Raddy Ovouka

Raddy Ovouka
Personal information
Full name Raddy Machel Hokemba Ovouka
Date of birth (1999-12-07) 7 December 1999
Place of birth Congo
Position Left-back
Team information
Current team
 Drita
Number 26
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018–2023 Accra Hearts of Oak 46 (1)
2022 → New Mexico United (loan) 9 (0)
2023 → Drita (loan) 26 (1)
2024– Drita 83 (4)
International career
2020– Congo 9 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 31 May 2026

Raddy Machel Hokemba Ovouka (born 7 December 1999) is a Congolese professional footballer who plays as left-back for Drita in the Kosovo Superleague and the Congo national team.[1]

Ovouka joined Accra Hearts of Oak in 2018, he quickly rose through the ranks and helped the club to win the Ghana Premier League and Ghana FA Cup in 2021. His performances also led him to be considered as the best left-back in the Ghana Premier League.[2][3] In 2022, he spent time on loan at USL Championship side New Mexico United before embarking on another loan deal to Kosovo-based club Drita Gjilan.

Ovouka has represented the Congo national team and made his senior international debut in March 2021.

Club career

Hearts of Oak

In January 2018, Ovouka joined Accra Hearts of Oak. He was a member of their squad during their GHALCA Top 8 competition, but he did not any appearance. He made his official debut on 24 March 2018, starting in their 3–1 loss to Ashanti Gold during the 2018 Ghana Premier League season. He played 43 minutes before being substituted for Isaac Mensah.[4] That was his only appearance that season as the league was abandoned due to the dissolution of the GFA in June 2018, as a result of the Anas Number 12 Expose.[5] During the 2019 GFA Normalisation Competition, he played two matches as Hearts made it to the championship semi-final playoff.[5] Ovouka had his breakthrough season during the 2019–20 season displacing William Dankyi from the left-back position. He started and played the whole 90 minutes in 12 matches, missing only two matches within that period before the league was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana.[5] His performances earned him a nomination for the Congolese footballer of the year in 2020.[6]

In January 2021, Ovouka extended his contract by two years.[7] In the 2020–21 season, Ovouka was Hearts of Oak's first choice left-back in their double winning season. He played 29 league matches, scored one goal and made three assists to help Hearts in winning the 2020–21 Ghana Premier League after a 12-year trophy drought.[5][8] His only goal of the season was his debut goal, which was scored on 7 March 2021 during Samuel Boadu's first game in charge, helping Hearts to a 4–0 victory over West African Football Academy.[9] Ovouka played the full 90 minutes plus extra time in the 2021 Ghana FA Cup final, scoring Hearts' eighth penalty in the penalty shootout to help them complete their domestic double.[10] At the end of the season, he was regarded as the best left-back in the league and was reportedly a target for a Ligue 1 club as well as other African clubs.[3]

New Mexico United

On 5 January 2022, it was announced that, as a result of a contract dispute, Ovouka would be loaned to USL Championship club New Mexico United.[11][12] On 8 January, New Mexico announced the signing of Ovouka on a one-year loan deal with option for a permanent transfer at the end of the loan spell.[11][13] He made his debut on 31 March 2022, coming on in the 90th minute for Sergio Rivas in a 2–2 draw against Oakland Roots.[14] On 6 April, he made his first start for the club in the second round of U.S. Open Cup, scoring the 3rd goal in their 5–0 victory over Las Vegas Legends.[15][16]

FC Drita

On 26 January 2023, Ovouka joined Kosovo Superleague club Drita Gjilan on a season-long loan from Ghanaian club Hearts of Oak.[17][18] He quickly established himself as a regular in the first team and helped the club compete in domestic and European competitions.

Following a successful loan spell, Drita exercised the option to retain the Congolese defender on a permanent basis. On 6 February 2024, the club announced that Ovouka had signed a new contract keeping him at the club until June 2027.[19][20] During the 2023–24 season, Ovouka became one of Drita's most influential players, contributing both defensively and offensively from the left-back position. In February 2024, he was rewarded with a contract extension after recording one goal and five assists in 22 appearances across all competitions.[21] He was later voted FC Drita Player of the Month for March 2024.[22]

Ovouka was part of the Drita squad that won the 2024–25 Kosovo Superleague title, with four matches remaining, clinching the club's fourth league championship.[23] On the final day of the season, he scored in Drita's 4–1 victory over Feronikeli 74 as the club celebrated its championship triumph in front of its home supporters in Gjilan. The title qualified Drita for the 2025–26 UEFA Champions League qualifying rounds.[24]

The following season, Ovouka also featured prominently in the club's UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League qualifying campaigns, helping Drita achieve some of the most successful European results in the club's history, qualifying for the group stage of the 2025–26 UEFA Conference League and subsequently the knockout phase.[25][26] At the end of the 2025–26 Kosovo Superleague, Drita was again crowned champions while also securing the 2025 Kosovar Supercup in January 2026.[27]

