World Cup debutants Ghana have announced that they are hoping to convince teen sensation Freddy Adu to represent the Black Stars at next summer's World Cup finals instead of his adopted country, the USA. Ironically, in last Friday's draw in Leipzig, the two teams were paired together in Group E along with Italy and the Czech Republic.

The 16-year-old striker, who is tipped to be a major star in the making, was born in Ghana but grew up in the United States and currently represents his adopted country at Under-17 level.

Ghana Black Stars’ head coach Ratomir Dujkovic has reportedly offered the 16 year old DC United forward a place in Ghana’s first team squad for the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany, and he is hopeful that his roots, together with the fantastic opportunity to showcase his talents on the global stage, will lead the teenager to decide to represent Ghana.

"We have decided to contact Adu to ask him to decide whether he would like to play for Ghana or the United States," Dujkovic told the BBC.

"I believe that if he has sentiment for Ghana, he will play for the Black Stars," said the Serbian coach.

"In the coming days, he will be contacted by the (Ghanaian) Football Association."

Dujkovic is also hoping to convince Adu to play for the Black Stars in January's African Nations Cup in Egypt. "We have just over a month to persuade him to come," said the coach.

"Playing at the World Cup would be a big opportunity for him to show the rest of the world, not just America, that he is a great footballer," he explained.

The Ghana Football Association is attempting to lure Freddy Adu, despite the fact that the teenager has already stated that he is unwilling to play for anyone other than the United States.

Earlier this year, the DC United striker told the Washington Post newspaper that he would turn down a proposal from Ghana if they asked him to play at the World Cup.

To add to this, Adu is expected to be invited by the U.S coach, Bruce Arena, to the U.S. training camp due to be convening in January. However, it isn’t likely that Adu would manage to secure a place in the U.S team in the World Cup finals, whereas with Ghana it is far more likely.

Adu has spoken about his desire to play in the World Cup, however, earlier this year he expressed his frustration at his failure to play more regularly for DC United, or his failure to make progress at International level.

Since being unveiled to the world’s media at the age of 14, the pacey striker has been touted as the U.S' first ever footballing superstar, with the US Soccer Federation hoping that he can help to increase the standing of football in the USA.

Should Adu accept the Ghanaian invitation, he would get the opportunity to play against the United States in the first group rounds, along with Italy, and the Czech Republic in Ghana’s other matches in Group E.

FIFA rules stipulate that a player can play for one International team at youth level, and another at senior (over 21) level, provided he makes the switch before his 21st birthday.

Should Adu choose to play for Ghana at senior level, it would mean that he would not be allowed to represent the U.S. ever again.

The teenage footballing prodigy was born in Ghana, but left at the age of eight when his mother won an immigrant visa to America in the Green Card lottery.

His first appearance for the US was when he played for America's Under-17 team, helping them reach the quarter-finals of the Under-17 World Championships in 2003.