Freddy Adu

All I can say is, hey, if you have fun doing what you do, if you have fun playing soccer, the creativity is just going to come as time goes on.

When you get into the game you've got be thinking, when I get into the attacking third I'm gonna be freakin' creative.

When you play soccer, most of the time you got to get the ball moving, but once you get into that attacking third you gotta' be creative, you gotta' let your talent take over.

I don't want to be one of those guys where I go there and wait a long time before I become a starter.

I'm going to go in and play, because the most important thing is playing on the field and being able to contribute. I really am ready.

It's one of the best leagues in Europe in football. Benfica in my opinion is one of the top 10 biggest clubs in the world.

It's frustrating at times when you think you've earned a chance to play on the field and you're over there sitting on the bench. That's not the kind of player I am. I'm the kind of player who wants to be out there on the field and needs to contribute every minute of every game.

Obviously, everybody has their own expectations of you, but you have to have your own expectations for yourself. For me, I'm right on track.

I need to be in a stable environment right now in my career. What I mean by that is a place where I can play and not have too much pressure on me and a place I can develop. Monaco wanted me and did whatever they could to get me so I feel very very good about that.

I couldn't ask for a better life.

My mom was always the supplier of soccer balls, and so people were always knocking on my door, and trying to get me out so we could play.

Obviously, I'm at the beginning of my career, contrary to what anyone else thinks. I'm 19 years old. In any other country, everywhere else, you're a prospect. And that's what I am right now in Europe. I'm a prospect. I'm not a seasoned veteran.

I mean, I couldn't ask for a better life, man.

I think everything happens for a reason and all the things that happened to me - good, bad - I'm glad they did. It's made me ready for life, for adulthood.

I honestly didn't expect this much attention, but it just keeps happening so I must be doing something right.

Nothing has been given to me.

You can't do anything to help your team win when you don't play.

When I'm out there on the field, I'm in a whole different world, you know? It's like, I'm just having so much fun.

You can teach all the other stuff, you know. You can teach shooting the ball, you can teach having a good touch... passing and whatnot, but when you get out there on the field, it's just a mindset you need to go into the game with.

I need to go play football. I don't care about anything else.