Premier League flop says snorting cocaine stopped him from ‘simply’ profitable Ballon d’Or
Former Chelsea and Romania forward Adrian Mutu has claimed he could have won the Ballon d’Or but a cocaine habit derailed his time in the Premier League
Former Chelsea striker Adrian Mutu claims he would have won the Ballon d’Or had he not fallen into a cocaine habit.
Mutu was one of Roman Abramovich’s first big money signings at Chelsea when he arrived from Parma for £16million back in 2003. The Romanian began life at Stamford Bridge in incredible form and looked set for greatness until his downfall.
After clashing with Jose Mourinho following the sacking of Claudio Ranieri, reports emerged that Mutu had failed a drugs test, with cocaine appearing in his system.
Reflecting on his decision, which he told the Telegraph came from a feeling of isolation, he said: “Taking cocaine during my time at Chelsea was the worst decision I could have made in my career.
“I was alone and sad, but neither depression nor anything else justified my actions. I should have asked for help, and I didn’t.
“However, you learn from everything in life, and that lesson made me a better person – much more mature and self-aware. And I’m proud of that.”
He added: “Zero tolerance – that was Chelsea’s policy regarding drugs. And I think that’s fair. I made a mistake, strayed from the path, and paid the price for it.”
Adrian Mutu’s career at Chelsea was over after he breached his contract, leading to a lengthy legal battle with the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which left him owing the Premier League club millions.
The former Romanian striker also opened up about the personal toll of missing out on what he feels could have been legendary status, claiming winning the Ballon d’Or might have been within reach. “I’ve reflected on that many times,” Mutu asserted.
“I believe that for more than a season, I was amongst the best players in the world, so I could have won it easily. But bad decisions prevented me from doing so. I try not to beat myself up about it.”
After leaving England behind, Mutu regained his form in Serie A with stints at Juventus and then Fiorentina, where he scored 55 goals in his first three seasons with the club. Mutu retired as Romania’s joint all-time top scorer.
