Freddy Adu signs with NASL side Tampa Bay Rowdies

How far the mighty have fallen.

Following an unsuccessful stint with Kuopion Palloseura (KuPS) in the Finnish top flight, Freddy Adu has returned stateside to play for NASL outfit Tampa Bay Rowdies, the club announced Tuesday.

Once anointed the future of American soccer, Adu has become the archetype of a player whose potential was never reached, continuously moving from league to league, country to country, in search of the form that saw him become the youngest player to sign a professional contract when, as a 14-year old, he put pen to paper with D.C. United.

The Rowdies, who play one level below Major League Soccer, are Adu's 13th professional club, with his travels taking him to well-known clubs like AS Monaco and Benfica, as well as lesser-known sides like Cakur Rizespor (Turkey) and Jagodina (Serbia).

Tampa Bay's manager, Thomas Rongen, fondly remembers Adu from their time together with the U.S. Under-20 program. Rongen, twice manager of the U-20 side, witnessed Adu's maturation from a raw talent to one of significant promise. "I played him when he was young (in 2003) in a 4-3-3 on the left, where he had more time on the ball and he didn’t have to play with his back to goal like in a No 10 (position)." He was being groomed to be the future of American soccer, an attacking midfielder who combined pace and skill to keep defenders up at night.

Despite the adulation that came with potentially being the first great American soccer player, Adu was never able to meet expectations. "I’m flabbergasted that Freddy hasn’t been able to make it to the top level," Rongen says. "I don’t think he was prepared to sustain the rigorous demands of a pro club where it’s nasty, where players constantly compete for spots, and where, sadly, Americans are still seen as not a great soccer nation. You have to prove yourself every day - and physically it is very tough."

There are as many theories as to why Adu failed to meet expectations as there are different jerseys with his name on the back, but the fact remains, Freddy Adu continues to search for a club with whom he can recapture the form that once made him the future of American soccer.