David Odonkor
Encyclopedia
David Odonkor is a German
footballer who plays for Alemannia Aachen
usually as a right winger.
He started playing professionally not yet in his 20's, with Borussia Dortmund
, appearing in nearly 100 official matches. The later part of his career, spent with Real Betis
, was plagued by constant injuries.
Odonkor appeared with the German national team
in one World Cup
and one European Championship
.
to a German
mother and a Ghana
ian father. 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 contest. On 26 November 2005, he scored and assisted
alike in a 2–1 success at 1. FC Nuremberg. Subsequently, he attracted attention from Real Betis
, eventually signing for a €
6 million fee.
games due to a serious knee
injury. The second year began promisingly, but another knee ailment forced him out for another three months.
Upon his return, Odonkor appeared regularly for Betis, mainly from the bench. On 4 May 2008, as a starter, he scored his first goal for the Andalusia
ns, in a 1–1 away draw against UD Almería
; in July, after returning to Germany for surgery, he was forced to sign a document by club owner Manuel Ruiz de Lopera
by which the club could inclusively unilaterally rescind his contract if he returned later than expected.
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 his Betis career, only being reinstated during the 2008–09 winter transfer window
. Late into 2009, with the Andalusia
ns 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 the 2010–11 season
, but Odonkor played no part in the club's campaign, again due to injury.
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. However, he was ultimately not given a contract, and returned to his country after five years, signing with Alemannia Aachen
in the second division
.
and 2001
, managing to net against Romania
in the latter, a 8–2 win. On both occasions, Germany were downed in the quarterfinals, on penalty shootouts.
After appearing at U-19 level, 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
.
Odonkor made his full debut on 30 May 2006 in a friendly match against Japan
, 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.
Despite his problems with injuries at Betis, Odonkor was called up to UEFA Euro 2008 by Joachim Löw, where he was used as a second-half substitute in a 1–2 loss against Croatia
.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
footballer who plays for Alemannia Aachen
Alemannia Aachen
Alemannia Aachen is a German football club from the western city of Aachen, North Rhine-Westphalia. A long term fixture of the country's second division, Alemannia enjoyed a three-year turn in the top flight in the late 1960s and, after a successful 2005–06 campaign, returned to first division play...
usually as a right winger.
He started playing professionally not yet in his 20's, with Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund
Ballspielverein Borussia Dortmund, commonly BVB, are a German sports club based in Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia. Dortmund are one of the most successful clubs in German football history. Borussia Dortmund play in the Bundesliga, the top league of German football...
, appearing in nearly 100 official matches. The later part of his career, spent with Real Betis
Real Betis
Real Betis Balompié S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Seville, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. Founded on 12 September 1907, it currently plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadio Benito Villamarín....
, was plagued by constant injuries.
Odonkor appeared with the German national team
Germany national football team
The Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
in one World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
and one European Championship
UEFA European Football Championship
The UEFA European Football Championship is the main football competition of the men's national football teams governed by UEFA . Held every four years since 1960, in the even-numbered year between World Cup tournaments, it was originally called the UEFA European Nations Cup, changing to the current...
.
Borussia Dortmund
Odonkor was born in BündeBünde
Bünde is a town in the Herford district, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.-Geography:Bünde is situated between Osnabrück , Hannover and Bielefeld .- Waterways :...
to a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
mother and a Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
ian father. A product of Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund
Ballspielverein Borussia Dortmund, commonly BVB, are a German sports club based in Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia. Dortmund are one of the most successful clubs in German football history. Borussia Dortmund play in the Bundesliga, the top league of German football...
'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
FC St. Pauli
Fußball-Club St. Pauli is a German sports club based in the St. Pauli quarter of Hamburg. The football section is part of a larger club that also has Rugby Fußball-Club St. Pauli is a German sports club based in the St. Pauli quarter of Hamburg. The football section is part of a larger club that...
. After splitting the following season with the first and second teams
Borussia Dortmund II
Borussia Dortmund II are the reserve team of Borussia Dortmund. They currently play in the Regionalliga West.-Current squad:-Current technical staff:- References :...
