Freddy Adu
Encyclopedia
Fredua Koranteng "Freddy" Adu (born June 2, 1989) is a Ghana
ian-born American
soccer player who currently plays for Philadelphia Union in Major League Soccer
. He plays primarily as an attacking midfielder, but he is also used as a winger or forward.
At the age of 14, he became one of the youngest athletes to sign a professional contract in the United States
, after he was selected by D.C. United
in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft
. On April 3, 2004, he became the youngest player to appear in a Major League Soccer
(MLS) game when he came on as a substitute in a game against the San Jose Earthquakes
. Two weeks later, on April 17, he became the youngest scorer in MLS history, scoring a goal in a 3–2 loss to the MetroStars
.
, Ghana
, where he played soccer against men three times his age. When he was eight, his mother won the Green Card Lottery
, and his family moved to Rockville, Maryland
, United States
, where he attended Sequoyah Elementary School. In 2003, he became a U.S. citizen. Soon after arriving in the United States, he was discovered by a local soccer coach and began playing with boys several years older. Adu attended The Heights School, a private school in Potomac
, Maryland
, for several years. At the age of twelve, Adu helped the Heights School's varsity soccer team win the Maryland state championship in the fall of 2001 in a sudden death penalty shootout that saw him injured in the last two minutes of play. Adu had skipped two grades, jumping from seventh to ninth, and therefore qualifying for varsity at such a young age.
While playing with the U.S. Olympic Development Program in an under-14 tournament against the youth squads of such traditionally strong Italian teams as Lazio
and Juventus
, Adu's team won the competition, he led the tournament in scoring, and he was named MVP. Adu was noticed by Italian soccer clubs, including Inter Milan
, who discussed a six-figure offer for him that was turned down by his mother on the advice of his agents. He was only ten years old at that time.
At age 12 in January 2002, Adu joined the IMG Soccer Academy
, U.S. Soccer
's full-time residency program in Bradenton
, Florida
. He made his professional debut in Major League Soccer
in early 2004, at fourteen years of age.
. He won the MLS Cup
title with them later that same year. In order to allow Adu to play close to home, MLS assigned him to D.C. United on November 18, 2003, working a deal with the Dallas Burn
, who owned the top pick in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft
. Dallas was compensated with a player allocation. Having already signed with D.C. United, Adu effectively became the first player selected in that draft, two months before it officially took place. D.C. United had previously signed American youngsters Bobby Convey
in 2000, and Santino Quaranta
in 2001—both aged 16 and the youngest player in MLS at the times of being drafted.
On April 3, Adu came on in United's first game of the 2004 season against the San Jose Earthquakes
as a second-half substitute, making him the youngest player to appear in United States professional sports since 1887. On April 17, at the age of fourteen, Adu scored his first professional goal in the 75th minute of a 3–2 away loss against the MetroStars
. He became the youngest player in MLS history to score a goal.
In his first season as a pro, Adu finished the year with five goals and three assists, while playing in all 30 regular season games. Although briefly a starter, Adu was relegated to a substitute when D.C. United acquired central midfielder Christian Gómez
mid-season, and it was in this role that he appeared in United's MLS Cup victory. He played in three of four playoff games by D.C. United, assisting in one goal during that time.
Adu was criticized from a number of different angles in his first season as a professional. Some commentators have suggested that Adu was too young to be playing professionally and that he needed more time to develop mentally and physically amongst players his own age. In his second season, he was suspended for one game after he complained about his playing time in the media. Before the 2006 season Adu was loaned to English
club Manchester United
for a fortnight, but he was not able to gain a work permit and so could not play in any competitive fixtures, and only trained with several players from the Manchester United academy
during his two weeks. Continued development, especially of his defensive skills, helped Adu become a starting midfielder during the 2006 season. In addition, Adu had been chosen to take spot kicks during D.C. United's two penalty shootouts—scoring on both attempts. He was selected to the MLS All-Star team twice, once as a commissioner's choice and once as the coach's. He was selected to the MLS 2006 semifinals Best XI by Soccer America magazine. In 2005 he was nominated for FIFPRO Young player of the year.
to Real Salt Lake in exchange for a major allocation
, goalkeeper Jay Nolly
, and future considerations. Adu made his debut for Real Salt Lake on April 7, 2007, playing the full 90 minutes in a 2–2 tie with FC Dallas
. He scored his first goal for the club on May 20, 2007, converting a penalty kick
in the 68th minute of a 2–1 loss to FC Dallas
. Adu went on to score his second goal with Salt Lake from another penalty in a 1–1 tie in an exhibition against Boca Juniors
. Adu was also captain of the U-20 United States men's national team
in the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup
, where he made an impressive showing. After the conclusion of that tournament, Benfica of the Portuguese Liga secured Adu's rights from MLS for a transfer fee of $2 million.
. Adu cost Benfica US$2 million. On August 14, 2007, Adu made his debut with Benfica against Copenhagen in a UEFA Champions League
qualifying match, coming into the game in the 37th minute as a substitute.
on a season-long loan, with an option to join the Ligue 1
club permanently at the end of the deal, an option that was eventually declined by Monaco. In July 2009, after participating in the Gold Cup game against Honduras, he returned to Benfica for training.
Adu was loaned to Portugese club Belenenses for the 2009–10 season. On October 13, Adu made his first league start in Portugal, a 1–0 loss to Nacional. Adu was injured just before half time, and was substituted. In December 2009 Adu's season long loan was cut short.
Adu signed an 12-month loan deal with Greek side Aris
in January 2010, joining fellow USA international Eddie Johnson. Assigned squad number 11, Adu made his debut on January 31 and assisted a 90th minute goal by Johnson. He scored his first goal on February 14 against Ergotelis.
On 1 February 2011, Adu moved to Turkish Second Division
side Çaykur Rizespor
on what was his fourth loan deal away from Benfica. Adu made his debut for his new club on February 20. He set up teammates Mithat Yaşar
and Gökhan Kaba
with goals in a 3-0 win over Orduspor
and was named Man of the Match. Two weeks later, on 6 March, Adu scored his first goal for his new club in a 1-0 win over Gaziantep Büyükşehir Belediyespor
.
, signing with Philadelphia Union, reuniting him with former D.C. United
and United States national U-23 coach Piotr Nowak
. Though terms were not disclosed, as per club policy, it was stated that he was not a designated player. Adu debuted for the Philadelphia Union on August 13 in a match against FC Dallas
and scored his first goal for the club on September 7, 2011 against New England Revolution
.
in Finland, the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship
in the United Arab Emirates
, the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship
in the Netherlands, the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup
in Canada, and the 2008 Summer Olympics
.
