Richard Odada

Richard Odada

Personal information
Date of birth	(2000-11-25) 25 November 2000 (age 23)
Place of birth	Nairobi, Kenya
Height	1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position(s)	Defensive midfielder
Team information
Current team	Dundee United
Number	12
Youth career
2018	Leopards
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2018–2019	Leopards	0	(0)
2019–2022	Red Star Belgrade	2	(0)
2019–2020	→ Grafičar Beograd (loan)	24	(0)
2021–2022	→ Metalac (loan)	27	(0)
2022–2023	Philadelphia Union II	8	(0)
2022–2024	Philadelphia Union	0	(0)
2023–2024	→ AaB (loan)	21	(4)
2024–	Dundee United	5	(0)
International career‡
2018	Kenya U20	2	(1)
2021–	Kenya	5	(1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 4 November 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 9 August 2022

Richard Odada (born November 25, 2000) is a Kenyan professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Scottish Premiership side Dundee United, and the Kenya national team.

Club career

Early career

Odada played with Lasier Hill Academy as a youth player before joining Kenyan Premier League club Leopards in July 2018. While he made the first team game day roster 11 times in the 2018–19 season, he made no appearances. ^{[1] [2] [3] [4]} Later that year, his performances earned him training and trial stints in Serbia with Red Star Belgrade and Voždovac, in Switzerland, and in Italy with Juventus and Inter Milan. ^{[5] [6]}

Red Star Belgrade

On 30 January 2019 after a successful trial, Odada joined Serbian SuperLiga club Red Star Belgrade. He was initially assigned to the club's under-19 side.^{[ citation needed ]} To later get playing time at the senior level, Odada was initially loaned to Grafičar Beograd, an affiliate club of Red Star often used for development of its younger players.^{[ citation needed ]}

On 30 January 2020, Odada was sent on loan to Serbian First League club Grafičar Beograd. He made his debut on 29 February 2020 in a 3–0 victory against Radnički Pirot, where he played all 90 minutes.^{[ citation needed ]} In the 2019–20 season, he played 7 matches, recording one assist in a 5–0 victory over Sinđelić Beograd on 20 June 2020.^{[ citation needed ]} In the 2020–21 season, while remaining on loan with Grafičar Beograd through January 2021, Odada played 14 matches in the First League, during which he recorded an assist against Radnički Pirot on 30 August 2020. He also played one game in the Serbian Cup against Voždovac. ^[6]

Odada returned to Red Star in January 2021, and remained there through the end of the 2020–21 season. He made his SuperLiga debut as a substitute on 28 February 2021 in a 4–0 victory over Proleter Novi Sad. On 2 March 2021, he also made a substitute appearance in a 4–1 victory over Mladost Lučani. ^[7]

During the 2021–22 season, Odada was loaned to Metalac Gornji Milanovac in the SuperLiga. He made his debut as a starter on 19 July 2021 in a 0–0 draw against Radnik Surdulica. He went on to play 27 games, including 17 starts, during the season, in addition to one game in the Serbian Cup. ^[7] After the conclusion of his loan to Metalac Gornji Milanovac, Red Star had planned to loan Odada again to Grafičar Beograd for the 2022–23 season, with his contract set to expire on 31 December 2022. Instead of starting the season with a return to Grafičar Beograd, Odada switched player agencies on 9 July 2022 to help explore transfer opportunities. ^[8]

Philadelphia Union

On August 8, 2022, Odada joined Philadelphia Union in a transfer from Red Star on 2.5 years contract, with an optional 2 years. He will occupy an international roster slot. ^[9]

On 15 August 2023, Odada joined newly relegated Danish 1st Division club AaB on a one-year loan deal with a purchase option. ^[10]

International career

Youth

On 17 January 2016, Odada was called into a provisional under-17 camp for Inter Government Agency Development games in advance of qualifiers for the 2017 Africa U-17 Cup of Nations. ^[11]

On 1 April 2018, Odada scored the lone goal in his debut for the Kenya under-20 national team in a 2019 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations first round qualifier match against Rwanda that ended in a 1–1 draw. ^{[12] [13]} He also served as the team captain. Odada was a substitute in the return leg in Rwanda, a 0-0 tie which eliminated Kenya on the away goals rule. ^[14]

Senior

Odada made his debut for the Kenya national football team on 2 September 2021 in a World Cup qualifier against Uganda. He started and played the full match in a 0–0 home draw. ^[15] His national team coach, Jacob Mulee, praised Odada's debut, saying "we have had different players coming in, and new players who were making their debut. I was impressed with Odada, meaning he has solved our problem in the midfield department. He is just 20 and has a lot to offer.". ^[16] His performance neutralizing the Uganda attack and replacing Victor Wanyama as Kenya's defensive midfielder also earned him accolades in the press. ^{[17] [18]} Odada also played World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda (a 1–1 away tie) and Mali (a 5-0 away loss and 1-0 home loss). ^[2] In his 5th international game, Odada scored his first national team goal, a game-winning penalty kick, for Kenya in its November 15, 2021 World Cup qualifier 2-1 win over Rwanda. ^[19]

Career statistics

Club

As of 14 May 2022 ^[20]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			Cup		Continental		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Grafičar Beograd (loan)	2019–20	Serbian First League	7	0	0	0	—		7	0
	2020–21	Serbian First League	17	0	1	0	—		18	0
	Total		24	0	1	0	—		25	0
Red Star Belgrade	2020–21	Serbian SuperLiga	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
Metalac Gornji Milanovac (loan)	2021–22	Serbian SuperLiga	27	0	1	0	0	0	28	0
Philadelphia Union	2022	Major League Soccer	0	0	—		—		0	0
Career total			55	0	2	0	0	0	57	0

Honours

Red Star Belgrade

• Serbian SuperLiga: 2020–21 ^{[ citation needed ]}

References

1. "Richard Odada (Player)".
2. "Richard Odada".
3. Odada, a young kenian talent on training with Juventus at malindikenya.net, 12-2-2018
4. "AFC Leopards player training with Italian giants Juventus | Goal.com". www.goal.com.
5. Kenyan youngster impresses on trials with Juventus at nairobinews.nation.co.ke, 10-2-2018, retrieved 17-6-2020
6. "The extraordinary rise of Richard Odada: From trial at Inter to a debut for Red Star | MozzartSportKe".
7. "Richard Odada Stats, Goals, Records, Assists, Cups and more".
8. "Odada changes agency, is he preparing for a move from Serbia? | MozzartSportKe".
9. "Philadelphia Union Sign Midfielder Richard Odada". Philadelphia Union. 2 August 2022. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
10. AaB lejer midtbanespiller hos Philadelphia Union, aabsport.dk, 15 August 2023
11. "| Futaa.com". futaa.com.
12. "Afcon U-20 qualifiers: Kenya bundled out by Rwanda | Goal.com". www.goal.com.
13. "Rising Stars held by Rwanda in U20 AFCON Qualifier". April 2018.
14. "Rising Stars bow out of U20 AFCON race". 21 April 2018.
15. "Kenya v Uganda game report". FIFA. 2 September 2021.
16. "2022 World Cup Qualifiers: 'Odada has solved Kenya's midfield problems' - Mulee | Goal.com". www.goal.com.
17. "Kenya 0-0 Uganda; Richard Odada shines in players ratings | MozzartSportKe".
18. "Africa's best players from World Cup qualifying so far | Goal.com". www.goal.com.
19. "Kenya vs. Rwanda - Football Match Summary - November 15, 2021 - ESPN".
20. Richard Odada at Soccerway. Retrieved 13 June 2020.

External links

• Richard Odada at Major League Soccer