Freddy Adu
- U.S. National Team: MNT
- Position: Forward
- Date Of Birth: June 2, 1989
- Height: 5-8
- Weight: 140
- Hometown: Potomac, Md.
- Club: Philadelphia Union
At 20 years of age, Freddy Adu set personal career highs for the Men’s National Team in games played, games started, assists and goals in 2008. He also played a crucial role in the U.S. U-23’s trip to the Olympics, scoring four goals in three qualifying games, before eventually making two appearances during the group stage in Beijing. A veteran of four FIFA youth World Cups, Adu made the move to Europe in the summer of 2007, spending one season with SL Benfica in the Portuguese Liga. Prior to the start of the 2008-09 season, Adu embarked on a year-long loan move to France with AS Monaco. Still looking to find his feet in Europe, the technically gifted attacker enters 2009 looking to build on his progress with the national team.
- Scored his first goal for the U.S. with a trademark free kick in the final game of the semifinal round of FIFA World Cup qualifying against Guatemala
- A technically gifted attacker, Adu has played in three FIFA Under-20 World Cups, and is still age-eligible for a fourth
- Became the youngest player in Major League Soccer history, appearing in his first game on April 3, 2004 and scoring a goal on April 17, 2004 at age 14
- Was the first player to ever score a hat trick in both the FIFA Under-17 and Under-20 World Cups, with three goals against South Korea at the U-17 level in 2003, and three more against Poland with the Under-20s in 2007
- Became the youngest player ever capped with the Men’s National Team on Jan. 22, 2006, when he appeared as an 81st minute sub against Canada
2008: Made a career high nine appearances, including four starts … Appeared in five FIFA World Cup qualifying matches, starting three … Scored one goal, his first with the MNT, against Guatemala in a 2-0 victory in November … Added two assists, against Barbados in June and Cuba in October … 2007: Made his second appearance for the United States against Switzerland on Oct. 17 in Basel … Given his first start for the MNT a month later on Nov. 17 against South Africa in Johannesburg … 2006: Became the youngest player to earn a cap with the U.S. MNT at 16 years, 234 days when he came on to replace an injured Eddie Johnson on against Canada in San Diego on Jan. 22, 2006 … Under-23s: Scored four goals in three appearances for the U-23s during CONCACAF Olympic qualifying in March … Named to the CONCACAF all-tournament team … Appeared in two out of the three games for the U.S. in Beijing … Notched a memorable assist on Sacha Kljestan’s goal against the Netherlands on Aug. 10 … A yellow card suspension ruled him out of the final group game in China … Under-20s: One of the youngest players on the U.S. Under-20 World Cup squad – having just turned 18 at the start of the event – but one of the most experienced as he also played in the 2003 and 2005 FIFA World Youth Championships, the only player on the squad to do so … Became just the second player in FIFA history to play in three Under-20 World Cups… Named captain of the team by head coach Thomas Rongen …Scored hat trick against Poland in U-20 World Cup … Became first player to record hat tricks in both U-17 and U-20 FIFA World Cups … Set up both goals against Brazil in Under-20 World Cup … Scored two goals and added an assist in 2007 CONCACAF Qualifying … Earned first U-20 cap against Japan on Oct. 8, 2003 at age 14 …Called up to replace injured forward Arturo Alvarez at 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship, started four games and appeared in all five, helping the U.S to a fifth-place finish …Played in all four games of the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship, and all three games of CONCACAF Qualifying … Under-17s: Named 2003 U.S. Soccer Young Athlete of the Year … Led the team with 16 international goals … Scored four goals at the 2003 FIFA Under-17 World Championship, including a hat trick against South Korea in the opening game … First Appearance: Jan. 22, 2006, vs. Canada … First goal: Nov. 19, 2008, vs. Guatemala.
2008-09: Entered a year-long loan deal with French side AS Monaco in July of 2008, with an option to join the team permanently … Made nine appearances for Monaco in 2008, all of them substitute outings … 2007-08: Signed with Benfica of Portugal in August of 2007 following his U-20 World Cup campaign … Scored two goals in 11 appearances for Benfica in league play … Made his UEFA Champions League Debut against FC Copenhagen in August … 2007: Traded to Real Salt Lake from D.C. United in December of 2006 … Appeared in 11 games and scored one goal for RSL before transferring to Europe … 2006: Played in all 29 matches with D.C. United … Scored two goals and registered a career-high eight assists, good enough for third on the team … Named to the MLS All-Star team … 2005: Played in 25 games, starting 16 … Had a breakout game on May 7, assisting on two goals before finishing one in a 3-1 victory over Columbus … 2004: In his rookie season, was one of only three players to appear in every match for D.C. … Became the youngest player to ever appear in an MLS match on April 3 and became the youngest to ever score a goal on April 17 (at age 14) … Was a commissioner’s pick to the Sierra Mist All-Star Game … Selected by D.C. with the first pick of the 2004 MLS SuperDraft.
Born in Ghana and came to the United States at age eight with his mother and younger brother, Fro, when they won a green card lottery … Fro plays soccer at George Mason University
