10 Fun Facts About Martin Odegaard

Everything you need to know about Martin Odegaard, the masterful Norwegian midfielder.

In his current position as an offensive midfielder for Arsenal and the Norwegian national team, Martin Odegaard is a professional football player from Norway. Odegaard, who was born in Drammen, Norway, on December 17, 1998, started playing football at a young age, demonstrating outstanding talent and technical skill.

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Odegaard began playing football at an early age, signing up for the neighborhood team Drammen Strong at the age of just four. He advanced fast through the younger ranks, and by the time he was eight, he had joined the Stromsgodset academy, a professional football team in Norway.

Odegaard became the youngest player to ever play in Norway’s premier division when he made his first-team debut with Stromsgodset at the age of 15.

The major clubs in European football were rapidly drawn to Odegaard’s performances in Norway’s top league. He joined with Real Madrid, one of the world’s most prominent football clubs, in January 2015 when he was just 16 years old. Real Madrid considered Odegaard’s acquisition to be a coup, and many thought he would eventually rank among the top players in the world.

Despite his potential, Odegaard found it difficult to break into the Real Madrid first team. He was loaned out to various clubs to gain experience, including Heerenveen and Vitesse in the Netherlands, and Real Sociedad in Spain. It was during his loan spell at Real Sociedad that Odegaard really started to shine. He played a key role in helping the club qualify for the Europa League and was named the team’s Player of the Season.

Odegaard is an attacking midfielder who is known for his technical ability and creative flair. He is comfortable on the ball, has excellent vision, and is a great passer. Odegaard is also a good dribbler and is capable of beating players with his quick feet. He is a versatile player who can play in a central or wide attacking midfield position.

Odegaard signed for Arsenal on loan from Real Madrid in January 2021, and he made an immediate impact at the London club. He quickly established himself as a key player in the Arsenal team, impressing fans and pundits with his performances. Odegaard scored his first Arsenal goal in a 3-1 win over Olympiacos in the Europa League, and he has continued to play a vital role in the team’s midfield. So much so that the move was made permanent in August 2021.

Odegaard has represented the Norwegian national team since the age of 15, making him the youngest player ever to play for them. He has since become a regular, playing in crucial matches and helping the team qualify for major tournaments. Odegaard played a key role in Norway’s Euro 2020 qualifying campaign, scoring two goals and providing four assists.

In his brief career, Odegaard has already accomplished a great deal. He has represented some of the top clubs in Europe, and his technical prowess and artistic flair have won over both fans and critics. Odegaard’s transfer to Arsenal has been successful thus far, and he appears poised to keep having a big impact on the team’s fortunes.

Here are 10 interesting things about Odegaard that you should know!

Father and Son Odegaard joined Real Madrid at the same time

Hans Erik Odegaard, Odegaard’s father, had a less successful career than his son, yet the two joined Real Madrid at the same time in spite of this. Martin Odegaard was accepted as a football player in January 2015, which allowed the senior Odegaard to organize a relocation to Spain as a Real Madrid youth coach.

Hans Erik Odegaard was a savvy negotiator who was able to seal a silk stocking deal with Los Blancos despite not having a particularly successful playing career. Zinedine Zidane, the legendary Frenchman who captained Real Madrid’s reserve squad, was not expected to make more money than Martin’s father.

While his father was making big money as a coach, Odegaard was taking his first steps as he had impressed the scouts in Spain’s capital before securing a move at an early age.

Born to become a footballer

Odegaard’s exceptional ball handling skills made him a great favorite from a young age. The international from Norway is one of Europe’s most sought-after players because of his skill with the ball in his hands.

Odegaard was born in Norway’s harbor city of Drammen in December 1998, and at the age of 15, he was eligible to don the nation’s renowned red jersey.

The current captain of Arsenal made his international debut for Norway in a 2014 0-0 draw with the United Arab Emirates, during which he displayed flashes of brilliance.

In the Euro 2020 qualifying round tie against Romania, the midfielder scored his first goal for the nation. The current captain of Norway has made 47 appearances and hopes to one day lead the red squad to victory.

Odegaard’s unusual contract at Heerenveen

Odegaard’s deal at Heerenveen while his loan from Real Madrid was extremely odd. The Norwegian international made the decision to change sides and join Dutch club Heerenveen after failing to make an impression in the Spanish capital and receiving less starts under newly appointed coach Zidane.

