20 years of MLS: Five hits and five misses

Miss: The Freddy Adu saga

Freddy Adu was dubbed as the “Next Pelé” when he started his professional career in MLS at the mere age of 14.

The former soccer prodigy was selected in the 2014 SuperDraft by D.C. United, starting what would become one of the saddest stories in American soccer history.

There was no doubt that Adu was talented as he went to score 12 goals in over two years and lead the U.S. in the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup. At only 17, that was quite a feature. Still, it all occurred during a time MLS was craving for any attention it could get and the league decided to position Adu as some kind of soccer savior.

The league’s marketing efforts put the young attacker in TV commercials and on magazine covers, causing the young star to start crumbling under the pressure. Also, without the proper development, Adu fell behind when he attempted to play in Europe, where he bounced around for four years before an unsuccessful return to MLS in 2011.

Currently, 26-year-old Adu is playing for the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the North American Soccer League. While it would be unfair to put the blame fully on MLS, the league surely shares responsibility for being impatient in a process that could’ve gifted the U.S. with a talented attacker.

Next: Hit: Soccer-specific stadiums