Former Chelsea striker Adrian Mutu has admitted that his past drug use cost him the opportunity to win football’s most coveted individual honor, the Ballon d’Or.
Now 46, Mutu was handed an eight-month suspension from football after testing positive for cocaine during his time at Chelsea.
In a heartfelt interview with The Telegraph, the Romanian reflected on his struggles and their impact on his career.
“Taking cocaine during my time at Chelsea was the worst decision I could have made in my career,” Mutu admitted.
“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.
“I made a mistake, strayed from the path, and paid the price for it. I was caught off guard. I wasn’t used to that life. I was unprepared.
“I arrived at Chelsea during a turbulent time in my personal life, and I found myself caught up in too many excuses and lies. I was too young and too alone.”
Reflecting on his career, Mutu believes he was among the best players in the world for a period and could have won the Ballon d’Or had it not been for his poor choices.
“I’ve reflected on that many times. I believe that for more than a season, I was amongst 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 said.