, he was definitely promoted for 2003–04, helping Borussia to a final sixth place in the Bundesliga
Fußball-Bundesliga
The Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...
.
In the 2005–06 season, Odonkor was everpresent, only missing one league contest. On 26 November 2005, he scored and assisted
Assist (football)
In association football, an assist is a contribution by a player which helps to score a goal. Statistics for assists made by players may be kept officially by the organisers of a competition, or unofficially by, for example, journalists or organisers of fantasy football competitions...
alike in a 2–1 success at 1. FC Nuremberg. Subsequently, he attracted attention from Real Betis
Real Betis
Real Betis Balompié S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Seville, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. Founded on 12 September 1907, it currently plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadio Benito Villamarín....
, eventually signing for a €
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
6 million fee.
Betis
Odonkor's first season at Betis was nothing short of a disaster, appearing in only 13 La LigaLa Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
games due to a serious knee
Knee
The knee joint joins the thigh with the leg and consists of two articulations: one between the fibula and tibia, and one between the femur and patella. It is the largest joint in the human body and is very complicated. The knee is a mobile trocho-ginglymus , which permits flexion and extension as...
injury. The second year began promisingly, but another knee ailment forced him out for another three months.
Upon his return, Odonkor appeared regularly for Betis, mainly from the bench. On 4 May 2008, as a starter, he scored his first goal for the Andalusia
Andalusia
Andalusia is the most populous and the second largest in area of the autonomous communities of Spain. The Andalusian autonomous community is officially recognised as a nationality of Spain. The territory is divided into eight provinces: Huelva, Seville, Cádiz, Córdoba, Málaga, Jaén, Granada and...
ns, in a 1–1 away draw against UD Almería
UD Almería
Unión Deportiva Almería, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Almería, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. Founded in 1989 as Almería Club de Fútbol, it currently plays in Segunda División, holding home games at Estadio de los Juegos Mediterráneos, with a 22,000-seat...
; in July, after returning to Germany for surgery, he was forced to sign a document by club owner Manuel Ruiz de Lopera
Manuel Ruiz de Lopera
Manuel Ruiz de Lopera Ávalos is the former owner and chairman of the Spanish football club Real Betis.-References:...
by which the club could inclusively unilaterally rescind his contract if he returned later than expected.
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 his Betis career, only being reinstated during the 2008–09 winter transfer window
Transfer window
The transfer window is the period during the year in which a football club can transfer players from other countries into their playing staff. Such a transfer is completed by registering the player into the new club through FIFA...
. Late into 2009, with the Andalusia
Andalusia
Andalusia is the most populous and the second largest in area of the autonomous communities of Spain. The Andalusian autonomous community is officially recognised as a nationality of Spain. The territory is divided into eight provinces: Huelva, Seville, Cádiz, Córdoba, Málaga, Jaén, Granada and...
ns now in the second division
Segunda División
The Segunda División is the lower tier of the two professional football leagues in Spain. From the season 2008-09 onwards, the name of the league is Liga Adelante.-History:...
, he relapsed again and missed the remainder of the season
2009–10 Segunda División
The 2009–10 Segunda División was made up of the following teams:-League table:||rowspan=15 style="background-color:#F9F9F9;"|-2009–10 Results:To read this table, the home team is listed in the left-hand column....
.
Betis returned to the Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
top flight at the end of the 2010–11 season
2010–11 Segunda División
-Personnel and sponsorship:-Managerial changes:-League table:||style="background-color:#F9F9F9;"|||rowspan=11 style="background-color:#F9F9F9;"|-Positions by round:Source: -Results:...
, but Odonkor played no part in the club's campaign, again due to injury.
