Freddy Adu became one of the talented young players who had once graced the world of football. At the age of 17 years old, Freddy Adu had become the world’s topic. The universe even dubbed him as “The Next Pele”.
Speed, strength, and high skill all belong to Freddy Adu. At that time, as the world continued to look at him, Adu was predicted to have a very extraordinary career.
However, everything changed when Adu grew up. He no longer had any mentality. His skills became average. And the worse is that the world began to forget him.
The name Freddy Adu had once become popular on the football world when he became the youngest professional player in MLS or Major League Soccer, a football competition in the United States when he was only 14 years old. With all the talent but burdened with many expectations, Adu began to show his quality as a potential star in the future.
Freddy Adu at the beginning of his career indeed became a very brilliant player in football affairs, debuting his career at the age of 14 years in April 2004 at DC United, in a club that he defended for 3 years, he successfully became the youngest player in his debut and goalscorer in MLS history. He was also chosen to become the MLS All-Star twice.
At the level of the United States national team, he was a national team subscription from U-17 to the senior team he has strengthened. Moreover, Adu also appeared in various youth tournament events such as the U17 World Cup, U-20 World Cup and the U-23 Olympic Games in 2008.
And it should be noted, Adu has defended the United States U17 national team when he was only 14 years old.
During strengthening the United States national team he had scored a hattrick in the U-20 World Cup when the Americans beat Poland 6-1. He also successfully entered as the 11 best players in the Olympic qualification event.
Thanks to his glorious achievements he became the first player from the United States worldwide, long before names such as Clint Demsey, Landon Donovan, and Tim Howard.
Inevitably the big teams at EPL like Manchester United, Chelsea, and Liverpool were interested to bring him in at that time. Freddy Adu also had a trial at Manchester United for several weeks but failed to join because of a work permit.
Relatively active playing in the American youth team to take part in several World Championships, the Portuguese club Benfica was interested in signing him in 2007. Yes, although he had a trial with Manchester United, Benfica became a club that tasted Adu’s talent.
Unfortunately, Freddy Adu’s performance was sluggish, which eventually forced him to become a loan player at several European clubs such as AS Monaco, Belenenses, Aris, and Caykur Rizespor. Freddy Adu did not show the same talent at all when he defended DC United and the United States Junior National team. During one season playing in Portugal, he only got 11 appearances and only scored 2 goals.
For several seasons Adu was loaned to several teams and eventually, Benfica released him to the MLS club, Philadelphia Union. Still failing to shine for two years in MLS, Adu returned to migrate again, this time to Brazil. EC Bahia signed him in 2013. But again, Adu only got 2 chances to play in one season.
It could be said that Benfica became the beginning of the destruction of Freddy Adu’s career.
Before the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, Freddy Adu also had a Trial in England with the Blackpool club where he might be able to return to defend the United States national team at the 2014 World Cup. However, he failed again to get a contract with Blackpool and became jobless instead. With various considerations, Klinsmann was not interested in taking him to the World Cup.
Since he did not have a club, this player who pocketed 17 caps with the American national team worked as a promoter at a one-night club located in America. He took the job to make a living.
It turned out that Adu’s decreased performance was because he was drowned by the frenetic media who talked about him. Thanks to his phenomenal talent, Adu suddenly became an artist in America. Freddy Adu also got paid 300 thousand pounds, or about 5.2 billion rupiahs when his peers might be paid the standard.
Adu felt that he continued to be reported in the media. He was told to star in a lot of advertisements and it made him became farther from the field. Adu could not stand all the popularity that chimed in him. He felt pressured at his young age.
Now, at the age of 30, Adu’s talent has sunk. The last club he defended, Las Vegas Lights FC, no longer wanted to pay him. His contract was terminated, and again, Adu was a player without a club.
