{{short description|Ghanaian footballer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox football biography | name = David Opoku | caption = | full_name = David Osei Opoku | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1992|1|31|df=yes}} | birth_place = Accra, Ghana | height = 6 ft 2 in | position = Forward | currentclub = | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = Achimota School | youthyears2 = 2010–2011 | youthclubs2 = UC Santa Barbara Gauchos | years1 = 2012 | clubs1 = MYPA | caps1 = 13 | goals1 = 0 | years2 = 2012 | clubs2 = → IF Gnistan (loan) | caps2 = 6 | goals2 = 7 | years3 = 2014 | clubs3 = Sanat Mes Kerman F.C. | caps3 = 3 | goals3 = 0 | years4 = 2015 | clubs4 = Al Egtmaaey Tripoli | caps4 = 17 | goals4 = 10 | years5 = 2016 | clubs5 = Tripoli SC | caps5 = 10 | goals5 = 5 | years6 = 2017–2018 | clubs6 = Muaither SC | caps6 = 4 | goals6 = 1 | nationalyears1 = 2011–2014 | nationalteam1 = Ghana U23 | nationalcaps1 = 3 | nationalgoals1 = | club-update = 20:55, 1 November 2016 (UTC) | nationalteam-update = 22:34, 4 January 2016 (UTC) }}
'''David Osei Opoku''' (born 31 January 1992) is a Ghanaian former professional footballer who played as a forward.
==Early life and education== Opoku played for Achimota School in Accra, Ghana and trained with Chelsea in England<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.goal.com/en-gh/news/4389/ghana/2012/11/14/3526399/im-working-towards-black-stars-call-up-former-chelsea-youth-team |title=I'm working towards Black Stars call-up - Former Chelsea youth team striker David Opoku |last=Gyimah |first=Edmund Okai |date=14 November 2012 |website=Goal.com |access-date=11 September 2014}}</ref> before moving to the United States to play college football for the University of California, Santa Barbara. He spent two seasons with the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos men's soccer team. He was the 2010 Big West Conference Freshman of the Year and named to the 2010 All-Big West Second Team.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bigwest.org/sports/msoccer/review/2010/release2.pdf |title=UC Santa Barbara Nearly Pulls Off Men's Soccer Award Sweep |date=16 November 2010 |website=Big West Conference |access-date=4 September 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140904215400/http://www.bigwest.org/sports/msoccer/review/2010/release2.pdf |archive-date=4 September 2014}}</ref> He ended his career with the Gauchos with 15 goals and 7 assists.
==Club career== After a few months of trials,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.topdrawersoccer.com/club-soccer-articles/pro-prospects-look-overseas_aid24171 |title=Former UC Santa Barbara striker David Opoku signs with Finnish club Myllkosken Pallo |last=Eskilson |first=J.R. |date=18 April 2012 |website=TopDrawerSoccer |access-date=4 September 2014}}</ref> Opoku signed a contract with Finnish Veikkausliiga club Myllykosken Pallo −47 in April 2012.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mypa.fi/uutiset/edustusjoukkue/?uutinen=127&otsikko=OPOKU+MYPAAN |title=OPOKU MYPAAN |access-date=14 April 2012 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120511155047/http://www.mypa.fi/uutiset/edustusjoukkue/?uutinen=127&otsikko=OPOKU+MYPAAN |archive-date=11 May 2012 |language=fi}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veikkausliiga.com/News.aspx?id=47086 |title=Opoku MYPA:an |date=12 April 2012 |website=Veikkausliiga |language=Finnish |access-date=4 September 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140904155141/http://www.veikkausliiga.com/News.aspx?id=47086 |archive-date=4 September 2014}}</ref> He played in 13 Veikkausliiga matches with the club, scoring no goals.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.veikkausliiga.com/News.aspx?type=1&ID=48922 |title=MYPAn Opoku osui jälleen Kakkosessa |date=9 September 2012 |website=Veikkausliiga |language=Finnish |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141023123729/http://www.veikkausliiga.com/News.aspx?type=1&ID=48922 |archive-date=23 October 2014 |access-date=4 January 2016}}</ref> He did score in his lone 2012–13 UEFA Europa League appearance on 12 July 2012 against Cefn Druids A.F.C.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.espnfc.com/player/175032/david-opoku |title=ESPN FC player profile |website=ESPNFC.com |access-date=11 September 2014}}</ref>
Opoku was sent on loan to IF Gnistan, who play in the Finnish Kakkonen, in August 2012 to see out the remainder of his contract where he scored 7 goals in 10 matches.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gnistan.fi/2012/08/ennakko-lps-gnistan-2/ |title=Ennakko: LPS – Gnistan |date=29 August 2012 |website=IF Gnistan |language=Finnish |access-date=3 September 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veikkausliiga.com/News.aspx?type=1&ID=48830 |title=Opoku loppukaudeksi MYPAsta Gnistaniin |date=1 September 2012 |website=Veikkausliiga |language=Finnish |access-date=4 September 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140904160221/http://www.veikkausliiga.com/News.aspx?type=1&ID=48830 |archive-date=4 September 2014}}</ref>
He joined Iranian club Sanat Mes Kerman F.C. on a short-term deal in March 2014 and recorded one assist during his time with the club.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fcmes.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1403%3A1393-02-01-06-44-11&catid=35%3A1390-08-23-10-08-00&Itemid=161&lang=fa |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140911221239/http://www.fcmes.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1403%3A1393-02-01-06-44-11&catid=35%3A1390-08-23-10-08-00&Itemid=161&lang=fa |url-status=usurped |archive-date=11 September 2014 |script-title=fa:جدول عملکرد بازیکنان مس در فصل گذشته |date=21 April 2014 |website=fcmes.com |language=Persian |access-date=11 September 2014 }}</ref>
