Before David Beckham rode in wearing only his underpants to rescue American soccer, a 14-year-old named Freddy Adu threatened to become the gameââ¬â¢s biggest superstar Stateside.
The MLSââ¬â¢ youngest ever player seemed destined for the top but it hasnââ¬â¢t quite worked out that way. Now heââ¬â¢s fighting for a contract with English Championship club Blackpool.
Adu was only a teenager when he made his début for DC United back in 2004. The then 14-year-old became the leagueââ¬â¢s youngest player and a poster-boy for the sport in America.
Even the great Pelé sang the youngsterââ¬â¢s praises but relatively unsuccessful stints atà Benfica, Monaco, and Philadelphia Union meant Adu hasnââ¬â¢t quite lived up to the hype.
Last March he left MLS again to sign for Brazilian outfit Bahia but made just four league appearances and was released at the end of 2013 with club officials citing his ââ¬Åtechnical deficiencies.ââ¬
Adu was born in Ghana and lived there until he was eight-years-old when his family moved to Maryland.
His soccer prowess was quickly noticed and he was soon pitched in against boys in older age groups.
His ability saw himà enrolled in the US Olympic development and then US Soccerââ¬â¢s academy programmes.
Adu was selected by DC United to much fanfare in the 2004 MLS Superdraft. à On April 3 of the same year he became the youngest player to appear in a leagueà game when he came on as a substitute in the clash with theà San Jose Earthquakes.
Two weeks later, he became the leagueââ¬â¢s youngest scorer, netting in a 3â⬓2 defeat to theà MetroStars. The same season he was an MLS Cup winner with DC and was selected on the MLS All-Star team in his début year, and again in 2006.
Adu played under-age soccer for the US national team and captained theà U-20s in the 2007 World Cup. He wasà called up to the senior squad by Bruce Arenaà in January 2006 for aà friendly matchà againstà Canada.
Aduââ¬â¢s substitute appearance in the game saw him à become the youngest player to début with the U.S. national side. The player once dubbed ââ¬Ëthe next Peléââ¬â¢Ã played 17 times for the USA scoring twice but hasnââ¬â¢t featured since 2011.
Heââ¬â¢s currently training with Championship side Blackpool with a view to securing a contract. While the attacker may not have met the lofty expectations heaped on his 14-year-old shoulders, Adu may yet get a second shot at stardom. Heââ¬â¢s still aged just 24.