Vadis Odjidja-Ofoe Explained

Vadis Odjidja-Ofoe
Fullname:Vadis Odjidja-Ofoe
Birth Date:21 February 1989
Birth Place:Ghent, Belgium
Height:1.85 m
Position:Midfielder
Currentclub:Hajduk Split
Clubnumber:8
Youthyears1:1994–1999
Youthclubs1:Gent
Youthyears2:1999–2007
Youthclubs2:Anderlecht
Years1:2007–2008
Clubs1:Anderlecht
Caps1:3
Goals1:1
Years2:2008–2009
Clubs2:Hamburger SV
Caps2:2
Goals2:0
Years3:2008–2009
Clubs3:Hamburger SV II
Caps3:12
Goals3:0
Years4:2009–2014
Clubs4:Club Brugge
Caps4:181
Goals4:22
Clubs5:Norwich City
Years5:2014–2016
Caps5:15
Goals5:0
Clubs6:Rotherham United (loan)
Years6:2015–2016
Caps6:4
Goals6:1
Clubs7:Legia Warsaw
Years7:2016–2017
Caps7:31
Goals7:4
Clubs8:Olympiacos
Years8:2017–2018
Caps8:18
Goals8:2
Years9:2018–2023
Clubs9:Gent
Caps9:137
Goals9:12
Years10:2023–
Clubs10:Hajduk Split
Caps10:25
Goals10:0
Nationalyears1:2004
Nationalteam1:Belgium U15
Nationalcaps1:3
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:2007
Nationalteam2:Belgium U18
Nationalcaps2:3
Nationalgoals2:0
Nationalyears3:2007
Nationalteam3:Belgium U19
Nationalcaps3:9
Nationalgoals3:3
Nationalyears4:2007–2009
Nationalteam4:Belgium U21
Nationalcaps4:10
Nationalgoals4:0
Nationalyears5:2010–2012
Nationalteam5:Belgium
Nationalcaps5:3
Nationalgoals5:0
Pcupdate:26 May 2024

Vadis Odjidja-Ofoe (born 21 February 1989) is a Belgian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Hajduk Split in the Croatian HNL.

Club career

Odjidja-Ofoe joined the team of his birth area Gent at the age of five. Later on, he was transferred to R.S.C. Anderlecht. He was part of the 2006–07 Anderlecht reserves team that won the reserves championship. In the 2007–08 season, he was promoted to the first team of Anderlecht. On 22 December 2007, he scored his first goal on his full debut for RSCA against RAEC Mons.

In January 2008, he was signed by Hamburger SV.[1] On 9 January 2009, he left Hamburg and moved for €900,000 to Club Brugge K.V. after one year in the Bundesliga.[2]

Odjidja-Ofoe completed his move to English Championship side Norwich City, in August 2014. He made his league debut for Norwich City on 16 September 2014 after coming on as a substitute in an away league match against Brentford.[3] Injury hampered much of Odjidja-Ofoe's first season at Norwich City as they gained promotion to the Premier League. In September 2015, Odjidja-Ofoe moved to Rotherham United on a one-month loan, making four appearances and scoring one goal against Cardiff City.[4]

In August 2016, Odjidja-Ofoe was transferred to Legia Warsaw for an undisclosed fee.[5] Scoring 5 goals and giving 14 assists in 42 official appearances with Legia Warsaw during the 2016–17 season, he was named Ekstraklasa Player of the Season and Midfielder of the Season.

On 9 July 2017, Olympiacos officially announced the purchase of central midfielder Vadis Odjidja-Ofoe from Legia Warsaw, for an estimated amount of €2.5 million. The 28-year-old Belgian international signed a three-years' contract with the team managed by Besnik Hasi.[6] [7] On 16 August 2017, he scored his first goal with the club, as Olympiakos come from behind, in first half, to win 2–1 Rijeka in added time for the 1st leg of UEFA Champions League play-offs.[8] On 22 November 2017 in an away 3–1 loss UEFA Champions League Group stage game against Sporting, Odjidja-Ofoe bagged the only goal of the Reds.[9]

On 21 July 2018, Gent officially announced the acquisition of Ofoe from Olympiacos on a two-year contract.[10] Before the end of the previous season, Olympiacos had put the player out of Pedro Martins' plans for the coming season, forcing him to find a club to continue his career. Odjidja-Ofoe came close to Sporting Lisbon, but the change in the executive staff of the club and the immediate removal of Siniša Mihajlović broke down the Belgian player's transfer to the Portuguese team. Eventually, the 29-year-old returned to his home country on behalf of Gent, with the transfer fee close to €2.2 million.[11]

International career

Odjidja was called up to the Belgium national under 23 team for the 2008 Summer Olympics tournament. He participated in two games; a group stage win over hosts China and a 4–1 semi-final defeat against Nigeria.

