"It was my worst decision." Former Chelsea player Adrian Mutu recalls cocaine use

Former Chelsea, Juventus, and other clubs' footballer Adrian Mutu was a remarkably talented player and, in his own opinion, could even have contended for the Ballon d'Or if not for one circumstance. In an interview with the Telegraph, he recalled using cocaine during his time playing in London.

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Mutu had already been playing for Chelsea for a year and, after a fairly successful first season, began losing his place in the starting lineup under José Mourinho. In October 2004, the Romanian footballer was suspended for 7 months due to a failed doping test, as cocaine was found in his sample.

"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. I should have asked for help, and I didn't. However, you learn from everything in life, and the lesson made me a better person - much more mature and self aware. And I'm proud of that," Mutu admitted.

After leaving Chelsea, Mutu played for Juventus and Fiorentina. The Romanian striker ended his career in 2016.