International sports

Freddy Adu reveals the one decision that killed his football career

When Freddy Adu talks about his football, the feeling of deep regret and ruefulness over how a career once tipped to ascent to a level parallel with that of the legendary Pele turned out so bad is palpable.

For those who watched him at the 2003 FIFA under-17 tournament he participated in with the US, if there ever was anyone who could match Pele’s record, then it definitely was the US-born player of Ghanaian descent.

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So good he was that Pele himself could not resist but bestow on him the next big star crown.

But as it turned out, Freddy’s career was a contrast to what was expected. Freddy had what could best be described as a nomadic career that saw him play for over 10 clubs on different continents in desperate attempts to find a footballing home.

When Freddy Adu looks back, he accepts that his football career was a shadow of what was expected and that it was much more his decisions that landed him on the bad side of history than anything else.

Fred Addu concedes responsibility for various aspects of his footballing life that culminated in the disappointing career he had. One such decision, Freddy tells CBS, was his decision to leave Portuguese side Benfica after just one season.

Freddy Adu, in 2007, was being courted by French giants AS Monaco and sensing that he could get opportunities there, left Benfica for the French side.

With the benefit of hindsight, Fred Adu believes that he should not have made the move as it became the tipping point of the end of his career.

“The one decision that I made that I would have done differently is leaving Benfica after the first year that I was there and going on loan at Monaco. That was the one decision that started the snowball of me having to go from team to team on loan. It’s because I wasn’t patient enough to stay at Benfica.

On the flip side of that, a guy like Di Maria who was with me at Benfica decided to stay. A new coach came in and played him, he balls out and ends up at Real Madrid. At Monaco, there was a power struggle between the coach and the president. The president wanted me really bad and the coach didn’t think I was ready I guess. I didn’t play a lot and after that, everything snowballed. I don’t blame anybody for that decision because It was my decision,” he said.

Freddy Adu also recognized that his failure to stay grounded and focus on the things that could shape his career was a major reason for his failed career.

“I would have said put all the distractions aside and focus on your career. That’s one thing I don’t think I did enough of when I was younger. I would go in, have the training and that was that. I was getting into places that a teenager should not be getting into. There were just little kinds of stuff that I was enjoying instead of focusing on the important things. When I look back, I wish I had someone that was telling me to stay straight. Sometimes, having the talent alone is not enough, you gotta work your ass off to maximize that talent,” he said.

Aside Benfica and Monaco, Freddy Adu also played for DC United, Real Salt Lake, and Bahia among others.

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Ogyem Solomon

Solomon Ogyem – Media Entrepreneur | Journalist | Brand Ambassador Solomon Ogyem is a dynamic Ghanaian journalist and media entrepreneur currently based in South Africa. With a solid foundation in journalism, Solomon is a graduate of the OTEC School of Journalism and Communication Studies in Ghana and Oxbridge Academy in South Africa. He began his career as a reporter at OTEC 102.9 MHz in Kumasi, where he honed his skills in news reporting, community storytelling, and radio broadcasting. His passion for storytelling and dedication to the media industry led him to establish Press MltiMedia Company in South Africa—a growing platform committed to authentic African narratives and multimedia journalism. Solomon is the founder and owner of Thepressradio.com, a news portal focused on delivering credible, timely, and engaging stories across Ghana and Africa. He also owns Press Global Tickets, a service-driven venture in the travel and logistics space, providing reliable ticketing services. In addition to his media ventures, Solomon serves as a Brand Ambassador for Alabuga, a prominent Russian industrial company, representing their interests and expansion across Africa. He previously owned two notable websites—Ghanaweb.mobi and ShowbizAfrica.net—both of which contributed to entertainment and socio-political discussions within Ghana’s digital space. With a diverse background in media, digital journalism, and business, Solomon Ogyem is dedicated to telling impactful African stories, empowering youth through media, and building cross-continental media partnerships.

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