Harambee Stars midfielder Richard Odada has revealed that he turned down the chance to play for Serbia in favor of his motherland, Kenya – a childhood dream that has now come to pass.
Odada, who holds dual citizenship in Kenya and Serbia, played for the Serbia U21 team. However, the desire to represent Kenya on the international scene was still burning within him, he says.
A call-up to the U23 team came again, but the midfielder, now 23, was not convinced to continue representing the European nation. When the call-up to Harambee Stars came, he grabbed it with both hands.
“When I got a call-up to the Serbia U21 team, I thought it was okay to play for them, but there’s always a special feeling when you play for your homeland,” Odada said in an interview with Jalang’o TV.
Odada made his international debut for Kenya in a 2022 World Cup qualifier against neighbors Uganda, which ended in a barren draw at the Nyayo National Stadium on September 2, 2021.
He has since been a standout performer in Harambee Stars’ midfield and boasts 13 caps so far. He scored his first international goal in a 2-1 win over Rwanda on November 15, 2021, at the Nyayo National Stadium.
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“Every Kenyan who is playing abroad dreams of playing for the national team, and I am proud to have realized that dream,” Odada added.
Odada’s football journey started at the age of nine in Nairobi. He has since played the sport he loves in Serbia, Denmark, and the USA.
He currently plays for the Danish 1st Division side AaB, on loan from the Major League Soccer side Philadelphia Union.
