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July 25 (Reuters) - United States midfielder Freddy Adu made his professional debut at 14, played his first senior international two years later and won a transfer to former European champions Benfica at the age of 18.
Despite his progress, the Ghanaian-born player is struggling to live up to the hype which he has been attracting since the age of 10.
Still a teenager, Adu appears to have been around for years.
He left Ghana at the age of eight when his family emigrated to the United States, was spotted by a local coach and was barely 12 when Italian clubs began to take an interest in him.
By 14, he was almost inevitably being billed as the future American Pele and had won publicity contracts from two large corporations. At 15, he was the highest-paid player in Major League Soccer.
Yet, while he was never a flop, Adu has never quite managed to match the expectations.
He failed to pass a two-week trial with Manchester United as a 17-year-old -- the age at which Pele was already winning the World Cup for Brazil -- and has not managed to hold a regular spot in the U.S. national side despite flashes of inspiration.
With less pressure and lower expectations, the Olympic Games could provide the ideal stage for Adu to show off his talents.