Adu was called into the national team's training camp by coach Bruce Arena
in January 2006 for a friendly match
against Canada
. Adu was capped in that game on January 22 (at 16 years and 234 days), becoming the youngest player to debut with the U.S. national team when he replaced an injured Eddie Johnson
in the 81st minute at the University of San Diego
's Torero Stadium
in San Diego
, California
.
In January 2007 Adu captained the United States U-20 men's national team
as it qualified for the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup
in Canada. By playing in the 2007 tournament finals, held from June to July, Adu became only the second player in the world to play in three FIFA U-20 World Cup
s. On July 3, 2007, Adu scored a hat-trick
in U.S.'s 6–1 victory over Poland in the group stage of the tournament. This accomplishment made him the first player to ever score a hat trick in both the U-20 and U-17 World Cups
. In the following 2–1 victory over Brazil
Adu assisted on both USA goals by Jozy Altidore
.
Adu made his first start for the senior international team in a friendly against South Africa
on November 17, 2007.
Adu helped lead the U-23 men's national team in its campaign to qualify
for the 2008 Summer Olympics
in Beijing, China. He scored two goals from free kicks in the USA's 3–0 win over Canada
in the semifinals of the tournament, which ultimately qualified them for the Olympics along with Honduras
. He scored four goals in total in the three games in which he played, leading all players in scoring, and was selected to the tournament Best XI.
Adu played in both legs of the 2nd round qualifiers
for the 2010 World Cup
against Barbados
on June 8 and June 22, 2008, starting in the latter. He provided the assist on Eddie Lewis' goal, the lone goal in the 2nd leg of the United States 1–0 victory (9–0 aggregate) in Barbados
.
On July 15, 2008, Adu was named to the 18-man squad that represented the United States
in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Adu played in the first two games of group play against Japan
and Netherlands
. He assisted on a Sacha Kljestan
goal in the Netherlands match, but he, as well as teammate Michael Bradley
, was then suspended for the final game of group play against Nigeria
after each player earned his second yellow card
of group play late in the Netherlands match. The US team was eliminated from the Olympics after falling to Nigeria.
Adu scored his first international goal (at 19 years and 170 days) as a member of the full U.S. national squad on a free kick in a November 19, 2008, World Cup qualifier against Guatemala
.
Despite a two-year absence from the national team due to his increasingly unstable club situation, Adu was a shock inclusion in the USA roster for the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup
, making the team despite playing for a second division club. After having failed to make an appearance in the team's friendly against Spain as well as the first four tournament matches, Adu was a surprise substitute in the semifinal against Panama, coming on in the second-half of a scoreless draw for Juan Agudelo
. It was Adu whose pass from midfield sprung Landon Donovan
free on a counterattack, where he was able to cross the ball to Clint Dempsey
for the winner. Adu was in the starting lineup in the following game, the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup
final vs. Mexico. He had a hand in both of the USA goals as they lost 4-2.
| 2004 || rowspan=3|D.C. United
|| rowspan=5|Major League Soccer
|| 30 || 5 || 1 || 0 || 3 || 0 || 34 || 5
|-
| 2005 || 25 || 4 || 2 || 1 || 1 || 0 || 28 || 5
|-
| 2006 || 32 || 2 || 2 || 0 || 3 || 0 || 37 || 2
|-
| 2007
|| Real Salt Lake
|| 11 || 2 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 11 || 2
|-
|-
| 2007–08 || Benfica || Primeira Liga || 11 || 2 || 6 || 0 || 3 || 3 || 20 || 5
|-
|-
| 2008–09 || AS Monaco
(loan) || Ligue 1
|| 9 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 11 || 0
|-
|-
| 2009–10
|| Belenenses (loan) || Primeira Liga || 3 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 4 || 0
|-
|-
| 2009–10
|| Aris (loan) || Super League Greece
|| 9 || 1 || 2 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 11 || 2
|-
|-
| 2010–11
|| Çaykur Rizespor
(loan) || TFF First League
|| 11 || 4 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 11 || 4
|-
|-
| 2011
|| Philadelphia Union || Major League Soccer
|| 11 || 2 || 0 || 0 || 2 || 0 || 13 || 2
|-
109 || 15 || 5 || 1 || 9 || 0 || 123 || 16
14 || 2 || 6 || 0 || 4 || 3 || 24 || 5
9 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 11 || 0
9 || 1 || 2 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 11 || 2
11 || 4 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 11 || 4
152 || 22 || 14 || 2 || 14 || 3 || 180 || 26
|2006||1||0
|-
|2007||2||0
|-
|2008||9||1
|-
|2009||3||1
|-
|2011||2||0
|-
!Total||17||2
|}
with Ryan Seacrest
that she and Adu were still good friends.
Adu is sponsored by Nike Total 90
.
Freddy's younger brother, Fro Adu, played soccer for George Mason University
.
Adu's favorite team as a child was Tottenham Hotspur, and he has expressed a desire to join the club in the future.
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
ian-born American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soccer player who currently plays for Philadelphia Union in Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
. He plays primarily as an attacking midfielder, but he is also used as a winger or forward.
At the age of 14, he became one of the youngest athletes to sign a professional contract in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, after he was selected by D.C. United
D.C. United
D.C. United is an American professional soccer club based in Washington, D.C. which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league since its inception, in 1996.Over the...
in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft
2004 MLS SuperDraft
The 2004 MLS SuperDraft, held in Charlotte, North Carolina on January 16, 2004, was the fifth incarnation of the annual Major League Soccer SuperDraft, and was most notable for the selection of one of the youngest athletes in American sporting history, Freddy Adu, with the first pick.-Player...
. On April 3, 2004, he became the youngest player to appear in a Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
(MLS) game when he came on as a substitute in a game against the San Jose Earthquakes
San Jose Earthquakes
The San Jose Earthquakes professional soccer team is located in the San Jose, California, United States suburb of Santa Clara, and participates in Major League Soccer , the top level soccer league in the United States and Canada....
. Two weeks later, on April 17, he became the youngest scorer in MLS history, scoring a goal in a 3–2 loss to the MetroStars
Red Bull New York
The New York Red Bulls are an American professional soccer team based in Harrison, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The team competes in the Eastern Conference of Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
.
Childhood
Adu grew up in the port city of TemaTema
Tema is a city on the Atlantic coast of Ghana, lying east of the Ghanaian capital city, Accra, in the region of Greater Accra. As of 2005, Tema had a population of 209,000. The Greenwich Meridian passes directly through the city...
, Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
, where he played soccer against men three times his age. When he was eight, his mother won the Green Card Lottery
Diversity Immigrant Visa
The Diversity Immigrant Visa program is a United States congressionally mandated lottery program for receiving a United States Permanent Resident Card. It is also known as the Green Card Lottery. The lottery is administered on an annual basis by the Department of State and conducted under the terms...
, and his family moved to Rockville, Maryland
Rockville, Maryland
Rockville is the county seat of Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It is a major incorporated city in the central part of Montgomery County and forms part of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. The 2010 U.S...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, where he attended Sequoyah Elementary School. In 2003, he became a U.S. citizen. Soon after arriving in the United States, he was discovered by a local soccer coach and began playing with boys several years older. Adu attended The Heights School, a private school in Potomac
Potomac, Maryland
Potomac is a census-designated place in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States, named for the nearby Potomac River. The population was 44,822 at the 2000 census. The Potomac area is known for its very affluent and highly-educated residents. In 2009 CNNMoney.com listed Potomac as the fourth...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, for several years. At the age of twelve, Adu helped the Heights School's varsity soccer team win the Maryland state championship in the fall of 2001 in a sudden death penalty shootout that saw him injured in the last two minutes of play. Adu had skipped two grades, jumping from seventh to ninth, and therefore qualifying for varsity at such a young age.
While playing with the U.S. Olympic Development Program in an under-14 tournament against the youth squads of such traditionally strong Italian teams as Lazio
S.S. Lazio
Società Sportiva Lazio, commonly referred to as Lazio, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. The team, founded in 1900, play in the Serie A and have spent most of their history in the top tier of Italian football...
and Juventus
Juventus F.C.
Juventus Football Club S.p.A. , commonly referred to as Juventus and colloquially as Juve , are a professional Italian association football club based in Turin, Piedmont...
, Adu's team won the competition, he led the tournament in scoring, and he was named MVP. Adu was noticed by Italian soccer clubs, including Inter Milan
F.C. Internazionale Milano
Football Club Internazionale Milano, often referred to as Internazionale or simply Inter, is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Italy. Outside Italy, the club is often called Inter Milan. They are the reigning FIFA Club World champions and Coppa Italia holders.Inter have always...
, who discussed a six-figure offer for him that was turned down by his mother on the advice of his agents. He was only ten years old at that time.
At age 12 in January 2002, Adu joined the IMG Soccer Academy
IMG Soccer Academy
The IMG Soccer Academy is part of the IMG Academies located in Bradenton, Florida. It is U.S. Soccer's full-time residency program for the United States' U-17 and U-16 mens national teams. Started in 1999, it has become integral in developing the United States' top youth soccer prospects...
, U.S. Soccer
United States Soccer Federation
The United States Soccer Federation is the official governing body of the sport of soccer in the United States. Its headquarters are located in Chicago, Illinois. It is a member of FIFA and is responsible for governing amateur and professional soccer, including the men's, women's, youth, futsal...
's full-time residency program in Bradenton
Bradenton, Florida
Bradenton is a city in Manatee County, Florida, United States. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's 2007 population to be 53,471. Bradenton is the largest Principal City of the Bradenton-Sarasota-Venice, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had a 2007 estimated population of 682,833...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. He made his professional debut in Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
in early 2004, at fourteen years of age.
Signing with MLS
At the age of fourteen, Adu became the youngest American athlete in over 100 years to sign a major league pro contract in any team sport when he was chosen by D.C. United as the number one overall pick in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft2004 MLS SuperDraft
The 2004 MLS SuperDraft, held in Charlotte, North Carolina on January 16, 2004, was the fifth incarnation of the annual Major League Soccer SuperDraft, and was most notable for the selection of one of the youngest athletes in American sporting history, Freddy Adu, with the first pick.-Player...
. He won the MLS Cup
MLS Cup
The MLS Cup is the championship match of Major League Soccer, the highest tier of professional soccer in the United States and Canada. As the final match of the MLS Cup playoffs, the winner is crowned the season champion in the same manner as other North American sports leagues...
title with them later that same year. In order to allow Adu to play close to home, MLS assigned him to D.C. United on November 18, 2003, working a deal with the Dallas Burn
FC Dallas
FC Dallas is an American professional soccer club based in the Dallas suburb of Frisco, Texas which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada...
, who owned the top pick in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft
2004 MLS SuperDraft
The 2004 MLS SuperDraft, held in Charlotte, North Carolina on January 16, 2004, was the fifth incarnation of the annual Major League Soccer SuperDraft, and was most notable for the selection of one of the youngest athletes in American sporting history, Freddy Adu, with the first pick.-Player...
. Dallas was compensated with a player allocation. Having already signed with D.C. United, Adu effectively became the first player selected in that draft, two months before it officially took place. D.C. United had previously signed American youngsters Bobby Convey
Bobby Convey
Robert Francis "Bobby" Convey is an American soccer player.-Youth:Convey attended the William Penn Charter School in Philadelphia, played club soccer for the Philadelphia Soccer Club Coppa, and was a member of the initial class of the Bradenton Academy that also included current national team...
in 2000, and Santino Quaranta
Santino Quaranta
Santino Quaranta is an American soccer player.-Youth:Quaranta partially attended Baltimore's Archbishop Curley High School for his freshman and sophomore years, where he started both years, and was recognized as one of the top soccer players in the state...
in 2001—both aged 16 and the youngest player in MLS at the times of being drafted.
D.C. United
San Jose Earthquakes
The San Jose Earthquakes professional soccer team is located in the San Jose, California, United States suburb of Santa Clara, and participates in Major League Soccer , the top level soccer league in the United States and Canada....
as a second-half substitute, making him the youngest player to appear in United States professional sports since 1887. On April 17, at the age of fourteen, Adu scored his first professional goal in the 75th minute of a 3–2 away loss against the MetroStars
Metrostars
Metrostar may refer to:*New York Red Bulls, formerly called the "MetroStars", a soccer team from New York*Manila Metro Rail Transit System, popularly called "The Metrostar Express", a part of the metropolitan rail system in Manila...
. He became the youngest player in MLS history to score a goal.