International career

On the back of his performance in the Ghana Premier League, Ovouka received his first call-up to the Congo national team in March 2020 ahead of the team's 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Eswatini.[28] He made his debut on 26 March 2021 playing the full 90 minutes in their goalless draw against Senegal in their 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers Group I.[29]

Career statistics

International

As of match played 18 June 2023[30]
Congo
Year Apps Goals
2021 5 0
2022 3 0
2023 1 0
Total 9 0

Honours

Hearts of Oak

Drita

References

  1. ↑ "Raddy Ovouka earns Congo call up, set to miss Hearts of Oak's season opener". GhanaWeb. 30 October 2020. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  2. ↑ Tahiru, Fentuo (28 June 2021). "'Top Player': Christian Atsu, Mubarak Wakaso awed by Raddy Ovouka's superclash performance". Citi Sports Online. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  3. 1 2 Sarbah, Peter (5 July 2021). "Hearts of Oak to reject offers for Raddy Ovuoka". Daily Graphic. Accra, Ghana. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  4. ↑ "Match Report of Accra Hearts of Oak SC vs Ashanti Gold SC - Zylofon Cash Premier League". Global Sports Archive. 24 March 2018. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Raddy Ovouka - player profile & career statistics". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  6. ↑ "Hearts of Oak defender Raddy Ovouka nominated for Congolese footballer of the year 2020 award". GhanaSoccernet. 20 December 2020. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  7. ↑ "Raddy Ovouka signs two-year contract extension with Hearts of Oak - Reports". GhanaWeb. 20 January 2021. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  8. ↑ Appiah, Samuel Ekow Amoasi (17 July 2021). "Hearts of Oak crowned 2020/21 Ghana Premier League champions [Photos]". Modern Ghana. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  9. ↑ "2020/21 Ghana Premier League: Week 17 Match Report - Hearts of Oak 4-0 WAFA". GhanaSoccernet. 7 March 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  10. 1 2 "Hearts of Oak beats Ashgold on penalties to win MTN FA Cup". GhanaWeb. 8 August 2021. Archived from the original on 16 November 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  11. 1 2 "New Mexico Acquires Congolese International Raddy Ovuoka". USL Championship. 8 January 2022. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  12. ↑ "Hearts defender Raddy Ovouka joins American side New Mexico United for 2022". GhanaWeb. GhanaWeb. 5 January 2022. Archived from the original on 5 January 2022. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
  13. ↑ "New Mexico United announces loan deal for Congolese star defender Raddy Ovouka". New Mexico United. 8 January 2022. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  14. ↑ "Match Report of New Mexico United vs Oakland Roots SC - 2022-03-31 - USL Championship". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  15. ↑ Biddulph, Seth (6 April 2022). "2022 US Open Cup Round 2: New Mexico United dominates Las Vegas to earn first home win". US Open Cup. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  16. ↑ Sickenger, Ken (6 April 2022). "It's all United in 5-0 victory in U.S. Open Cup opener". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  17. ↑ "Hearts of Oak's Raddy Ovouka joins FC Drita". KickGH. 26 January 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2026.
  18. ↑ "Congo defender Raddy Ovouka joins FC Drita on loan from Hearts of Oak". Ghanasoccernet. 26 January 2023. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  19. ↑ "Ovouka signs a new contract with Drita". Koha.net. 6 February 2024. Retrieved 5 June 2026.
  20. ↑ "Raddy Ovouka joins Drita FC on a permanent transfer". Ghana Sports Page. 6 February 2024. Retrieved 5 June 2026.
  21. ↑ "Ovouka signs a new contract with Drita". Koha.net. 6 February 2024. Retrieved 5 June 2026.
  22. ↑ "Former Hearts defender Raddy Ovouka wins Drita player-of-the-month award". Ghana Sports Page. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 5 June 2026.
  23. ↑ "Drita secure the championship title, Ferizaj move closer to Europe". Football Federation of Kosovo. Football Federation of Kosovo. 18 May 2026. Retrieved 5 June 2026.
  24. ↑ "Kosovo/ Drita champion, Malisheva goes to Europe". BalkanWeb. News24. 25 May 2025. Retrieved 5 June 2026.
  25. ↑ "Raddy Ovouka". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). Archived from the original on 5 June 2026. Retrieved 5 June 2026.
  26. ↑ "FC Drita: The Kosovans Making History". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). 16 February 2026. Retrieved 5 June 2026.
  27. 1 2 "Prishtina takes the lead". KOHA.net. KOHA Group. 25 May 2025. Retrieved 5 June 2026.
  28. ↑ "Hearts of Oak defender Raddy Ovouka earns first Congo national team call up". GhanaSoccernet. 12 March 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  29. ↑ "Match Report of Congo vs Senegal – 2021-03-26 – Total Africa Cup of Nations Qualification". Global Sports Archive. 26 March 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  30. ↑ "Raddy Ovouka". National Football Teams. 14 September 2023.
  31. ↑ Appiah, Samuel Ekow Amoasi (17 July 2021). "Hearts of Oak crowned 2020/21 Ghana Premier League champions [Photos]". Modern Ghana. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
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