In November 2010, he applied for a Ghanaian passport and suggested that he could be considered for representing Ghana at international football in the future.[12] On 17 November, he made his debut for Belgium in an international friendly versus Russia. He came on as a substitute for Eden Hazard in the 90th minute.

He made his second appearance for Belgium in an UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying game against Azerbaijan in March 2011, again coming on as a substitute in the 90th minute, this to replace Steven Defour. He replaced Defour again in a Belgium game versus Kazakhstan in his third international outing replacing him in the 63rd minute. As a result of playing in the UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying games, Odjidja is no longer eligible to play for Ghana.

Career statistics

[13] [14] [15] [16]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational cupLeague cupEuropeOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Anderlecht2006–07Belgian First Division0000001010
2007–083110000041
Total3110001051
Hamburger SV2007–08Bundesliga20001030
Hamburger SV II2007–08Regionalliga8080
2008–094040
Total120120
Club Brugge2008–09Belgian Pro League16000160
2009–1035430121505
2010–113762070466
2011–1229420101415
2012–133152191427
2013–1430320323
2014–1530001040
Total1812211139323126
Norwich City2014–15Championship50001060
2015–16Premier League1001020130
Total1501030190
Rotherham United (loan)2015–16Championship41000041
Legia Warsaw2016–17Ekstraklasa3141010100425
Olympiacos2017–18Super League Greece18210102294
Gent2018–19Belgian Pro League2845040374
2019–2026320140423
2020–212522161334
2021–2229262132486
2022–2329130172443
Total1371218354520420
Hajduk Split2023–24Croatian Football League150202010200
Career total4174234430116112056957

Honours

Anderlecht

Legia Warsaw

Gent

Individual

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Hamburg bring in Anderlecht prodigy . 4 January 2008 . 9 January 2009 . uefa.com.
  2. Web site: Bundesliga-Ticker: Die neuesten Infos der 18 Klubs . 9 January 2009 . 9 January 2009 . de.
  3. Web site: Brentford 0–3 Norwich City . BBC Sport . 16 September 2014 . 10 November 2014.
  4. Web site: Rotherham 2-1 Cardiff City . 19 September 2015 . BBC. 26 September 2020.
  5. Web site: Vadis Odjidja-Ofoe signs for Legia Warsaw . Norwich Canaries . 5 August 2016 . 5 August 2016.
  6. Web site: Σαρωτικός ο Ολυμπιακός, έκλεισε και τον Οφόε!. www.sport24.gr . 9 July 2017 . 9 July 2017.
  7. Web site: Ολυμπιακός: Οφόε ο... έβδομος. www.naftemporiki.gr . 9 July 2017 . 9 July 2017.
  8. Web site: Olympiakos vs Rijeka 2–1 . www.uefa.com . 16 August 2017 . 18 August 2017.
  9. Web site: Sporting CP vs Olympiakos 3–1 . www.uefa.com . 22 November 2017 . 23 November 2017.
  10. News: http://www.sport24.gr/football/Belgium/anakoinwse-ton-otzitza-ofoe-h-gkenk.5267666.html. el:Ανακοίνωσε τον Οτζίτζα Οφόε η Γκενκ. 21 July 2018. el.
  11. News: Η Γάνδη ανακοίνωσε τον Οφόε (pics)!. 21 July 2018. el.
  12. Web site: Coerts. Stefan. Club Brugge Star Vadis Odjidja-Ofoe Considering Switching Allegiances to Play for Ghana. goal.com. 1 September 2012. 9 November 2010.
  13. Web site: V. ODJIDJA-OFOE. Soccerway. 13 July 2017.
  14. Web site: 2006 Belgian Super Cup. Anderlecht Online. 13 July 2017.
  15. Web site: 2007–08 UEFA Cup Round Of 16. UEFA. 13 July 2017.
  16. Web site: Vadis Odjidja-Ofoe. superleaguegreece.net. 20 August 2017.
  17. Web site: Rozdano nagrody w Lotto Ekstraklasie za sezon 2016/17 . 90minut . 5 June 2017 . 30 May 2023 . pl.
  18. Web site: Odjidja-Ofoe piłkarzem listopada . legionisci.com . 8 May 2024 . pl . 2 December 2016.