GOAL Convo: Adu discussed his expectations for Sullivan and the state of the American youth soccer system<\/p>\n
Freddy Adu might not have grown up in the social media era, but if there was a 2004 equivalent of \u201cgoing viral,\u201d he lived it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Joining MLS at 14, he became the face of a league desperate to attract fans. Commercials with Pel\u00e9? Check. Mega endorsement deals? Absolutely. Pushing for senior-team minutes as a teen? Whatever it took to market a still-developing talent once linked to Manchester United and Tottenham before signing with D.C. United.<\/p>\n
Adu says American soccer is in a much better place now than when he launched his career.<\/p>\n
“There’s a big change,” Adu told GOAL.<\/strong> “When I was coming up, the whole youth system was new; it wasn’t as big. There weren\u2019t a lot of resources, so your pathway was either the youth national team or college. That\u2019s how most people went pro. Now, there\u2019s money in the youth systems, more opportunities – and that\u2019s great for young players.”<\/p>\n While Adu is remembered by many as a player who didn\u2019t match outsized expectations, his career spanned more than a decade with stops at clubs such as Benfica and Monaco. The improved infrastructure in MLS gives him hope for another hyped teenager, Cavan Sullivan. The 15-year-old Philadelphia Union prospect is very much viral – he posted a highlight reel on TikTok this week that drew more than 570,000 likes in just three days.<\/a><\/p>\n