I could have won Ballon d’Or if not for cocaine use – Ex-Chelsea forward, Mutu

Former Chelsea forward Adrian Mutu has admitted that his career was derailed by drug use, 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, who joined Chelsea from Parma in 2003, started brightly but soon fell out of favour, particularly after a strained relationship with then-manager José Mourinho.

His career took a dramatic 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 published on Thursday, Mutu admitted that his drug use was a terrible mistake that cost him dearly.

“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 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.”

Despite the setbacks, Mutu remains confident in his abilities and believes his talent was enough to earn football’s most prestigious individual award.

“I’ve reflected on that many times,” he said.

“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’s career had shown early promise. After joining Inter Milan as a 20-year-old in 2000, he made a name for himself at Parma, where he scored 22 goals in 36 games during the 2002-03 season.

His performances attracted Chelsea, who had just been taken over by Roman Abramovich, with hopes that he would be a key part of their new project.

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, his form quickly declined. After scoring four goals in his first three games, he managed just two more goals in the next 22 league appearances.

With Mourinho’s arrival in 2004, Mutu’s struggles deepened. Reports of off-field concerns, including allegations of drug use, created tension between him and the club.

By September 2004, Mutu’s fate at Chelsea was sealed when he failed a drug test. The club, left with no choice, terminated his contract, and his time in London ended in disgrace.