In his first season as a pro, Adu finished the year with five goals and three assists, while playing in all 30 regular season games. Although briefly a starter, Adu was relegated to a substitute when D.C. United acquired central midfielder Christian Gómez
Christian Gómez
Christian Gómez is an Argentine footballer currently playing for Nueva Chicago.-Argentina:Gómez began playing professional soccer at the age of 17 with Argentine club Nueva Chicago, which was at the time playing in the second division. He played with the team from 1991 to 1996, appearing in 155...
mid-season, and it was in this role that he appeared in United's MLS Cup victory. He played in three of four playoff games by D.C. United, assisting in one goal during that time.
Adu was criticized from a number of different angles in his first season as a professional. Some commentators have suggested that Adu was too young to be playing professionally and that he needed more time to develop mentally and physically amongst players his own age. In his second season, he was suspended for one game after he complained about his playing time in the media. Before the 2006 season Adu was loaned to English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
club Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
for a fortnight, but he was not able to gain a work permit and so could not play in any competitive fixtures, and only trained with several players from the Manchester United academy
Manchester United F.C. Reserves and Academy
Manchester United Football Club Reserves are the reserve team of Manchester United F.C. They play in the North section of the Premier Reserve League. They have been champions four times since the league's inauguration in 1999; in 2002, 2005, 2006 and 2010...
during his two weeks. Continued development, especially of his defensive skills, helped Adu become a starting midfielder during the 2006 season. In addition, Adu had been chosen to take spot kicks during D.C. United's two penalty shootouts—scoring on both attempts. He was selected to the MLS All-Star team twice, once as a commissioner's choice and once as the coach's. He was selected to the MLS 2006 semifinals Best XI by Soccer America magazine. In 2005 he was nominated for FIFPRO Young player of the year.
Real Salt Lake
On December 11, 2006, D.C. United traded Adu and goalkeeper Nick RimandoNick Rimando
Nicholas Paul "Nick" Rimando is an American soccer player who currently plays for Real Salt Lake in Major League Soccer and the United States national team-College:...
to Real Salt Lake in exchange for a major allocation
Allocation (MLS)
In Major League Soccer, an allocation represents an amount of money teams can use to sign players and/or allocate to their salaries to get under the salary cap. Allocations are given to teams that have missed the playoffs the previous seasons, given to expansion teams, or awarded as compensation...
, goalkeeper Jay Nolly
Jay Nolly
Jay Nolly is an American soccer player currently playing for Vancouver Whitecaps FC in Major League Soccer.-College:...
, and future considerations. Adu made his debut for Real Salt Lake on April 7, 2007, playing the full 90 minutes in a 2–2 tie with FC Dallas
FC Dallas
FC Dallas is an American professional soccer club based in the Dallas suburb of Frisco, Texas which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada...
. He scored his first goal for the club on May 20, 2007, converting a penalty kick
Penalty kick
A penalty kick is a type of direct free kick in association football, taken from twelve yards out from goal and with only the goalkeeper of the defending team between the penalty taker and the goal.Penalty kicks are performed during normal play...
in the 68th minute of a 2–1 loss to FC Dallas
FC Dallas
FC Dallas is an American professional soccer club based in the Dallas suburb of Frisco, Texas which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada...
. Adu went on to score his second goal with Salt Lake from another penalty in a 1–1 tie in an exhibition against Boca Juniors
Boca Juniors
Club Atlético Boca Juniors is an Argentine sports club based in La Boca neighborhood of Buenos Aires. It is best known for its professional football team, which currently plays in the Primera División....
. Adu was also captain of the U-20 United States men's national team
United States U-20 men's national soccer team
The United States U-20 men's national soccer team is the national under-20 soccer team of the United States of America and is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation. The highest level of competition in which the team competes is the FIFA U-20 World Cup, which is held every two years.The...
in the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup
2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup
The 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup was the sixteenth edition of the FIFA U-20 World Cup , hosted by Canada from June 30 to July 22, 2007. Argentina defeated Czech Republic in the title game by the score of 2–1, thus managing a back-to-back world title, its fifth in the past seven editions, and sixth...
, where he made an impressive showing. After the conclusion of that tournament, Benfica of the Portuguese Liga secured Adu's rights from MLS for a transfer fee of $2 million.
Benfica
On July 28, 2007, Adu opted out of playing for Real in their regular-season match, and later that day, boarded a plane to Portugal to negotiate with Benfica. On July 30, Benfica issued an official statement announcing that Adu had been transferred to their club. The following day, the signing was completed and he trained with the team in LisbonLisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
. Adu cost Benfica US$2 million. On August 14, 2007, Adu made his debut with Benfica against Copenhagen in a UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
qualifying match, coming into the game in the 37th minute as a substitute.
Loans away from Benfica
In July 2008, Adu joined French club AS MonacoAS Monaco FC
Association Sportive de Monaco Football Club are a French football club based in Fontvieille, Monaco. The club was founded in 1924 and currently play in Ligue 2, the second tier of French football. The team plays its home matches at the Stade Louis II located within Fontvieille...
on a season-long loan, with an option to join the Ligue 1
Ligue 1
Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....
club permanently at the end of the deal, an option that was eventually declined by Monaco. In July 2009, after participating in the Gold Cup game against Honduras, he returned to Benfica for training.
Adu was loaned to Portugese club Belenenses for the 2009–10 season. On October 13, Adu made his first league start in Portugal, a 1–0 loss to Nacional. Adu was injured just before half time, and was substituted. In December 2009 Adu's season long loan was cut short.
Adu signed an 12-month loan deal with Greek side Aris
Aris Thessaloniki F.C.
Aris Football Club , also known as God of war and the Yellows, is a Greek football club based in the city of Thessaloniki, Macedonia. Formed in 1914, the club was a founding member of Macedonian Football Clubs Association as well as the Hellenic Football Federation, they currently compete in...
in January 2010, joining fellow USA international Eddie Johnson. Assigned squad number 11, Adu made his debut on January 31 and assisted a 90th minute goal by Johnson. He scored his first goal on February 14 against Ergotelis.