On 28 July 2011, Odonkor arrived at Scottish Premier League
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
side Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
for a week-long trial, after his contract at Betis came to an end. However, he was ultimately not given a contract, and returned to his country after five years, signing with Alemannia Aachen
Alemannia Aachen
Alemannia Aachen is a German football club from the western city of Aachen, North Rhine-Westphalia. A long term fixture of the country's second division, Alemannia enjoyed a three-year turn in the top flight in the late 1960s and, after a successful 2005–06 campaign, returned to first division play...
in the second division
2. Fußball-Bundesliga
- Changes in division set-up :* Number of clubs: currently 18. From 1974 to 1981 there were two conferences, each of 20 teams. In 1981–91 it had 20...
.
International career
Odonkor was involved in two UEFA European Under-16 Football Championship editions: 20002000 UEFA European Under-16 Football Championship
The 2000 UEFA European Under-16 Football Championship was the 18th edition of UEFA's European Under-16 Football Championship. Israel hosted the championship, during May 1–14, 2000...
and 2001
2001 UEFA European Under-16 Football Championship
-Group B:---------------------Group C:---------------------Group D:---------------------Quarterfinals:-------------Semi-finals:-----Third Place Playoff:-Final:-References:**...
, managing to net against Romania
Romania national football team
The Romania national football team is the national football team of Romania and is controlled by the Romanian Football Federation.Romania is one of only four national teams, the other three being Brazil, France, and Belgium, that took part in the first three World Cups.However, after that...
in the latter, a 8–2 win. On both occasions, Germany were downed in the quarterfinals, on penalty shootouts.
After appearing at U-19 level, Odonkor would nonetheless be left out of the under-21
Germany national under-21 football team
The Germany national under-21 football team represents the under-21s of Germany in the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship and is controlled by the German Football Association , the governing body of football in Germany....
squad that appeared at Euro 2006
2006 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
-Group B:---------------------Knockout stage:-Semi-finals:-----Final:-Goalscorers:4 goals Klaas Jan Huntelaar3 goals Thomas Kahlenberg Nicky Hofs2 goals Bryan Bergougnoux Ruslan Fomin Artem Milevskiy...
in Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, due to having received a surprise call-up by Jürgen Klinsmann
Jürgen Klinsmann
Jürgen Klinsmann is a German football manager and former player who is currently the coach of the United States Men's National Team. As a player, Klinsmann played for several prominent clubs in Europe and was part of the West German team that won the 1990 FIFA World Cup and the German one that...
for the 2006 FIFA World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
.
Odonkor made his full debut on 30 May 2006 in a friendly match against Japan
Japan national football team
The Japan national football team represents Japan in association football and is operated by the Japan Football Association, the governing body for association football in Japan...
, going on to appear as a substitute in four World Cup games, most notably against Poland
Poland national football team
The Poland national football team represents Poland in association football and is controlled by the Polish Football Association, the governing body for football in Poland...
in the group stage, where he displayed an excellent performance and assisted Oliver Neuville
Oliver Neuville
Oliver Patric Neuville is a retired German footballer who played as a striker.During an 18-year professional career, he played mainly for Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Mönchengladbach , amassing Bundesliga totals of 334 games and 91 goals.Neuville gained almost 70 caps for the German national...
's winning goal in stoppage time.
Despite his problems with injuries at Betis, Odonkor was called up to UEFA Euro 2008 by Joachim Löw, where he was used as a second-half substitute in a 1–2 loss against Croatia
Croatia national football team
The Croatia national football team represents Croatia in international football. The team is controlled by the Croatian Football Federation, the governing body for football in the country, and has been managed since 2006 by former player Slaven Bilić...
.
Club
- Borussia Dortmund:
- Fußball-BundesligaFußball-BundesligaThe Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...
: 2001–02
- Fußball-Bundesliga
Country
- UEFA European Football ChampionshipUEFA European Football ChampionshipThe UEFA European Football Championship is the main football competition of the men's national football teams governed by UEFA . Held every four years since 1960, in the even-numbered year between World Cup tournaments, it was originally called the UEFA European Nations Cup, changing to the current...
: Runner-up 2008 - FIFA World CupFIFA World CupThe FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
: Third-place 20062006 FIFA World CupThe 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...