Freddy Adu wasn't fighting to save U.S. soccer when he stepped onto the fields to play this season. At 19, officially his last year of teen-phenom status, the midfielder had a much more basic goal in mind -- to get off the bench.

While he plays an increasingly important role with the U.S. national team, Adu has been relegated to bench status for quite some time now at Benfica, the club in Portugal where he plies his trade.

Though his goal all along was to play abroad, Adu ...

Read more