David Odonkor

David Odonkor

Odonkor warming up with Germany
Personal information
Full name	David Odonkor
Date of birth	(1984-02-21) 21 February 1984
Place of birth	Bünde, West Germany
Height	1.72 m (5 ft 7 1⁄2 in)
Playing position	Winger
Club information
Current club	Alemannia Aachen
Number	37
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–	Alemannia Aachen	14	(1)
National team
2004–2007	Germany U21	15	(3)
2006–2008	Germany	16	(1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 18:32, 5 March 2012 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals).

David Odonkor (born 21 February 1984) 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.

Club career

Borussia Dortmund

Odonkor was born in Bünde to a German mother and a Ghanaian 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.

Real Betis

Odonkor's first season at Betis was nothing short of a disaster, appearing in only 13 La Liga 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 Andalusians, 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 Andalusians 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.

International career

Odonkor was involved in two UEFA European Under-16 Football Championship editions: 2000 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.

Honours

Club

• Borussia Dortmund:
  • Fußball-Bundesliga: 2001–02

Country

• UEFA European Football Championship: Runner-up 2008
• FIFA World Cup: Third-place 2006

External links

• David Odonkor at fussballdaten.de (German)
• BDFutbol profile
• David Odonkor at National-Football-Teams.com