Player to Watch: Much ado about Freddy
23 January 2006
by FIFAworldcup.com
It seems Freddy Adu is living life in fast-forward.
In 2003, aged barely 13 and just three weeks after receiving full US citizenship, the youngster was inspiring gasps of disbelief at the FIFA U-17 World Championship in Finland. In the shadow of a giant ski jump in Lahti, Adu's first contribution of the USA's opening match against Korea Republic was to round four defenders and the goalkeeper before tapping home.
Now, at the ripe old age of 16 - and still eligible for the U-17, U-20 and U-23 national teams - the young dribbling wizard from DC United finds himself pressing hard for a spot in Bruce Arena's senior national team for the FIFA World Cup™ in Germany.
Adu turns 17 one week before the USA's opening finals game against the Czech Republic in Gelsenkirchen, meaning that he could become the youngest player in FIFA World Cup finals history. And with 23 spots up for grabs, Adu – who honed his sumptuous skills playing barefoot against grown men in the streets of Tema in his native Ghana – is desperate to somehow force his way into Arena's plans.
Adu made his international debut as a substitute in the USA's goalless draw with Canada on 22 January, having been selected for the start-of-year training camp in California. Prior to handing Adu his first cap, US head coach Arena – not known for extravagant flights of fancy – tried to put the situation into perspective by suggesting Adu was a "long shot" for the squad but making him the Americans' youngest ever player (at 16 years and 234 days) will have done nothing to dampen expectations.
Of course, the expectations surrounding the youngster have always been incongruously high; he was long touted as the saviour of football in the USA, even drawing careless comparisons to Pele. Yet, perhaps not unsurprisingly give his age, Adu – who only two years ago featured in FIFA World Championships at both Junior (U-17) and Youth (U-20) level – has had his share of difficulties in making the transition to the professional game.
Coming into Major League Soccer at just 14 years old - thus becoming the youngest pro athlete in the US for over a century - Adu was expected to produce immediately. Not only was he the youngest player in the fledgling league, he was also its highest-paid – MLS having negotiated a 500,000 USD per year deal in order to stop him heading to one of the high-profile European clubs who were said to be monitoring this precocious talent.
Once installed at DC United, MLS began to use Adu's grinning image to sell tickets all over the US. Everyone had heard of this remarkable young phenom and many came out to see him play when DC United came to their town. But with a highly professional coach in former Poland captain Peter Nowak, Adu still had some lessons to learn and was used largely as a substitute in his first season.
Still, he scored five goals and was named in the league's all-star team as DC United claimed their fourth MLS championship in 2004. Adu's form improved in his second season and he looked to have found a home playing behind the strikers – although he was still used largely as a back-up.
Adu may have not matched some of the unrealistic expectations placed on his shoulders in his first two seasons as a pro but the player is keen to haul himself into Arena's squad for this summer's finals and maintain his meteoric development. "Half the team is already sorted out with the European-based guys," Adu told reporters at the start of the January camp. "Realistically, there are maybe two of three spots left on the team. It's definitely a long way to make this team, but you know what? I'm not worried. I'm not going to try to compete with other players. I'm going to focus on doing what I need to do to help the team that I'm on."
Arena has described Adu as "a player who can go around a defender by himself" – a rarity in the team according to the coach - yet a place in the USA's final 23 could still prove a stretch for the teenage sensation.
However, he is at least in with a shout. Having declined the chance to switch allegiances to Ghana, Adu's debut appearance as a late substitute against Canada confirmed him as the youngest international in US football history. Now his target is to set a similar record at the FIFA World Cup but whether or not June brings a trip to Germany, he looks set to be inspiring headlines and heavy interest for a long time to come.
