READY, FREDDY? ADU VIES FOR SPOT TEENAGE SOCCER PHENOM'S LATEST CHALLENGE: TRYING TO MAKE U.S. TEAM.

Byline: Scott French Staff Writer

CARSON - When Freddy Adu was 10, storied soccer club Inter Milan offered him $750,000 to come to Italy. At 12, he left his Potomac, Md., home to enter the U.S. under-17 national team's residency in Bradenton, Fla. At 13, he was the breakout star at the U-17 World Championship. At 14, he was the No. 1 pick in Major League Soccer's draft, the highest-paid player in the league, and - thanks to Nike - a millionaire.

Now, at 16, Adu faces his toughest challenge, trying to beat out men, some twice his age, for one of 23 U.S. roster spots at the World Cup in Germany.

He's at Home Depot Center, among 29 players looking to impress coach Bruce Arena and his staff during a six-week training camp to kick off American preparations for the June 9-July 9 championships. It's Adu's first call-up to the U.S. team, and odds aren't with him.

There are only a handful of spots available, and his competition is the best Americans playing in MLS and Europe.

``Half the team is already sorted out with the European guys,'' Adu said as camp began. ``Realistically, there are maybe two of three spots left on the team.''

``Our expectations for Freddy are not great ...,'' Arena acknowledged. ``What we've seen so far is what we expected. He's a young player who's a little behind physically; the speed of the game is a bit too much for him right now. But generally, talented players over time adjust to these environments pretty quickly. And that's what we're looking to see.

``It's still pretty early. We've only been here (a week).''

The expectation is that Adu, who turns 17 a week before the World Cup begins, will be a pivotal figure in the U.S. midfield for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. That's something he doesn't want to think about.

``Everybody keeps saying 2010 is going to be our turn and all that stuff, but I've not given up hope for 2006 ...,'' said Adu, who has scored nine goals with nine assists in two seasons with D.C. United. ``It's definitely a long way to make this team, but you know what? I'm not worried. I'm not going to try to compete with other players. I'm going to focus on doing what I need to do to help the team that I'm on.

``Sometimes players aren't picked just because they're really, really good on the field. Maybe you're going to get picked because you're a very good teammate, because of the chemistry between you and somebody else.''

Adu, a preternaturally talented playmaker, possesses exquisite touch and vision with the abilities to see things others can't and make opponents look foolish. It has been apparent since his preteens, drawing former D.C. United coach Roy Hudson's assessment was ``a blind man on a galloping horse can see his talent. He's a little Faberge egg, and everyone's just trying to protect him.''

Adu has had his struggles. He was ineffective in last year's under-20 World Youth Championship, then complained about a lack of playing time with D.C. United, hinting he might leave the club, and was suspended for a playoff game.

``I've learned I can fight through anything,'' he said. ``You just never say never. ... (D.C. United coach Peter Nowak) and I have had our problems in the past, but he's taught me to be a very tough kid, no matter what.''

``After a while,'' said U.S. star Landon Donovan, who also was a teen phenom, ``you lose your naivete, and you learn what the world is, and he's learned that faster than anybody. People don't realize how being on the road for long trips with men 25, 30 years old changes you. He's got that innately, that old soul to him, so he's picked it up naturally.''

Adu says he ``can't miss out'' on a World Cup in Europe, and he doesn't have to. Ghana, one of the Americans' Group E opponents, last month offered him a roster spot for Germany.

Adu was born in Ghana and moved to Maryland in 1997, when his family won a green-card lottery. If he were to play in the World Cup for his native land, he could never suit up again for the U.S. team.

``It's a great compliment, and I appreciate it, but I play for the U.S.,'' Adu said. ``I've always wanted to play for the U.S. team. ... (When I was invited into this camp), I'm telling you, man, I was, like, wow! I was the happiest guy on the face of the earth. This is my dream.''

Adu came into camp not fully fit, but he's impressed the veterans.

``He looks comfortable, confident, and he's doing what he's good at,'' Donovan said. ``A lot of guys come into their first camp and try not to make mistakes, and he's come in and is doing what he's good at, which is making defenders anxious and running and people, and that's what he needs to do. I think he's going to figure it out pretty quickly. There's small things. ... He has the tools. He doesn't need too much guidance. He's got his head on straight.''

Pele was 17 when he emerged as a star during the 1958 World Cup in Sweden. England's Michael Owen was 17 at the 1998 World Cup in France.

``Age isn't a factor,'' Arena said. ``It's the quality of the player. He's good enough to be in our pool, and the question is whether he'll be good enough to move up the ladder.''

Arena praises Adu's passing ability and that ``he's a player who can go by people with the ball, and we don't have a lot of players in that category.''

Adu says he's adjusting to the level of play.

``It's been so competitive,'' he said. ``My God, it's just a whole different level. And I'm glad I'm here, because it's going to make me a much better player, you know?

``On (the first day of camp), I had no idea what was going on. I was just running around all over the pitch, just lost, but I'm picking it up now. ... I'm just trying to focus on what I do best, which is getting the ball, going at people, taking chances, taking shots, trying to score goals. I'm hoping to do well enough to make an impression on Coach.''

Scott French, [phone]

scott.french(at)dailynews.com

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(color) Freddy Adu is a longshot to make the 2006 U.S national team, coach Bruce Arena said.

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images