On 1 February 2011, Adu moved to Turkish Second Division
TFF First League
The TFF First League is the second level of the Turkish football league system. The league was founded in 2000 after it was separated from the Turkish Second League Category B during reorganizing Second League, who was second level of Turkish league between 1963–2001...
side Çaykur Rizespor
Çaykur Rizespor
Çaykur Rizespor is a Turkish sports club based in Rize. Çaykur Rizespor is currently playing in the TFF First League. The club was founded in 1953 in green-yellow colours and had professionalship status in 1968 as Rizespor and changed its colours to blue-green...
on what was his fourth loan deal away from Benfica. Adu made his debut for his new club on February 20. He set up teammates Mithat Yaşar
Mithat Yasar
Mithat Yaşar is a Turkish football player. He has play a variety of positions for the Fenerbahçe PAF since 1999.He currently plays for Diyarbakirspor on loan from Fenerbahçe S.K.....
and Gökhan Kaba
Gökhan Kaba
Gökhan Kaba is a Turkish football forward.-External links:*...
with goals in a 3-0 win over Orduspor
Orduspor
Orduspor is a Turkish football club founded in 1967. The club is located in Ordu, Turkey and plays their home games at 19 Eylul Stadium. The team managed to qualify for Turkish Super League again in 2011.-History:...
and was named Man of the Match. Two weeks later, on 6 March, Adu scored his first goal for his new club in a 1-0 win over Gaziantep Büyükşehir Belediyespor
Gaziantep Büyüksehir Belediyespor
Gaziantep Büyükşehir Belediyesi Spor Kulübü is a Turkish football club located in Gaziantep, Turkey. The club was founded in 1998 after Sankospor became defunct.-Current squad:...
.
Philadelphia Union
In August 2011 Adu returned to Major League SoccerMajor League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
, signing with Philadelphia Union, reuniting him with former D.C. United
D.C. United
D.C. United is an American professional soccer club based in Washington, D.C. which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league since its inception, in 1996.Over the...
and United States national U-23 coach Piotr Nowak
Piotr Nowak
Piotr Nowak is a Polish former professional soccer player. He is currently the head coach of the Philadelphia Union in Major League Soccer.Nowak enjoyed a successful playing career in Europe, playing for Polish clubs such as Zawisza Bydgoszcz and Widzew Łódź, before going on to play in Turkey,...
. Though terms were not disclosed, as per club policy, it was stated that he was not a designated player. Adu debuted for the Philadelphia Union on August 13 in a match against FC Dallas
FC Dallas
FC Dallas is an American professional soccer club based in the Dallas suburb of Frisco, Texas which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada...
and scored his first goal for the club on September 7, 2011 against New England Revolution
New England Revolution
The New England Revolution is an American professional association football club based in Foxborough, Massachusetts which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
.
International career
Adu played for the United States in five international youth tournaments: the 2003 FIFA U-17 World ChampionshipFIFA U-17 World Cup
The FIFA U-17 World Cup, founded as the FIFA U-16 World Championship, later changed to the FIFA U-17 World Championship and known by its current name since 2007, is the world championship of association football for male players under the age of 17 organized by Fédération Internationale de Football...
in Finland, the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship
2003 FIFA World Youth Championship
The 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship took place in United Arab Emirates between November 27 and December 19, 2003. The 2003 championship was the 14th contested...
in the United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
, the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship
2005 FIFA World Youth Championship
The 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship took place in The Netherlands between 10 June and 2 July 2005. The 2005 championship was the 15th contested.- Venues :- Qualification :The following 24 teams qualified for the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship...
in the Netherlands, the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup
2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup
The 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup was the sixteenth edition of the FIFA U-20 World Cup , hosted by Canada from June 30 to July 22, 2007. Argentina defeated Czech Republic in the title game by the score of 2–1, thus managing a back-to-back world title, its fifth in the past seven editions, and sixth...
in Canada, and the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
.
Adu was called into the national team's training camp by coach Bruce Arena
Bruce Arena
Bruce Arena is a former coach of the United States men's national soccer team as well as a former professional soccer and lacrosse player...
in January 2006 for a friendly match
Exhibition game
An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition...
against Canada
Canada men's national soccer team
The Canada men's national soccer team represents Canada in international soccer competitions at the senior men's level. They are overseen by the Canadian Soccer Association and compete in the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football .Their most significant...
. Adu was capped in that game on January 22 (at 16 years and 234 days), becoming the youngest player to debut with the U.S. national team when he replaced an injured Eddie Johnson
Eddie Johnson (American soccer player)
Edward "Eddie" Johnson is an American soccer player who is currently out of contract. He also plays for the United States national team, although he has not been called up since 2010.-Beginning of career and Dallas:...
in the 81st minute at the University of San Diego
University of San Diego
The University of San Diego is a Roman Catholic university in San Diego, California. USD offers more than sixty bachelor's, master’s, and doctoral programs...
's Torero Stadium
Torero Stadium
The Torero Stadium is a 6,000-seat stadium in San Diego, California that is primarily used for soccer and American football. It was built in 1961...
in San Diego
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
In January 2007 Adu captained the United States U-20 men's national team
United States U-20 men's national soccer team
The United States U-20 men's national soccer team is the national under-20 soccer team of the United States of America and is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation. The highest level of competition in which the team competes is the FIFA U-20 World Cup, which is held every two years.The...
as it qualified for the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup
2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup
The 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup was the sixteenth edition of the FIFA U-20 World Cup , hosted by Canada from June 30 to July 22, 2007. Argentina defeated Czech Republic in the title game by the score of 2–1, thus managing a back-to-back world title, its fifth in the past seven editions, and sixth...
in Canada. By playing in the 2007 tournament finals, held from June to July, Adu became only the second player in the world to play in three FIFA U-20 World Cup
FIFA U-20 World Cup
The FIFA U-20 World Cup, until 2005 known as the FIFA World Youth Championship, is the world championship of football for male players under the age of 20 and is organized by Fédération Internationale de Football Association...
s. On July 3, 2007, Adu scored a hat-trick
Hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
in U.S.'s 6–1 victory over Poland in the group stage of the tournament. This accomplishment made him the first player to ever score a hat trick in both the U-20 and U-17 World Cups
FIFA U-17 World Cup
The FIFA U-17 World Cup, founded as the FIFA U-16 World Championship, later changed to the FIFA U-17 World Championship and known by its current name since 2007, is the world championship of association football for male players under the age of 17 organized by Fédération Internationale de Football...
. In the following 2–1 victory over Brazil
Brazil national football team
The Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...
Adu assisted on both USA goals by Jozy Altidore
Jozy Altidore
Josmer Volmy "Jozy" Altidore is an American soccer player currently playing for Eredivisie side AZ Alkmaar, and for the United States national team....
.
Adu made his first start for the senior international team in a friendly against South Africa
South Africa national football team
The South Africa national football team represents South Africa in association football and is controlled by the South African Football Association, the governing body for football in South Africa. South Africa's home ground is Soccer City, known as FNB Stadium due to a naming rights deal, in...
on November 17, 2007.
