Sports

Cocaine Use Cost Me Ballon d’Or – Ex-Chelsea Forward Mutu

ByTitilope Adako

PublishedMarch 28, 2025

Former Chelsea forward Adrian Mutu has admitted that his career was derailed by drug use, claiming he could have won the Ballon d’Or if not for his cocaine consumption during his time at Stamford Bridge.

Mutu, who joined Chelsea from Parma in 2003, started strongly but soon fell out of favour, particularly after a strained relationship with then-manager José Mourinho.

His career took a sharp downturn when he tested positive for cocaine in September 2004, leading to a seven-month suspension and the termination of his Chelsea contract.

Reflecting on his past in an interview with The Telegraph on Thursday, Mutu admitted that his drug use was a grave mistake.

“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. Zero tolerance—that was Chelsea’s policy regarding drugs. And I think that’s fair,” Mutu said.

The Romanian forward acknowledged that he struggled to cope with the pressure and lifestyle in London, which led to his downfall.

“I made a mistake, strayed from the path, and paid the price for it. I wasn’t used to that life. I arrived at Chelsea during a turbulent time in my personal life and got caught up in too many excuses and lies. I was too young and too alone.”

Despite his setbacks, Mutu believes his talent was enough to earn football’s most prestigious individual award.

“I’ve reflected on that many times. I believe that for more than a season, I was among the best players in the world, so I could have won it (Ballon d’Or) easily. But bad decisions prevented me from doing so. I try not to beat myself up about it,” he added.

Mutu had shown early promise in his career, joining Inter Milan at 20 before making a name for himself at Parma, where he scored 22 goals in 36 games in the 2002-03 season.

His performances earned him a move to Chelsea under Roman Abramovich’s ownership, with high expectations placed on him.

The forward even received a Ballon d’Or nomination, earning the same number of votes as Ronaldinho, Filippo Inzaghi, Jan Koller, and Francesco Toldo.

However, after an explosive start with four goals in his first three games, his form quickly declined, managing just two more goals in his next 22 league appearances.

Mourinho’s arrival in 2004 further complicated Mutu’s situation, with reports of off-field issues, including allegations of drug use, creating friction between him and the club.

His fate at Chelsea was sealed in September 2004 when he failed a drug test, leading to his dismissal from the club and a major career setback.

Titilope Adako

Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.