Freddy Adu has never played against D.C. United. After he was traded at the end of the 2006 season to Real Salt Lake following his first three MLS seasons in Washington, international duty prevented the Ghana-born, Montgomery County-raised teenager from facing the team that signed him at age 14.
During the teams’ meeting in June 2007, Adu was captaining the U.S. under-20 team as it prepared for the FIFA U-20 World Cup. He was impressive enough at that tournament to land a $2 million transfer to Benfica, and he was gone before RSL and D.C. United met again.
Four years later, neither Adu, now 22 and with the Philadelphia Union, nor D.C. United are the same as they once were together, which could make his first match against his former team a bit awkward on the eyes.
“I had an amazing few years there with D.C. United,” Adu said. “… Every time I was there with the national team, they’ve always showed me great support. It’s definitely emotional for me. But once you step out there on the field, right now I am a Philadelphia Union player, and I’ll do whatever it takes to help my team win.”
Adu experienced a dramatic resurgence with the U.S. national team during the Gold Cup in June before returning to MLS, where he has one goal in six appearances (four starts) with the Union.
Adu’s former teammate, Ben Olsen, is now United’s coach. Only three D.C. United players remain from 2007, the last time the team went to the playoffs: Clyde Simms, Marc Burch and Devon McTavish. That’s only one more than Philadelphia; midfielder Brian Carroll, another former D.C. United player and D.C.-area (West Springfield) product, again is Adu’s teammate.
“I always imagined [United] just chugging along,” Carroll said. “Maybe they haven’t been able to get to that point … but I think they have found somebody who’s sort of steadied the ship a little bit in Ben and has given them some good direction.”
Still, it’s Adu who draws the attention and finally appears ready to handle it.
“He’s definitely more mature,” Carroll said. “It’s been steady progress since day one of being here to this point getting him involved with the team and to the level that he wants to be.”
– Craig Stouffer
