Players

2016 Stats: Three appearances (no starts), playing 37 minutes.

Freddy Adu signed with the Rowdies on July 14, 2015.

Adu, 26, was a part of the U.S. Under-20 national team in the 2007 U-20 World Cup, in which he scored a hat-trick against Poland and tallied two assists against Brazil. Adu’s signing adds another attack-minded player to the Rowdies’ roster. He played for U.S. national teams at the Under-17, Under-20 and Under-23 levels and made his debut for the senior national team in 2006 at the age of 16, making him the youngest player to ever represent the United States at the senior level.

Adu broke into the professional soccer world as a teenager when he was selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft by D.C. United at the tender age of 14. He was the youngest player ever signed to a professional contract in American sports. After three years in D.C., Adu moved to Real Salt Lake and then on to Europe with Portuguese powerhouse SL Benfica, which sent him on a series of loans.

Adu returned to the United States in 2011 with Major League Soccer’s Philadelphia Union, where he scored seven goals in 35 matches. His form in Philadelphia saw him break back into the U.S. Men’s National Team for the 2011 Gold Cup. In that tournament, he appeared in the semifinals against Panama and in the final against Mexico.

Since then, Adu has played in Brazil, Serbia and Finland before signing with the Rowdies.

Adu is projected as an attacking midfielder with the Rowdies, though he’s certainly capable of playing as a forward anywhere on the front line.

2015 (with Tampa Bay only): Eight appearances (six starts), playing 559 minutes ... Three assists, for Maicon Santos vs FTL on 7/25, for Long Tan vs IND on 9/30 and for Brian Shriver vs OTT on 10/10 ... Made Rowdies debut off the bench vs FTL on 7/25.

2014: Made zero appearances for Jagodina of the Serbian Super Liga.

2013: Five appearances (zero starts) for Bahia in Brazil, playing 59 minutes.

2012: Twenty-four appearances (20 starts) for Philadelphia Union in MLS, playing 1,469 minutes ... Scored on 4/22 vs Chivas USA, on 7/8 vs Toronto FC, on 7/30 vs New England and on 9/23 vs Houston Dynamo.

2011: Thirteen appearances (6 starts) for Philadelphia Union, plyaing 643 minutes ... Scored on 10/9 vs Seattle Sounders and on 9/8 vs New England.

2010: Thirteen appearances (11 starts) for Rizespor of the Turkish 1. Lig, playing 871 minutes ... Scored on 3/6 vs Gaziantep BB, on 3/20 vs Akhisar Belediyespor, on 4/30 vs Adanaspor and on 5/8 vs Tavsanli Linyitspor.

2009: Three appearances (1 start) for Belenenses in the Portuguese Premeira Liga, playing 81 minutes ... Nine appearances (8 starts) for Aris in the Greek Super League, playing 629 minutes ... Scored on 2/14 vs Ergotelis.

2008: Nine appearances (zero starts) for Monaco of the French Ligue 1, playing 86 minutes.

2007: Nine appearances for Real Salt Lake in MLS ... Scored on 5/20 vs Dallas ... Scored for Benfica of the Portuguese Premeira Liga on 10/28 vs Marítimo and on 11/24 vs Académica.

2006: Twenty-nine appearances for DC United in MLS ... Scored two goals.

2005: Sixteen appearances for DC United ... Scored four goals.

2004: Fourteen appearances for DC United ... Scored five goals.