David Odonkor

David Odonkor

Odonkor warming up with Germany in 2006
Personal information
Full name	David Odonkor[1]
Date of birth	(1984-02-21) 21 February 1984 (age 40)
Place of birth	Bünde, West Germany
Height	1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s)	Winger
Youth career
1991–1995	JSG Holsen-Ahle
1995–1998	Bünder SV
1998–2001	Borussia Dortmund
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2001–2005	Borussia Dortmund II	49	(7)
2002–2006	Borussia Dortmund	75	(2)
2006–2011	Betis	51	(2)
2011–2012	Alemannia Aachen	23	(2)
2012–2013	Hoverla Uzhhorod	14	(2)
2021	TuS Bövinghausen	13	(1)
2022–2023	SC Düsseldorf-West	0	(0)
Total		212	(15)
International career
2004–2007	Germany U21	15	(3)
2006–2008	Germany	16	(1)
Managerial career
2013–2014	SC Verl (assistant)
2014–2015	SC Herford (assistant)
2015	TuS Dornberg
2015–2017	Hammer SpVg (director of football)
Medal record Men's football Representing  Germany FIFA World Cup 2006 Germany UEFA European Championship Runner-up 2008 Austria-Switzerland
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

David Odonkor (born 21 February 1984) is a German former professional footballer who played as a right winger.

He started playing professionally with Borussia Dortmund, appearing in 90 competitive matches. In the later part of his career, spent mostly with Betis. He was plagued by constant injuries, but is known for his top speed and acceleration.^[2][3]

Odonkor represented the Germany national team in one World Cup and one European Championship.

Club career

Borussia Dortmund

Odonkor was born in Bünde, North Rhine-Westphalia, to a German mother and a Ghanaian father.^[4] A product of Borussia Dortmund's youth ranks, he made his first-team debut on 3 March 2002, having recently turned 18, coming on as a second-half substitute in a 1–1 home draw against FC St. Pauli. After splitting the following season with the first and second teams he was definitely promoted for 2003–04, helping Borussia to a final sixth place in the Bundesliga.

In the 2005–06 season Odonkor was everpresent, only missing one league game. On 26 November 2005, he scored and assisted alike in a 2–1 success at 1. FC Nürnberg and, subsequently, he attracted attention from Real Betis, eventually signing for a €6 million fee.^[5] He left Borussia after two additional appearances in the 2006–07 season.^[6]

Real Betis

Odonkor's first season at Betis was unassuming, as he appeared in only 13 La Liga matches due to a serious knee injury.^[7] The second year began promisingly, but another knee ailment forced him out for another three months.^[8]

Upon his return Odonkor appeared regularly for the Andalusians, mainly from the bench. On 4 May 2008, as a starter, he scored his first goal in a 1–1 away draw against UD Almería;^[9] in July, after returning to Germany for surgery, he was forced to sign a document by club owner Manuel Ruiz de Lopera by which his contract could inclusively be unilaterally terminated if he returned later than expected.^[10]

Having made his way back into the German squad and the Betis starting lineup, Odonkor would however undergo surgery on his knee for a third time in the country, only being reinstated during the 2008–09 winter transfer window. Late into 2009, with the side now in the second division, he relapsed again and missed the remainder of the season.

Betis returned to the Spanish top flight at the end of 2010–11, but Odonkor played no part in the club's campaign, again due to injury.^[11][12]

Later years

On 28 July 2011, Odonkor arrived at Scottish Premier League side Rangers for a week-long trial, after his contract at Betis came to an end.^[13] However, he was ultimately not given a deal,^[14] and returned to his country after five years, signing with Alemannia Aachen in the second level.^[15]

In the 2012 summer, after his team's relegation, Odonkor moved to FC Hoverla Uzhhorod in the Ukrainian Premier League. In September 2013, after another lengthy injury layoff, the 29-year-old retired from football.^[16]

International career

Odonkor was involved in two UEFA European Under-16 Championship editions, 2000 and 2001, managing to score against Romania in the latter, an 8–2 win.^[17] On both occasions Germany lost in the quarter-finals, on penalty shootouts.

After appearing at under-19 level,^[18] Odonkor would nonetheless be left out of the under-21 squad that appeared at Euro 2006 in Portugal, due to having received a surprise call-up by Jürgen Klinsmann for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.^[19] He made his full debut on 30 May 2006 in a friendly match with Japan,^[20] going on to appear as a substitute in four World Cup games, most notably against Poland in the group stage where he displayed an excellent performance and assisted Oliver Neuville's winning goal in stoppage time.^[21]

Despite his problems with injuries at Betis, Odonkor was called up to UEFA Euro 2008 by Joachim Löw,^[22] where he featured 45 minutes in the 1–2 loss to Croatia.^[23] Overall he won sixteen caps for Germany.^[24]

Career statistics

Scores and results list Germany's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Odonkor goal.

