Freddy Adu turns 33-years-old today - what has happened to his career?

Freddy Adu turns 33 years old today.

That’s one way to make you all feel old, isn’t it?

The American was destined for greatness, signing his first professional contract as a 14-year-old. He was a household name – and a Championship Manager legend.

Nineteen years on, things haven’t gone to plan for Adu.

Instead of representing some of Europe’s biggest clubs as was predicted, he hasn’t played a top-flight match in any country for almost seven years. His CV reads spells in Finland, Brazil and Turkey as well as the lower tiers in the United States.

When a 14-year-old Adu signed an MLS contract, it received worldwide coverage.

“This is the biggest signing in the history of the league,” MLS Commissioner Don Garber said, as per the New York Times. “Freddy is one of the top young players in the world and his decision to play in his country and for his league will motivate other youngsters to look to MLS.”

Adu started playing for DC United in the MLS at the age of 14 and, by the age of 16, had been capped by USA.

He was surely destined for greatness and had captured the attention of Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United who invited him for a trial in 2006.

But it wasn’t Man Utd who Adu signed for. Instead, a series of bad moves saw him leave DC United for Real Salt Lake and then Benfica, he opted to join Monaco on loan. The decision to join Monaco was described as the worst mistake of his career.

“The biggest mistake I made in my career was leaving Benfica on loan to Monaco,’ Adu told The Blue Wire Podcast in 2020, as reported by The Mail. “I say it from the heart. It was one of those decisions that, if I could take it again, I wouldn’t make it.

“I had three coaches in a year in Benfica. The club was in such a dysfunctional