The New York Times’ Jack Bell checks in with Benfica and U.S. national team prodigy Freddy Adu. Mere weeks after his high profile transfer from Major League Soccer to the Portuguese giant, we were worried that the youngster’s future was immediately in doubt when Benfica replaced its head coach with Spanish tactician Jose Antonio Camacho. However, after enduring a rough transition period, Adu has since taken his chances with the first team superbly, scoring five goals in all competitions so far this season — most of them off the bench. In fact, the 18-year-old already has a growing legend as something of a super-sub.
First and foremost, Adu says, “I made the jump and could not be happier I made the jump,” adding, “The level of play is great and this is the right place for me right now.” One thing he learned immediately upon arriving at Benfica is that you can never take your place in the team for granted. “You have to come work everyday, and it makes you a better player, the constant competition,” he says. “I kill myself every day in training, and I think most of the guys do the same thing. It makes playing in a game easier because you work so hard in training. The game feels like a rest.”
Throughout the interview, Freddy reiterates how happy he is to be at Benfica. And it sounds as though the culture change, competition and a heightened team focus have had a constructively humbling effect on him. For example, Adu accepts that he’s learning and sounds honored to have earned a consistent role as a substitute right now. “I know my time will come,” he says of playing in the starting 11. “Whatever [the coach] wants me to do, two, five, 30, 90 minutes, whatever, I’m going to go out with the same mentality and help the team win.”