David Odonkor facts for kids
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Odonkor warming up with Germany in 2006
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 21 February 1984 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Bünde, West Germany | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.72 m | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing position | 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) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| National team | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2007 | Germany U21 | 15 | (3) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2008 | Germany | 16 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Teams managed | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013–2014 | SC Verl (assistant) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014–2015 | SC Herford (assistant) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015 | TuS Dornberg | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015–2017 | Hammer SpVg (director of football) | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Honours
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David Odonkor (born 21 February 1984) is a German former professional footballer. He played as a right winger. He was known for his amazing speed and quickness on the field.
David started his professional career with Borussia Dortmund in Germany. Later, he played for Real Betis in Spain. Sadly, he faced many injuries during his career. He also played for the German national team in a World Cup and a European Championship.
Contents
Playing for Clubs: David Odonkor's Journey
Starting at Borussia Dortmund
David Odonkor was born in Bünde, Germany. His mother was German, and his father was from Ghana. He grew up playing football in the youth teams of Borussia Dortmund.
He made his first team debut for Dortmund on 3 March 2002. He was just 18 years old. In the 2003–04 season, he became a regular player for the team. He helped Borussia Dortmund finish sixth in the Bundesliga, which is Germany's top football league.
In the 2005–06 season, David played in almost every league game. He even scored a goal and helped set up another in a match against 1. FC Nürnberg. His great performances caught the eye of Real Betis, a team from Spain. He then moved to Betis for about €6 million.
Time with Real Betis in Spain
David's first season with Betis was tough. He played in only 13 La Liga matches because of a serious knee injury. His second year started well, but another knee problem kept him out for three more months.
When he returned, David played regularly for Betis, often coming on as a substitute. On 4 May 2008, he scored his first goal for the team. It was in a 1–1 draw against UD Almería.
He continued to struggle with knee injuries. He had to have surgery on his knee three times while playing in Spain. These injuries meant he missed a lot of games. Betis returned to the top Spanish league in 2010–11, but David couldn't play much due to his ongoing injuries.
Later Years and Retirement
After his contract with Betis ended in 2011, David Odonkor tried out for Scottish Premier League team Rangers. However, he didn't get a contract there. He then returned to Germany and signed with Alemannia Aachen in the second division.
In the summer of 2012, David moved to FC Hoverla Uzhhorod in Ukraine. After another long break due to injury, David decided to retire from football in September 2013. He was 29 years old.
Playing for Germany: International Career
David Odonkor played for Germany's youth teams. He was part of the UEFA European Under-16 Championship in 2000 and 2001. He even scored a goal against Romania in 2001.
In 2006, David got a big surprise! He was called up by coach Jürgen Klinsmann to play for the senior German national team in the 2006 FIFA World Cup. This meant he missed the European Under-21 Championship.
He made his full debut for Germany on 30 May 2006 in a friendly match against Japan. During the World Cup, he came on as a substitute in four games. His most famous moment was against Poland in the group stage. He showed amazing speed and helped set up Oliver Neuville's winning goal in the last moments of the game.
Even with his injury problems at Betis, David was chosen for the UEFA Euro 2008 squad by coach Joachim Löw. He played for 45 minutes in a match against Croatia. In total, David Odonkor played 16 games for the German national team.
Career Goals for Germany
Here are the goals David Odonkor scored for the German national team:
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 September 2007 | RheinEnergieStadion, Köln, Germany |  Romania |
2–1 | 3–1 | Friendly |
Awards and Achievements
Borussia Dortmund
- Bundesliga: 2001–02 (Winner of Germany's top league)
Germany
- UEFA European Championship runner-up: 2008 (Second place in the European Championship)
- FIFA World Cup third place: 2006 (Third place in the World Cup)
See also
In Spanish: David Odonkor para niños
