Rome-Jayden Owusu-Oduro

Rome Jayden Owusu-Oduro
Personal information
Full name Rome Jayden Owusu-Oduro
Date of birth (2004-07-02) 2 July 2004 (age 20)
Place of birth Amsterdam, Netherlands
Height 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
AZ
Number 1
Youth career
DVC Buiksloot
AZ
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022–2024 Jong AZ 32 (0)
2023– AZ 14 (0)
International career
2023 Netherlands U20 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:04, 2 November 2024 (UTC)

Rome Jayden Owusu-Oduro (born 2 July 2004) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Eredivisie club AZ.

Club career

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Owusu-Oduro moved from DVC Buiksloot to the AZ Alkmaar academy, beginning to play for AZ at under-12 level. After continuing through the age group levels he signed his first professional contract on 2 October 2020 keeping him at AZ until the end of the 2022–23 season.[1] He distinguished himself with critical saves as the AZ under-18 side won a league and cup double in the 2021–22 season.[2][3][4]

He has been wildly tipped as a "wonderkid" in the football management video game Football Manager 2022 by the likes of Goal, SPORTbible and Planet Football.[5][6][7]

Jong AZ

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Owusu-Oduro made his Eerste Divisie debut on 26 August 2022 against FC Eindhoven.[8][9] On 21 April 2023 he saved two penalties in a penalty shoot-out as AZ won through against Sporting Lisbon to reach the final of the 2022-23 UEFA Youth League.[10] He also started in the final against Hajduk Split as AZ ran out 5-0 winners.[11]

AZ

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On 14 December 2023, Owusu-Oduro made his first team debut in a UEFA Europa Conference League away fixture against Legia Warsaw.[12]

International career

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On 25 March 2023, Owusu-Oduro played for the Netherlands national under-20 football team in a 2-1 friendly win over France.[13]

Personal life

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Owusu-Oduro has Ghanaian roots, making him eligible to represent Ghana at senior level[14]

Career statistics

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As of match played 2 November 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Europe Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Jong AZ 2022–23 Eerste Divisie 14 0 14 0
2023–24 Eerste Divisie 17 0 17 0
2024–25 Eerste Divisie 1 0 1 0
Total 32 0 32 0
AZ 2023–24 Eredivisie 4 0 2 0 1[a] 0 7 0
2024–25 Eredivisie 10 0 0 0 3[b] 0 13 0
Total 14 0 2 0 4 0 20 0
Career total 46 0 2 0 4 0 0 0 52 0
  1. ^ Appearances in UEFA Conference League
  2. ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa League

References

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  1. ^ "AZ contracteert jeugdkeeper Owusu-Oduro". az.nl.
  2. ^ "Nick Twisk with AZ Under 18 overall champion. After winning the cup, now also national champion". Flessenpostuitegmond.nl.
  3. ^ "Party at AZ after scoop: national title is in for youth thanks to victory over PSV". noordhollandsdagblad.nl.
  4. ^ "AZ Under 18 wins KNVB Cup: team of trainer Jan Sierksma 4-1 too strong for Twente / Heracles Academy". voetbalinzaanstad.nl.
  5. ^ "A brilliant XI of Football Manager 2022's best hidden gem wonderkids". Planet Football.
  6. ^ "Football Manager 2022 wonderkids: Best young strikers, midfielders, defenders and goalkeepers". Goal.com.
  7. ^ "Football Manager 2022 Wonderkids: 28 Best Young Players To Sign". sportbible.com.
  8. ^ "Eindhoven VS. AZ II". Soccerway.
  9. ^ "Jong AZ lijdt in Eindhoven eerste nederlaag". az.nl.
  10. ^ "UEFA Youth League semi-finals: AZ pip Sporting on penalties, Hajduk defeat Milan". UEFA.com. 21 April 2023. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  11. ^ "UEFA Youth League final report: AZ Alkmaar 5-0 Hajduk Split". UEFA.com. 24 April 2023. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
  12. ^ "LEGIA WARSAW VS. AZ 2 - 0". Soccerway. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  13. ^ "Emegha fires Netherlands U20 to win over France". Football-oranje.com. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  14. ^ "Ghanaian goalkeeper Rome Owusu-Oduro, TWO others suffer defeat to Juventus in UEFA Youth League". ghanasportsonline.com.
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