ESPN FC’s Alejandro Moreno explains why Freddy Adu was unable to turn his promise into an illustrious professional career.
Jacobs made the decision with close support and input from his family, who will manage his schooling with his increasing focus on soccer.
The comparisons are inevitable.
In November 2003, 14-year-old Freddy Adu signed his first professional contract with MLS and D.C. United. In the years since, Adu’s career has been held up as a cautionary tale of too much too soon, showing how being the face of a league set the stage for a career that never lived up to the hype. Now another 14-year-old is slated to turn pro and is doing so a few months younger than Adu was when he became a professional.
Late last month, Francis Jacobs signed…
Keisuke Honda spent four seasons with AC Milan.