest clubs in Europe and go on to be one of the best athletes America has ever produced. Well no, unfortunately life isn’t like a Hollywood blockbuster and Adu’s time in Portugal was a difficult, expensive and unimpressive few years.
After a year, it seemed Benfica were ready to sell the talent and sent him on loan to French club A.S Monaco with an option to buy him at the end of the loan. After 11 games in an entire season Monaco declined the offer and he returned back to Benfica. He had played 31 games and scored 5 games in two season, for two club, he was 20 years old.
Don’t forget between 2004 and 2006 he had played 99 games and scored 12 goals. His move to Europe had stalled his development, he was no longer the 14 year old wonder-kid, he was now a 20 year old man, still playing like a child. The 2009/2010 season came around and another 2 loans came along Beleneses in Portugal and Aris in Greece. Once again an unspectacular season for Adu.
Adu was loaned to Çaykur Rizespor in the Turkish second division for the 2010/2011 season. A real kick in the teeth for a player that wanted to be a part of 2010 World Cup in Africa, the continent he was born. But he was left out of Bob Bradley’s side. And you can’t blame the U.S.A manager. Adu had stopped developing as a player. He had stopped growing physically and mentally.
A move back to the states in August 2011 coincided with a 2 year absence for the national side to be over as he was a shock inclusion in the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup American Squad.
Adu now plays for Philadelphia Union in the MLS maybe at the age of 23 he has enough maturity and if he stays in America and plays regularly he would be able to achieve at least some of the potential that was expected of him.
In 2005 he was nominated in the FIFPro Young Player award. Other players nominated included
Javier Mascherano, Wayne Rooney, Arjen Robben, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Robinho, Cristiano Ronaldo and Cesc Fabregas along with a few others. Every player has achieved their potential and are now some of the best in the world. Adu it seems wouldn’t look out of place in the Npower Championship. Was everyone so wrong to “Hype” him so much? Did the hype go to his head? Was he poorly advised? All we can surely tell is that he is a precocious talent that with the right guidance and regular football could be a great player in the future. Don’t Forget Landon Donovan had a move to Europe early in his career that didn’t work out. He now has 142 caps to his name and is considered one of the greatest players North America has every produced. Adu should look to Donovan as an example to follow.
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