Taking cocaine at Chelsea was the worst decision I could have made – I could have won the Ballon d’Or easily

ADRIAN MUTU believes that he could have won the Ballon d'Or, if not for taking cocaine.

The former striker, 46, signed for Chelsea from Parma in a £16million deal in 2003.

Mutu was a regular in his first season at Stamford Bridge, scoring 10 goals in all competitions under Claudio Ranieri.

The Romanian hardly featured under Ranieri's successor Jose Mourinho, however, with the pair clashing over his fitness.

Things then went from bad to worse in October 2004, when Mutu was hit with a seven-month ban after testing positive for cocaine.

The forward would never play for the Blues again, subsequently signing for Juventus in the next transfer window.

Mutu believes that had he sought help during his Chelsea stint, his career in England could have been very different.

“Taking cocaine during my time at Chelsea was the worst decision I could have made in my career,” Mutu recently told the Telegraph.

“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.”

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Mutu went on to salvage his career in Italy, particularly at Fiorentina – where he scored 69 goals across a five-year stint.

But the 77-cap former Romania star believes he could have been regarded among the very best.

On the Ballon d'Or, Mutu added: “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 easily.

“But bad decisions prevented me from doing so. I try not to beat myself up about it.”

Since hanging up his boots in 2016, Mutu has become a manager.

The former Chelsea striker has already managed six clubs, as well as Romania's Under-21s.

His most recent spell was with Romanian side Petrolul Ploiesti, although he left after just four months.

Mutu has admitted that he would be interested in coaching in England one day.

The controversial star said: “England is the birthplace of the best football. Many of the top coaches today manage Premier League clubs, and foreign managers have made the league more interesting and better.

“Without a doubt, it would be a huge step in my career.”