Adu helped lead the U-23 men's national team in its campaign to qualify
2008 CONCACAF Men's Pre-Olympic Tournament
The 2008 CONCACAF Men Pre-Olympic Tournament was an association football tournament that took place in three venues in the United States from March 11 to March 23, 2008....
for the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
in Beijing, China. He scored two goals from free kicks in the USA's 3–0 win over Canada
Canada men's national soccer team
The Canada men's national soccer team represents Canada in international soccer competitions at the senior men's level. They are overseen by the Canadian Soccer Association and compete in the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football .Their most significant...
in the semifinals of the tournament, which ultimately qualified them for the Olympics along with Honduras
Honduras national football team
The Honduran national football team, nicknamed Los Catrachos, La Bicolor or La H, is the national team of Honduras and is controlled by the Federación Nacional Autónoma de Fútbol de Honduras...
. He scored four goals in total in the three games in which he played, leading all players in scoring, and was selected to the tournament Best XI.
Adu played in both legs of the 2nd round qualifiers
2010 FIFA World Cup qualification - CONCACAF Second Round
This page provides the summaries of the CONCACAF Second Round matches for the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification. The 13 top-ranked teams from the FIFA ranking for CONCACAF in May 2007 competed, along with the 11 winning teams from the First Round...
for the 2010 World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
against Barbados
Barbados national football team
The Barbados national football team, nicknamed Bajan Pride, is the national association football team of Barbados and is controlled by the Barbados Football Association. It has never qualified for a major international tournament...
on June 8 and June 22, 2008, starting in the latter. He provided the assist on Eddie Lewis' goal, the lone goal in the 2nd leg of the United States 1–0 victory (9–0 aggregate) in Barbados
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
.
On July 15, 2008, Adu was named to the 18-man squad that represented the United States
United States under-23 men's national soccer team
The United States U-23 men's national soccer team, also known as the United States men's Olympic soccer team, is a youth soccer team operated under the auspices of U.S. Soccer. Its primary role is qualification into and competition at the quadriennial Olympic Football Tournament, the next of which...
in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Adu played in the first two games of group play against Japan
Japan national football team
The Japan national football team represents Japan in association football and is operated by the Japan Football Association, the governing body for association football in Japan...
and Netherlands
Netherlands national under-21 football team
The Netherlands national under-21 football team is the national under-21 team of the Netherlands and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association. The team competes in the European Under-21 Championship, held every two years....
. He assisted on a Sacha Kljestan
Sacha Kljestan
Sacha Kljestan is an American soccer player who currently plays for Anderlecht in the Belgian First Division.-Youth and College:...
goal in the Netherlands match, but he, as well as teammate Michael Bradley
Michael Bradley (soccer)
Michael Bradley is an American soccer player who currently plays as a central midfielder for Chievo Verona in Serie A and the United States national team, which was formerly coached by his father Bob Bradley.-Early life:...
, was then suspended for the final game of group play against Nigeria
Nigeria national football team
The Nigeria national football team, nicknamed the Super Eagles or Green Eagles, is the national team of Nigeria and is controlled by the Nigeria Football Federation . The team has ranked as high as 5th in the FIFA World Rankings, in April 1994...
after each player earned his second yellow card
Penalty card
A penalty card is used in many sports as a means of warning, reprimanding or penalising a player, coach or team official. Penalty cards are most commonly used by referees or umpires to indicate that a player has committed an offense. The referee will hold the card above his or her head while...
of group play late in the Netherlands match. The US team was eliminated from the Olympics after falling to Nigeria.
Adu scored his first international goal (at 19 years and 170 days) as a member of the full U.S. national squad on a free kick in a November 19, 2008, World Cup qualifier against Guatemala
Guatemala national football team
The Guatemala national football team is the association football team representing the country of Guatemala and is controlled by the Federación Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala. Founded in 1919, it affiliated to FIFA in 1946, and it is a member of CONCACAF....
.
Despite a two-year absence from the national team due to his increasingly unstable club situation, Adu was a shock inclusion in the USA roster for the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup
2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup
The 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup was the 11th edition of the CONCACAF Gold Cup competition and 21th CONCACAF regional championship overall in CONCACAF's fifty years of existence...
, making the team despite playing for a second division club. After having failed to make an appearance in the team's friendly against Spain as well as the first four tournament matches, Adu was a surprise substitute in the semifinal against Panama, coming on in the second-half of a scoreless draw for Juan Agudelo
Juan Agudelo
Juan Sebastián Agudelo is a Colombian-born American soccer player. He currently plays for the New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer....
. It was Adu whose pass from midfield sprung Landon Donovan
Landon Donovan
Landon Timothy Donovan is an American soccer player for the Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer in the United States. He usually plays as a withdrawn forward, and can also be used as an attacking midfielder on either wing....
free on a counterattack, where he was able to cross the ball to Clint Dempsey
Clint Dempsey
Clinton Drew "Clint" Dempsey is an American soccer player who plays for Fulham and the United States national team. Dempsey usually plays as either an attacking midfielder, or a striker....
for the winner. Adu was in the starting lineup in the following game, the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup
2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup
The 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup was the 11th edition of the CONCACAF Gold Cup competition and 21th CONCACAF regional championship overall in CONCACAF's fifty years of existence...
final vs. Mexico. He had a hand in both of the USA goals as they lost 4-2.
International goals
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | November 19, 2008 | Dick's Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City Commerce City, Colorado The city of Commerce City is a Home Rule Municipality located in Adams County, Colorado, United States. Commerce City is a northern suburb of Denver and now the 18th most populous municipality in the state of Colorado... , United States |
2–0 | 2–0 | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification - CONCACAF Third Round This page provides the summaries of the CONCACAF Third Round matches for the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification. The 12 winners from the Second Round contested this round. The draw took place on 25 November 2007 in Durban, South Africa.- Format :... |
|
| 2 | July 4, 2009 | Qwest Field Qwest Field CenturyLink Field is a multi-purpose stadium in Seattle, Washington, United States. It serves as the home field for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League and Seattle Sounders FC of Major League Soccer... , Seattle, United States |
1–0 | 4–0 | 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup The 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup was the tenth edition of the Gold Cup competition, and the twentieth association football championship of North America, Central America and the Caribbean . It was contested from 3 July to 26 July 2009 in the United States. This competition was the fourth tournament... |
D.C. United
- Major League SoccerMajor League SoccerMajor League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
MLS Cup (1): 2004 - Major League SoccerMajor League SoccerMajor League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
Supporter's Shield (1): 2006
Individual
- MLS All-StarMajor League Soccer All-Star GameThe MLS All-Star Game is an annual soccer game held by Major League Soccer featuring selected players from the league against various competitors...
