Richard Odada is a professional Kenyan footballer who at just 25, has played in six countries including Kenya, Serbia, the United States, Denmark, Scotland and Romania.
The defensive midfielder is a key member of the Harambee Stars squad while featuring for Romanian club UTA Arad.
Early Life and Education
Richard Odada was born on November 25, 2000, in Nairobi, Kenya.
He developed an interest in football at a young age and spent much of his childhood playing the game while growing up in the capital city.
For his education, Odada attended Lasier Hill Academy, a school known for nurturing young football talent.
It was at the academy that he sharpened his skills and began attracting attention from scouts due to his athleticism, composure on the ball and ability to play in midfield.
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His performances at school level earned him an opportunity to join AFC Leopards, one of Kenya’s biggest football clubs.
Although he did not make a competitive senior appearance for the club, his development at Leopards opened the door to a move abroad, leading to his transfer to Serbian giants Red Star Belgrade in 2019.
Richard Odada’s Career
Odada began his football journey at AFC Leopards before securing a move to Serbian giants Red Star Belgrade in 2019, becoming one of the few Kenyan players to earn a transfer directly to a top European club.
Odada tasted success early in his European career after helping Serbian giants Red Star Belgrade win the Serbian SuperLiga title during the 2020/21 season.
The triumph saw him become one of the few Kenyan footballers to be part of a championship-winning squad at a major European club.
To gain regular playing time, he spent time on loan at Serbian sides Grafičar Beograd and Metalac Gornji Milanovac.
At Metalac, he established himself as a regular midfielder and was praised for his defensive discipline, work rate and ball-winning ability.
In 2022, Odada moved to the United States after signing for Major League Soccer club Philadelphia Union.
Although opportunities with the senior team were limited, he gained valuable experience with Philadelphia Union II while continuing his development overseas.
His most productive spell came during a loan move to Danish club AaB Aalborg in 2023, where he scored four goals in 20 appearances, showing an attacking side to his game.
He played a key role as AaB Aalborg secured promotion back to the Danish Superliga in the 2023/24 season.
Odada later joined Scottish Premiership side Dundee United before spending time at Serbian club OFK Beograd.
In 2025, he moved to Romanian top-flight side UTA Arad, where he continues to play as a defensive midfielder.
As of 2026, he has accumulated more than 120 senior club appearances across Kenya, Serbia, the United States, Denmark, Scotland and Romania, scoring six goals and providing four assists.
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Odada made his senior debut for Harambee Stars in 2021 and has grown into one of Kenya’s most dependable midfielders.
By June 2026, he had earned 29 caps for Kenya and scored one goal, featuring prominently in FIFA World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches
His performances have made him a regular member of the national team’s midfield unit and one of the key overseas-based players in the Harambee Stars setup.
Family and Net Worth
Richard Odada has kept his family life largely out of the public spotlight.
Unlike many footballers who regularly share details about their relatives and personal relationships, the Harambee Stars midfielder prefers to maintain a private life away from football.
Odada’s exact net worth has also not been publicly disclosed.
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