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Recently, young Freddy has signed a lucrative six-year contract to play for DC United in the American Major Soccer League. This is perhaps a blessing since soccer has been struggling to find an niche in a nation with a deep, but varied sports culture. However things may change with Adu's emergence. To give one an idea of Adu's talent, John Ellinger, coach of U.S. under-17 team was awestruck.
On one play, running at full speed, the kid fielded a pass on the outside of his left foot, flicked it up and over his head--and over the defender--and corralled the ball without breaking stride. "I couldn't believe my eyes... and then he goes and does it again, this time with the other foot," says Ellinger. "When I asked him, 'Do you realize the things you're doing out there?' he shook his head. All I could think was, 'Good Lord, son'."
I've seen attackers such as Nigeria's flashy wizard Augustine Okocha "ball flick" over a defender's head and get the ball in one motion, but certainly Adu's speed and chess-like calculating ability makes him even deadlier. Using sports slang… the young man's got "mad skills." In a recent news flash, Adu has been named to the U.S. under-20 team to replace the injured forward, Arturo Alvarez. The decision is pending approval by FIFA, the international governing body for soccer. Keep an eye out for this future star!
Dr. Daaim Shabazz, The Chess Drum
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