(2): 2004MLS All-Star 2004The 2004 Sierra Mist Major League Soccer All-Star Game was the 9th MLS All-Star Game, played on July 31, 2004 at RFK Stadium in Washington D.C. between the Eastern Conference All-Stars and Western Conference All-Stars. The Eastern Conference earned the victory after a hard-fought 3-2 win over the...
, 2006MLS All-Star 2006The 2006 Sierra Mist Major League Soccer All-Star Game was the 11th Major League Soccer All-Star Game, played on August 5, 2006, at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Illinois between the MLS All-Stars and Chelsea...
Club
|-| 2004 || rowspan=3|D.C. United
D.C. United
D.C. United is an American professional soccer club based in Washington, D.C. which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league since its inception, in 1996.Over the...
|| rowspan=5|Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
|| 30 || 5 || 1 || 0 || 3 || 0 || 34 || 5
|-
| 2005 || 25 || 4 || 2 || 1 || 1 || 0 || 28 || 5
|-
| 2006 || 32 || 2 || 2 || 0 || 3 || 0 || 37 || 2
|-
| 2007
2007 Major League Soccer season
The 2007 Major League Soccer season was the 12th season in league history. The season began on April 7 and concluded with MLS Cup 2007 on November 18, 2007 at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium in Washington, D.C.....
|| Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake is an American professional soccer club based in Sandy, Utah, a suburb of Salt Lake City. The team competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. They currently play their home games at Rio Tinto Stadium. Real Salt Lake won...
|| 11 || 2 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 11 || 2
|-
|-
| 2007–08 || Benfica || Primeira Liga || 11 || 2 || 6 || 0 || 3 || 3 || 20 || 5
|-
|-
| 2008–09 || AS Monaco
AS Monaco FC
Association Sportive de Monaco Football Club are a French football club based in Fontvieille, Monaco. The club was founded in 1924 and currently play in Ligue 2, the second tier of French football. The team plays its home matches at the Stade Louis II located within Fontvieille...
(loan) || Ligue 1
Ligue 1
Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....
|| 9 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 11 || 0
|-
|-
| 2009–10
2009–10 Portuguese Liga
The 2009–10 Portuguese Liga season, officially known as the Liga Sagres due to sponsorship reasons, was the 76th season of top-tier football in Portugal. It began on 16 August 2009 and ended on 9 May 2010...
|| Belenenses (loan) || Primeira Liga || 3 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 4 || 0
|-
|-
| 2009–10
2009–10 Super League Greece
The 2009–10 Super League Greece season is the fourth since its establishment. The league consists of 16 teams. Participants are the 13 best teams from the 2008–09 season and three teams that have been promoted from the Beta Ethniki...
|| Aris (loan) || Super League Greece
Super League Greece
The Superleague Greece is the highest professional football league in Greece. It was formed on July 16, 2006 and replaced Alpha Ethniki at the top of the Greek football league system. The league consists of 16 teams and runs from August to May, with teams playing 30 games each...
|| 9 || 1 || 2 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 11 || 2
|-
|-
| 2010–11
2010–11 TFF First League
The 2010–11 TFF First League, also known as Bank Asya First League due to sponsoring reasons , is the 10th season since the league established in 2001 and 48th season of the second-level football league of Turkey since its establishment in 1963–64.Normal season started on 20 August 2010, Friday by...
|| Çaykur Rizespor
Çaykur Rizespor
Çaykur Rizespor is a Turkish sports club based in Rize. Çaykur Rizespor is currently playing in the TFF First League. The club was founded in 1953 in green-yellow colours and had professionalship status in 1968 as Rizespor and changed its colours to blue-green...
(loan) || TFF First League
TFF First League
The TFF First League is the second level of the Turkish football league system. The league was founded in 2000 after it was separated from the Turkish Second League Category B during reorganizing Second League, who was second level of Turkish league between 1963–2001...
|| 11 || 4 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 11 || 4
|-
|-
| 2011
2011 Major League Soccer season
The 2011 Major League Soccer season was the 99th season of FIFA-sanctioned soccer, the 33rd with a national first-division league, in the United States and Canada, and the 16th season of Major League Soccer. The season marked the arrival of two new league clubs, Portland Timbers and Vancouver...
|| Philadelphia Union || Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
|| 11 || 2 || 0 || 0 || 2 || 0 || 13 || 2
|-
109 || 15 || 5 || 1 || 9 || 0 || 123 || 16
14 || 2 || 6 || 0 || 4 || 3 || 24 || 5
9 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 11 || 0
9 || 1 || 2 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 11 || 2
11 || 4 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 11 || 4
152 || 22 || 14 || 2 || 14 || 3 || 180 || 26
International
|-|2006||1||0
|-
|2007||2||0
|-
|2008||9||1
|-
|2009||3||1
|-
|2011||2||0
|-
!Total||17||2
|}
| International appearances and goals | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Final Score | Goal | Result | Competition |
| 2006 | |||||||
| 1. | 22 January 2006 | Torero Stadium Torero Stadium The Torero Stadium is a 6,000-seat stadium in San Diego, California that is primarily used for soccer and American football. It was built in 1961... , San Diego, United States |
0–0 | 0 | Draw | Friendly Exhibition game An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition... |
|
| 2007 | |||||||
| 2. | 16 October 2007 | St. Jakob-Park St. Jakob-Park ' is a Swiss sports stadium in Basel. It is the largest football venue in Switzerland and home to FC Basel. "Joggeli", as the venue is nicknamed by the locals, was originally built with a capacity of 33,433 seats. The capacity was increased to 42,500 for Euro 2008, which was hosted by Switzerland... , Basel Basel Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany... , Switzerland |
1-0 | 0 | Win | Friendly | |
| 3. | 17 November 2007 | Ellis Park Stadium Ellis Park Stadium Ellis Park Stadium, also known because of its sponsorship by The Coca-Cola Company as Coca-Cola Park, is a rugby union and association football stadium in the city of Johannesburg, Gauteng Province, South Africa. It hosted the final of the 1995 Rugby World Cup, which was won by the country's... , Johannesburg Johannesburg Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa... , South Africa |
1-0 | 0 | Win | Friendly | |
| 2008 | |||||||
| 4. | 6 February 2008 | Reliant Stadium Reliant Stadium Reliant Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, in Houston, Texas, USA. Reliant Stadium has a seating capacity of 71,500, a total square footage of with of natural grass playing surface.... , Houston, United States |
2–2 | 0 | Draw | Friendly | |
| 5. | 28 May 2008 | Wembley Stadium Wembley Stadium The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007... , London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... , England |
0-2 | 0 | Loss | Friendly | |
| 6. | 4 June 2008 | Estadio El Sardinero Estadio El Sardinero Campos de Sport de El Sardinero , is a multi-purpose stadium in Santander, Spain. It is currently used mostly for football matches, holding 22,400 people.... , Santander Santander -People:*Francisco de Paula Santander , a Colombian military and political leader born in Cúcuta*Kike Santander , a Colombian composer and record producer born in Santiago de Cali... , Spain |
