Freddy Adu
© AFP/Getty Images/File Donald Miralle

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The 17-year-old midfielder, who plays for US Major League Soccer's DC United, told AFP in an interview that he feels he could make the US squad in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa after being left out in Germany this year.

In the meantime, he plans to move on to a European powerhouse in the next couple of years and said his agent has been talking with English champions Chelsea.

"I just did not get enough of a chance to pretty much try out for the US national team," he said in his Washington team's locker room after DC United beat Chicago Fire 1-0 here late Wednesday.

"But I think the next time around, maybe for the next World Cup, I think I'm going to get a good shot at making the team and all I have got do is just take advantage of it," he said.

"I just have got to play my game and hopefully it's good enough for the national team one day," he said.

Adu would have been the youngest player to take the pitch at a World Cup had he played for Ghana or the United States in their opening games in Germany.

He had told the Washington Post last year that he had made up his mind to play for the United States, but he told AFP that he would consider playing for either country.

"It's still open, you never know," he said. "The way Ghana is playing right now, they're a good, good team."

The Michael Essien-led team were playing the United States later Thursday in Nuremburg in a World Cup match crucial to both side's hopes of making it through to the last 16.

"I have not played an international FIFA-sanctioned friendly for any country yet," he said. "I guess whoever comes along and offers me that chance, you know, in the near future, I'll think about it and we'll see what happens."

"Because you never know, maybe you might not get a chance to play for the US national team," Adu said.

Adu attended a US team training camp in California earlier this year, but he only played at the tail-end of a goal-less friendly against Canada in January and was dropped from consideration for the World Cup. He was just 16 at the time.

Still, the teenager dreams of lifting the World Cup trophy one day.

"I dream about it a lot," he said.

"If I could win just one World Cup, you know how happy I would be man, I would be so happy," he said. "It's just, wow, I mean that's almost unthinkable."

"The people who get a chance to do that they are blessed, and hopefully that's me one day," Adu said.

But before he gets a shot at ultimate international football glory, Adu wants to take his dazzling moves to a European powerhouse.

"That's the ultimate goal, I will go there," Adu said. "It's only a matter of time, I think in the next couple of years. ... Most likely it will be England."

"My agent has been talking to Chelsea for a while," he said, adding that Manchester United was a possibility as the team had invited him to train with them during the off season, although he was unable to do so.

Asked about rumors that Real Madrid is also interested, he said with a chuckle: "We'll see."

©AFP