Former Benfica forward Freddy Adu knows the weight of fame too well.
Once hailed as the future of football, the American-Ghanaian prodigy has shared personal advice for Barcelona’s teenage star Lamine Yamal, hoping the youngster avoids the mistakes that derailed his own career.
Adu said, “My advice would be to focus, train, and focus on your art. Because there will be plenty of distractions. And I’m sure there are right now,” stressing the importance of discipline and balance as Yamal’s fame grows.
Freddy, who burst onto the U.S. national team at 16 and signed a €1 million Nike deal at just 14 while becoming MLS’s highest-paid player, pointed to the dangers of unwanted attention.
“I saw in the newspapers that he was on vacation with a woman much older than him, or something like that, and everyone’s talking about it. Everything he does will be a topic of conversation. If you go on vacation with an older woman, make sure you only go with your mother!” Adu joked.
Unlike Yamal’s current rise, Adu’s path was uneven, spanning 14 clubs across Europe before retiring in Sweden at 33.
