In 199, when Adu was eight years old, his parents participated in an immigration lottery through the US embassy in Ghana. The reason was to give his children, Freddy and his younger brother Fredua, the possibility of a better education. The Adus won the lottery and moved to the United States, settling in Potomac, Maryland, near Washington, DC.
Shortly after arriving in the United States, Maxwell Adu abandoned his family. To support her children, Emelia their mother had two jobs, getting up at five in the morning every morning and working more than seventy hours a week.
Naturally, Freddy Adu returned to football, playing with other children in the schoolyard. His fourth grade friends were amazed, and one of them invited him to play in a tournament organized by the Potomac Soccer Association.
FIt was his first time playing in a soccer tournament organized. Adu dazzled everyone, the financial consultant noticed Tarzy arnold, who was also the coach of the Pumas, a Potomac football team. Adu made such an impression on Tarzy that Coach Cougars tracked him down, and within forty-eight hours after the tournament, Adu had joined his team.
When Adu was ten years old, Tarzy suggested that he travel to Italy with the US Olympic team. Adu’s team not only won the contest, Adu scored more points than anyone else in the tournament. Adu was younger than most of the players. Top European teams like Inter Milan knocked on his door, hoping to attract Adu to Europe.
During the following year Adu also attracted the attention of the US Soccer Federation.. and from companies like Adidas, to promote their products. But Adu’s mother said no. “Is too young”. Today in 2001. “I want them to get an education.” Emelia Adu said she struggled with her decision, but felt she was making the right choice for her son.
Freddy’s skills were not limited to the soccer field. He was also a budding artist. He was also an exceptional student. Shortly after joining the Pumas, Adu received a full scholarship to attend a prestigious boys’ school on the Potomac. He did so well that he skipped seventh grade.
But Adu’s ability in soccer was too brilliant to hide, and the coaches kept knocking on his door. In 2001, John Ellinger, the coach of the US Under-17 Football Federation team, asked Adu to attend a weekend tournament in Florida.
Ellinger then invited Adu to train at the IMG Academies federation in Bradenton, Florida. On a 190-acre campus, an elite training ground for high-performance athletes in a variety of sports. In 2002 Adu’s mother agreed to let him go, and he moved to Florida, becoming, at twelve, the youngest member of the American U-17 soccer team.
Adu did not disappoint his coaches at Bradenton. In March 2003, few weeks later became a U.S. citizen. Adu helped his team qualify for the U-17 World Championship.
Coaches and leagues knocked on his door again, there were even some tempting offers for Adu to train in Europe. It was reported that he was offered $ 3 million from Manchester United of England. The Adus didn’t need the money, as Freddy had recently signed a $ 1 million contract with Nike to support their sports line.
Adu did not spend most of his time in training in early 2004 because he was still in school. Thanks to his high grades and accelerated academic program from the Football Federation, he graduated from high school in March, three years ahead of schedule.
He then returned to Maryland to live with his mother, in a new house bought by Freddy Adu.
On April 3, 2004, when he took the field for his first professional game, millions of people tuned in to watch him play, on ABC Sports.
Amid all the hype, Adu has remained a down-to-earth young man. At a reported press conference held shortly before his professional debut, he focused on the upcoming game and his team :. “I’m not coming here to become the savior of American soccer. I’m looking forward to getting out there and playing and having fun, because when I’m on the soccer field is when I’m at my happiest. “