Former Chelsea striker Adrian Mutu has opened up about his past struggles with cocaine, asserting that the addiction halted what could have been a Ballon d'Or-worthy career. The Romanian was one of the first signings of the Roman Abramovich era at Stamford Bridge, joining in the summer of 2003 for £16million from Parma.
His Blues career began brightly, with Chelsea finishing second in the Premier League and reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League in his debut season. But his fortunes turned when Jose Mourinho took over from Claudio Ranieri in 2004.
Mutu didn't see eye to eye with the Special One, with the pair clashing frequently, and a few months into the 2004/05 season, Mutu failed a drugs test after testing positive for cocaine. Reflecting on that period while speaking to the Telegraph, Mutu, now 46, acknowledges the gravity of his actions and admits they were a poor choice driven by loneliness.
"Taking cocaine during my time at Chelsea was the worst decision I could have made in my career," he admitted. "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."
The scandal resulted in Mutu's Chelsea contract being ripped up and sparked a protracted legal battle with the Court of Arbitration for Sport that lasted years. Ultimately, he was made to reimburse the Premier League club millions for breach of contract.
Beyond the financial repercussions, Mutu harbours personal regrets about what might have been, particularly regarding his Ballon d'Or aspirations.
Following a successful stint at Parma, where his 22-goal haul in 2002/03 caught Chelsea's eye, Mutu set his sights on being crowned the world's best player - but his failed drugs test dashed those dreams in an instant, as well as his dreams of becoming a Premier League champion.
Adrian Mutu after signing for Chelsea
Adrian Mutu believes he'd have had a shot at the Ballon d'Or if it weren't for his failed drugs test (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
"I've reflected on that many times," he said about his Ballon d'Or chances. "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 Chelsea, Mutu returned to Italy, landing first with Juventus before flourishing at Fiorentina. It was at Fiorentina that he regained his goal-scoring prowess, netting 55 goals in his first three seasons there.
He also retired as one of Romania's all-time top scorers, sharing the record for the most goals scored for his country.
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Chelsea flag prior the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final Leg One match between Chelsea FC and Real Madrid at Stamford Bridge. (Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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