In Fall 2015, he signed for Lebanese Premier League side Al Egtmaaey Tripoli.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ghanasoccernet.com/exclusive-ex-ghana-u23-striker-david-opoku-agrees-two-year-deal-with-lebanese-side-al-ijtimai-tripoli |title=EXCLUSIVE: Ex-Ghana U23 striker David Opoku agrees two-year deal with Lebanese side Al-Ijtimai Tripoli |last=Akoto |first=Patrick |date=9 September 2015 |website=ghanasoccernet.com |access-date=4 January 2016}}</ref>
He then joined rivals Tripoli SC the following year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/SportsArchive/David-Opoku-on-target-for-Tripoli-AC-in-Lebanese-top-flight-469107 |title= David Opoku on target for AC Tripoli |date=11 September 2016 |website=ghanaweb.com |access-date=14 August 2017}}</ref>
In the summer of 2017, he signed with Qatar Stars League club Muaither SC.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/soccer/David-Opoku-completes-350-000-move-to-Al-Muaither-SC-567692 |title=David Opoku completes move to Muaither SC |date=8 August 2017 |website=ghanaweb.com |access-date=14 August 2017}}</ref>
==International career== David was called up to train with the Ghana national under-23 football team in June 2011 when he was still enrolled at UC Santa Barbara.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ucsbgauchos.com/sports/m-soccer/2011-12/releases/20110621c66dx4 |title=Opoku Called Up to Ghana U-23 National Team Camp |date=21 June 2011 |website=UC Santa Barbara Gauchos |access-date=4 September 2014 |archive-date=4 September 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140904212129/http://ucsbgauchos.com/sports/m-soccer/2011-12/releases/20110621c66dx4 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://presidiosports.com/2011/06/ghana-calls-in-opoku-to-u-23-national-team/ |title=presidiosports.com/2011/06/ghana-calls-in-opoku-to-u-23-national-team/ |last=Punzal |first=Barry |date=21 June 2011 |website=Presidio Sports |access-date=4 September 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ghanasoccernet.com/us-based-college-footballer-david-opoku-in-ghana-u23-team |title=US-based college footballer David Opoku in Ghana U23 team |date=22 June 2011 |website=Ghanasoccernet |access-date=4 September 2014}}</ref> He appeared in an exhibition against Deportivo FC and scored a goal.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ghanasoccernet.com/meteors-rain-goals-on-deportivo-in-friendly-win |title=Meteors rain goals on Deportivo in friendly win |date=6 July 2011 |website=ghanasoccernet.com |access-date=11 September 2014}}</ref> He was again called up to camp with the national team in October 2014 and made the trip to Nigeria to play against the Nigerian senior national team in a friendly played in honor of the opening of the Akwa Ibom international stadium. He made a second-half appearance in the game and nearly equalized.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://newtelegraphonline.com/ghana-sends-27-man-delegation-to-uyo-for-eagles/ |title=Ghana team for Nigeria friendly |date=3 November 2014 |website=newtelegraphonline.com |access-date=10 November 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141110171937/http://newtelegraphonline.com/ghana-sends-27-man-delegation-to-uyo-for-eagles/ |archive-date=10 November 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://allsports.com.gh/football/confident-we-can-ruin-nigerias-party-osei-opoku-id3254230.html |title=Opoku confident of a Ghana win against Nigeria |date=7 November 2014 |website=allsports.com.gh |access-date=10 November 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141110174051/http://allsports.com.gh/football/confident-we-can-ruin-nigerias-party-osei-opoku-id3254230.html |archive-date=10 November 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==Honours== '''Individual''' * Big West Conference Freshman of the Year: 2010
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{UEFA player|250050942}} * {{soccerway|david-opoku/235114}} * [http://hailoosport.com/player?player_id=235114&lang=en David Opoku]{{dead link|date=March 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} on HailooSport * {{Cite web |url=http://www.mypa.fi/joukkue/hyokkaajat/?pelaaja=43&nimi=David+Opoku |title=MYPA player profile |access-date=3 September 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120419124405/http://www.mypa.fi/joukkue/hyokkaajat/?pelaaja=43&nimi=David+Opoku |archive-date=19 April 2012 |url-status=bot: unknown}} * [http://ucsbgauchos.com/sports/m-soccer/2011-12/bios/opoku_david00.html UC Santa Barbara player profile]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Opoku, David}} Category:1992 births Category:Living people Category:Ghanaian men's footballers Category:Ghanaian expatriate men's footballers Category:UC Santa Barbara Gauchos men's soccer players Category:Myllykosken Pallo −47 players Category:Sanat Mes Kerman F.C. players Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Qatar Category:Muaither SC players Category:Men's association football forwards Category:Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Finland Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Iran Category:Veikkausliiga players Category:IF Gnistan players Category:Qatari Second Division players Category:Ghanaian expatriate sportspeople in Lebanon Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Lebanon Category:Al Ijtimaii SC players Category:AC Tripoli players Category:Lebanese Premier League players Category:21st-century Ghanaian sportsmen