0-1 | 0 | Loss | Friendly | |
| 7. | 8 June 2008 | Giants Stadium Giants Stadium Giants Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Maximum seating capacity was 80,242. The building itself was 230.5 m long, 180.5 m wide and 44 m high from service level to the top of the seating bowl and 54 m high to... , East Rutherford, United States |
0-0 | 0 | Draw | Friendly | |
| 8. | 15 June 2008 | Home Depot Center, Carson Carson, California Carson is a city in Los Angeles County, California. As of the 2010 census, Carson had a total population of 91,714. Located south of downtown Los Angeles and approximately 14 miles away from the Los Angeles International Airport, it is known as a suburb of the city.... , United States |
8-0 | 0 | Win | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 9. | 22 June 2008 | Kensington Oval Kensington Oval The Kensington Oval is located to the west of the capital-city Bridgetown on the island of Barbados. "The Oval" is one of the major sporting facilities on the island and is primarily used for cricket... , Bridgetown Bridgetown The city of Bridgetown , metropolitan pop 96,578 , is the capital and largest city of the nation of Barbados. Formerly, the Town of Saint Michael, the Greater Bridgetown area is located within the parish of Saint Michael... , Barbados |
1-0 | 0 | Win | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 10. | 11 October 2008 | RFK Stadium, Washington Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution.... , United States |
6-1 | 0 | Win | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 11. | 15 October 2008 | Hasely Crawford Stadium Hasely Crawford Stadium The Hasely Crawford Stadium, located in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, is named after Hasely Crawford, the first person from Trinidad and Tobago to win an Olympic gold medal. Originally built as the National Stadium in 1980, the stadium was re-named to honour Crawford in 2001. The stadium... , Port of Spain Port of Spain Port of Spain, also written as Port-of-Spain, is the capital of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and the country's third-largest municipality, after San Fernando and Chaguanas. The city has a municipal population of 49,031 , a metropolitan population of 128,026 and a transient daily population... , Trinidad and Tobago |
1-2 | 0 | Loss | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 12. | 19 November 2008 | Dick's Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, United States | 2-0 | 1 | Win | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 2009 | |||||||
| 13. | 3 June 2009 | Ricardo Saprissa Ricardo Saprissa Ricardo Saprissa Aymá was a lifelong athlete, coach, and promoter of sports. He spent many years in Costa Rica, playing and coaching football]/[soccer... , San José San José, Costa Rica San José is the capital and largest city of Costa Rica. Located in the Central Valley, San José is the seat of national government, the focal point of political and economic activity, and the major transportation hub of this Central American nation.Founded in 1738 by order of Cabildo de León, San... , Costa Rica |
1-3 | 0 | Loss | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 14. | 4 July 2009 | Qwest Field Qwest Field CenturyLink Field is a multi-purpose stadium in Seattle, Washington, United States. It serves as the home field for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League and Seattle Sounders FC of Major League Soccer... , Seattle, United States |
4-0 | 1 | Win | 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup The 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup was the tenth edition of the Gold Cup competition, and the twentieth association football championship of North America, Central America and the Caribbean . It was contested from 3 July to 26 July 2009 in the United States. This competition was the fourth tournament... |
|
| 15. | 8 July 2009 | RFK Stadium, Washington Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution.... , United States |
2-0 | 0 | Win | 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup | |
| 2011 | |||||||
| 16. | 22 June 2011 | Reliant Stadium Reliant Stadium Reliant Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, in Houston, Texas, USA. Reliant Stadium has a seating capacity of 71,500, a total square footage of with of natural grass playing surface.... , Houston, United States |
1-0 | 0 | Win | 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup The 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup was the 11th edition of the CONCACAF Gold Cup competition and 21th CONCACAF regional championship overall in CONCACAF's fifty years of existence... |
|
| 17. | 25 June 2011 | Rose Bowl Rose Bowl (stadium) The Rose Bowl is an outdoor athletic stadium in Pasadena, California, U.S., in Los Angeles County. The stadium is the site of the annual college football bowl game, the Rose Bowl, held on New Year's Day. In 1982, it became the home field of the UCLA Bruins college football team of the Pac-12... , Pasadena Pasadena, California Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet... , United States |
2-4 | 0 | Loss | 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup Final 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup Final The 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup Final was the 11th final of the CONCACAF Gold Cup, the international championship tournament for CONCACAF, the governing body of association football in North and Central America. The match took place on 25 June 2011 and took place at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena,... |
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Personal life
Adu dated American singer JoJo from May 2005 until September 2006. A Washington Post article in November 2006 reported that the couple split after one year. JoJo mentioned on American Top 40American Top 40
American Top 40 is an internationally syndicated, independent radio program created by Casey Kasem, Don Bustany, Tom Rounds and Ron Jacobs. Originally a production of Watermark Inc...
with Ryan Seacrest
Ryan Seacrest
Ryan John Seacrest is an American radio personality, television host, network producer and voice actor. He is the host of On Air with Ryan Seacrest, a nationally syndicated Top 40 radio show that airs on KIIS-FM in Los Angeles and throughout the United States and Canada on Premiere Radio Networks,...
that she and Adu were still good friends.
Adu is sponsored by Nike Total 90
Nike Total 90
Nike Total 90 is a brand of Nike sportswear and equipment first introduced in 2000, and specifically designed to be used for association football...
.
Freddy's younger brother, Fro Adu, played soccer for George Mason University
George Mason University
George Mason University is a public university based in unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, United States, south of and adjacent to the city of Fairfax. Additional campuses are located nearby in Arlington County, Prince William County, and Loudoun County...
.
Adu's favorite team as a child was Tottenham Hotspur, and he has expressed a desire to join the club in the future.
External links
- MLS Player Profile
- Philadelphia Union bio
- Freddy Adu on Twitter.com
- Freddy Adu at USSoccer.com
- Freddy Adu at FIFA.com
- Freddy Adu at AS Monaco