In his playing days, Dominic Oduro was an entertainer. He had pace, trickery, goals, and always tried to stand out on the pitch in his own way.
At a young age, Oduro took a bold step, moving away from Ghana to find greener pastures in the USA. He played football at the VCU Rams in Virginia.
In 2006, his hard work paid off. He was drafted 22nd overall pick by Major League Soccer (MLS) side FC Dallas and shortly afterwards, scored his first league goal against the New York Red Bulls.
After featuring for eight more clubs, Oduro bowed out of the MLS as the record Ghanaian goal scorer with 63 goals in 345 matches.
But his standout feature was his unconventional haircuts. He loved to treat fans to different hairstyles each week. The histrionics paid off in more ways than one.
“There was one time I put a pizza design on the side of my head. I love pizza,” he exclusively told 3Sports with a smile.
“I was able to get a deal with Papa John’s pizza. That was a good business venture for me. The fans love my hairstyles so I did it for them. We played for them so why not?”
Oduro saw it all at the MLS. A year after he joined, the league welcomed their first superstar, David Beckham. Since then, many superstars like Kaka, Ibrahimovic and Lampard had stints in the USA.
Perhaps the biggest one is Lionel Messi who joined Inter Miami last year. Oduro believes that the league has made huge strides.
“When I started playing in 2006, we used to go to the mall to tell people to watch our games. We were personally handing out tickets to fans and now it has transformed so much. Now with Messi’s arrival, it is so hard to get tickets and there has been a huge transformation in terms of attendance,” he said.
“I think the league has grown so much that a lot of great players willingly come and compete.”
Dominic Oduro bowed out of the Major Soccer League as the record Ghanaian goalscorer with 63 goals in over 300 matches.
These days, he coaches young talents in the USA.@Bill_Eshun tells his story.#3Sportspic.twitter.com/rTvmreloRg
— #3Sports (@3SportsGh) March 2, 2024
Ghanaians like Jonathan Mensah, Adam Kwarasey and Harrison Afful among others thrived in the league. With former Genk winger Joseph Paintsil recently joining LA Galaxy, Oduro believes that the competition is a good one for the best Ghanaian talents.
“I hope more Ghanaians come to the league. It is not a washed league like some people perceive. It’s really improving. Give it a shot,” he said with conviction in his eyes.
“You don’t always have to play in Europe. You can progress from playing in the MLS to Europe if you are really good. Use it as a platform to boost your career.”
Oduro now serves Charlotte FC U-20 team as head coach, shaping the new generation for the MLS and beyond. But looking back, he will always be remembered as a pacesetter for his nation in football at the United States.
By Bill Eshun | 3Sports | Ghana