Freddy Adu

Freddy Adu

Adu with the United States at the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup
Personal information
Full name	Fredua Koranteng Adu[1]
Date of birth	(1989-06-02) June 2, 1989 (age 35)[2]
Place of birth	Tema, Ghana
Height	5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)[2]
Position(s)	Attacking midfielder, forward
Youth career
1997–2001	Potomac Cougars[3]
2002–2003	IMG Academy
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2004–2006	D.C. United	87	(11)
2007	Real Salt Lake	11	(1)
2007–2011	Benfica	14	(2)
2008–2009	→ Monaco (loan)	9	(0)
2009	→ Belenenses (loan)	3	(0)
2010	→ Aris (loan)	5	(1)
2011	→ Çaykur Rizespor (loan)	11	(3)
2011–2013	Philadelphia Union	35	(7)
2013	Bahia	2	(0)
2014	Jagodina	0	(0)
2015	KuPS	5	(0)
2015	→ KuFu-98 (loan)	3	(2)
2015–2016	Tampa Bay Rowdies	12	(0)
2018	Las Vegas Lights	14	(1)
2021	Österlen FF	0	(0)
International career‡
2002–2003	United States U17	15	(16)
2003–2009	United States U20	33	(16)
2008–2012	United States U23	11	(5)
2006–2011	United States	17	(2)
Medal record Representing  United States Men's soccer FIFA Confederations Cup Runner-up 2009 South Africa CONCACAF Gold Cup Runner-up 2009 United States Runner-up 2011 United States
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of October 16, 2018 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of March 27, 2012

Fredua Koranteng "Freddy" Adu (born June 2, 1989) is an American former professional soccer player who played as an attacking midfielder. The last club he played for was Ettan Fotboll club Österlen FF in 2021.

From before the time of his signing with D.C. United at the age of 14, Adu was spoken of as "the next Pelé."^[4] However, after leaving D.C. United in 2006, he became a journeyman,^[5] playing for fifteen teams in nine countries: the United States, Portugal, Monaco, Greece, Turkey, Brazil, Serbia, Finland and Sweden.

At D.C. United, Adu broke several records. First, he became the youngest athlete ever to sign a professional contract in the United States at 14 years old, after he was selected by the team in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft in January 2004. Three months later, 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. These records have both since been broken by Maximo Carrizo^[6] and Cavan Sullivan^[7] respectively.

Adu made his full international debut for the United States national team at the age of 16 in 2006. He has gone on to earn 17 caps for his country and was a part of the US squads at the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup as well as at the 2009 and 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cups. He also represented the United States Olympic team at the 2008 Summer Olympics.