Former Chelsea forward Adrian Mutu has admitted that drug use derailed his career, claiming he could have “easily” won the Ballon d’Or if not for the mistake of taking cocaine during his time at Stamford Bridge.
Mutu joined Chelsea from Parma in 2003 and initially made a strong impression. However, tensions with then-manager José Mourinho and off-field struggles soon led to his decline. His career took a devastating turn in September 2004 when he tested positive for cocaine, resulting in a seven-month suspension and the termination of his Chelsea contract.
In an interview with The Telegraph published on Thursday, Mutu called his drug use the biggest mistake of his career.
“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,” he admitted.
The Romanian forward acknowledged that he struggled to adapt to life in London, which contributed to his downfall.
“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,” Mutu explained.
Despite the setbacks, he remains confident in his abilities and believes his talent could have earned him football’s most prestigious individual award.“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,” Mutu said.
Mutu had shown early promise, joining Inter Milan as a 20-year-old in 2000 before making a name for himself at Parma, where he scored 22 goals in 36 games during the 2002-03 season. His performances attracted Chelsea’s interest following Roman Abramovich’s takeover, and he was even nominated for the Ballon d’Or alongside football greats like Ronaldinho and Filippo Inzaghi.
However, his form declined rapidly. After scoring four goals in his first three games for Chelsea, he netted only twice more in his next 22 league appearances. With Mourinho’s arrival in 2004, his struggles intensified, and reports of off-field issues—including drug use—worsened his situation.
By September 2004, his fate was sealed when he failed a drug test. Chelsea terminated his contract, ending his time in London in disgrace.