List of international goals scored by David Odonkor

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	12 September 2007	RheinEnergieStadion, Köln, Germany	Romania	2–1	3–1	Friendly[25]

Honours

Borussia Dortmund

• Bundesliga: 2001–02

Germany

• UEFA European Championship runner-up: 2008
• FIFA World Cup third place: 2006

References

1. "2006 FIFA World Cup Germany: List of Players: Germany" (PDF). FIFA. 21 March 2014. p. 12. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 June 2019.
2. Acedo, Francisco (2006). "Odonkor blow for Betis". Sky Sports. Retrieved 5 May 2011.
3. "Soccer-Round-up-Injured Odonkor hopes to be back next month". Reuters. 23 May 2007. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 5 May 2011.
4. "Odonkor cannot play for Ghana". Ghana Web. 31 March 2006. Archived from the original on 11 August 2018. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
5. "Meyers Heimpremiere mißglückt" [Meyer's unlucky home debut]. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (in German). 26 November 2005. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
6. Arnhold, Matthias (2 April 2020). "David Odonkor - Matches and Goals in Bundesliga". RSSSF.com. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
7. "Odonkor set for three-month absence". UEFA.com. 23 November 2006. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
8. "Odonkor se operará de la rodilla el viernes" [Odonkor to undergo knee surgery on Friday]. ABC (in Spanish). 7 November 2007. Archived from the original on 11 August 2018. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
9. "Almeria 1–1 Real Betis". ESPN Soccernet. 4 May 2008. Archived from the original on 24 October 2012. Retrieved 5 May 2011.
10. "Odonkor se va a Alemania pero se juega su contrato" [Odonkor goes to Germany but gambles on contract]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 7 July 2008. Retrieved 5 May 2011.
11. "Odonkor llega a Sevilla para revisar su lesión y su futuro" [Odonkor arrives in Seville to check on injury and future] (in Spanish). El Desmarque. 25 January 2011. Archived from the original on 28 January 2011. Retrieved 5 May 2011.
12. "El fichaje estrellado: David Odonkor" [Crashed signing: David Odonkor] (in Spanish). Merca Fútbol. 6 July 2011. Archived from the original on 11 August 2018. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
13. "Odonkor in Gers trial". Rangers F.C. 28 July 2011. Retrieved 28 July 2011.^{[permanent dead link]}
14. "Rangers make fresh bids for Roland Juhasz and Wesley Verhoek". STV News. 5 August 2011. Archived from the original on 6 April 2012. Retrieved 5 August 2011.
15. "Odonkor heuert in Aachen an" [Odonkor signs up for Aachen] (in German). T-Online. 6 September 2011. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
16. "WM-Held Odonkor beendet seine Fußball-Karriere" [WC hero Odonkor ends his football career]. Ostthüringer Zeitung (in German). 19 September 2013. Archived from the original on 20 September 2013. Retrieved 19 September 2013.
17. "Germany put eight past Romania". UEFA.com. 24 April 2001. Archived from the original on 17 May 2001. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
18. "Germany comeback shocks England". UEFA.com. 22 July 2002. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
19. "Germany's Eilts opts for experience". UEFA.com. 15 May 2006. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
20. "Schweinsteiger rettet Remis" [Schweinsteiger rescues draw] (in German). kicker. 30 May 2006. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
21. "Germany 1–0 Poland". BBC Sport. 14 June 2006. Retrieved 15 September 2011.
22. "May 2008: Joachim Loew's surprises: Adler instead of Hildebrand for the UEFA EURO, chance for Marin". Conti Soccer World. May 2008. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
23. "Olić kick-starts Croatian celebrations". UEFA.com. 13 June 2008. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
24. Arnhold, Matthias (2 April 2020). "David Odonkor - International Appearances". RSSSF.com. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
25. "Odonkor kommt und trifft" [Odonkor comes and scores] (in German). kicker. 12 September 2007. Retrieved 1 December 2015.

External links

• David Odonkor at fussballdaten.de (in German)
• David Odonkor at BDFutbol
• David Odonkor at National-Football-Teams.com
• David Odonkor – FIFA competition record (archived)
• David Odonkor at Soccerway