Freddy Adu - International Career

International Career

Adu played for the United States in five international youth tournaments: the 2003 FIFA U-17 World Championship in Finland, the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship in the United Arab Emirates, the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship in the Netherlands, the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Canada, and the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Adu was called into the national team's training camp by coach Bruce Arena in January 2006 for a friendly match against Canada. Adu was capped in that game on January 22 (at 16 years and 234 days), becoming the youngest player to debut with the U.S. national team when he replaced an injured Eddie Johnson in the 81st minute at the University of San Diego's Torero Stadium in San Diego, California.

In January 2007 Adu captained the United States U-20 men's national team as it qualified for the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Canada. By playing in the 2007 tournament finals, held from June to July, Adu became only the second player in the world to play in three FIFA U-20 World Cups. On July 3, 2007, Adu scored a hat-trick in U.S.'s 6–1 victory over Poland in the group stage of the tournament. This accomplishment made him the first player to ever score a hat trick in both the U-20 and U-17 World Cups. In the following 2–1 victory over Brazil Adu assisted on both USA goals by Jozy Altidore.

Adu made his first start for the senior international team in a friendly against South Africa on November 17, 2007.

Adu helped lead the U-23 men's national team in its campaign to qualify for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. He scored two goals from free kicks in the USA's 3–0 win over Canada in the semifinals of the tournament, which ultimately qualified them for the Olympics along with Honduras. He scored four goals in total in the three games in which he played, leading all players in scoring, and was selected to the tournament Best XI.

Adu played in both legs of the 2nd round qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup against Barbados on June 8 and June 22, 2008, starting in the latter. He provided the assist on Eddie Lewis' goal, the lone goal in the 2nd leg of the United States 1–0 victory (9–0 aggregate) in Barbados.

On July 15, 2008, Adu was named to the 18-man squad that represented the United States in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Adu played in the first two games of group play against Japan and Netherlands. He assisted on a Sacha Kljestan goal in the Netherlands match, but he, as well as teammate Michael Bradley, was then suspended for the final game of group play against Nigeria after each player earned his second yellow card of group play late in the Netherlands match. The US team was eliminated from the Olympics after falling to Nigeria.

Adu scored his first international goal (at 19 years and 170 days) as a member of the full U.S. national squad on a free kick in a November 19, 2008, World Cup qualifier against Guatemala.

Despite a two-year absence from the national team due to his increasingly unstable club situation, Adu was a shock inclusion in the USA roster for the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup, making the team despite playing for a second division club. After having failed to make an appearance in the team's friendly against Spain as well as the first four tournament matches, Adu was a surprise substitute in the semifinal against Panama, coming on in the second-half of a scoreless draw for Juan Agudelo. It was Adu whose pass from midfield sprung Landon Donovan free on a counterattack, where he was able to cross the ball to Clint Dempsey for the winner. Adu was in the starting lineup in the following game, the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup final vs. Mexico. He had a hand in both of the USA goals as they lost 4-2.