His first loan was to a Dutch team because he signed with them in 2017 and frequently started games for them despite occasionally not playing well.

This was due to a clause in Odegaard’s contract that suggested that Heerenveen would pay Real Madrid €40,000 every time their loanee was available for selection but was dropped on the bench.

So instead of shelling out 40,000 to Los Blancos, the Blue and Whites deployed Odegaard in their starting XI on a regular basis.

The Eredivisie club didn’t want to be indebted to Madrid and would bring the youngster for a few minutes to avoid losses.

Barca tried to lure Odegaard before he joined Real Madrid

Some reports claim that before Real Madrid came calling, Barcelona was in the running to sign the Norwegian.

The midfielder was scouted by Barcelona while Odegaard was playing in Norway before he signed with Real Madrid at the age of 15.

In January 2016, the young magician apparently received an offer to join the Spanish heavyweights after training with the Blaugrana for several weeks.

“Barcelona invited us to La Masia,” Karlsen told Cadena SER. “We were talking to [Andoni] Zubizarreta and he also invited us to watch a game at the Camp Nou.

“I think it was Barcelona-Ajax, so it was a very special night.

“Barcelona are a great club, but Martin [Odegaard] and his father took into account many things before making a decision.

Unfortunately the Spanish heavyweights were sanctioned with a transfer ban in 2016 which led to Odegaard joining arch-rivals Real Madrid.

A fan of Lionel Messi since an early age

Odegaard’s inspiration wasn’t a Los Blancos player, despite playing and practicing with some of the greatest players in the history of the sport.

One would assume that Odegaard would name Cristiano Ronaldo as his idol if asked. Yet, the Norwegian international is said to have been a lifelong admirer of Ronaldo’s bitter rival Lionel Messi.

The current Gunners midfielder’s boyhood coach Herald Johannessen has stated that Odegaard was a fan of the Argentine World Cup winner growing up.

Johannessen said in a 2019 interview with These Football Times magazine. “He loves Messi, so that was a little bit strange – he loves Messi and he goes to Real Madrid.

“He was always looking at Messi. I remember that.”

Youngest debutant in Madrid’s history

Many European teams were vying for Odegaard’s services following his performances in Norway. And the young midfielder made the decision to join the Madrid project after carefully assessing all of his possibilities.

The current Gunners captain made his Spanish heavyweight debut in May 2015, one month after joining Los Blancos and turning 16 years old.

Odegaard had replaced Real Madrid legend Cristiano Ronaldo after the Portuguese had bagged a hattrick in a 7-3 routing of Getafe.

Odegaard’s debut at such a young age for Real Madrid meant that the Norwegian became the youngest player in Los Blancos’ history to debut for the club at 16 years and 157 days – a record that still stands.

Odegaard was once awarded a fish

After failing to make an impression with Real Madrid, Odegaard was shipped to multiple teams across Europe before returning to Spain to play for Real Sociedad.

Although his second stint in Spain was nothing short of magical as Odegaard was an influential cog in Sociedad’s midfield.

The young central player didn’t need a contract clause to play every game for the Spanish side as he was weaving his magic for the Basques in the centre of the park.

Owing to his tremendous exploits, the former Real Madrid player bagged the Player of the Month award for Real Sociedad. And to show appreciation towards his work, the Spanish club offered him a fish in the middle of the supermarket as a prize for his magical outings.

A man of many languages!

Norwegian, Spanish, and English are all three languages that Odegaard speaks with ease. The midfielder would have rarely encountered a language problem because he has played the most of his football in Norway, England, and Spain.

Aaron Ramsdale, a current teammate of Odegaard, once disclosed that the midfielder and team manager Mikel Arteta frequently talk strategy in Spanish while also highlighting how proficient the player is in English.

The Gunners goalkeeper has stated that Odegaard speaks to most of the players in English while speaking to some in other languages.

“Maybe one of the two of the lads who’s English isn’t perfect [he’ll speak to in foreign languages]. But Martin’s English is perfect and he’s speaking Spanish,” suggested Ramsdale.

Odegaard’s deal with Adidas

One of the sponsorship deals that Odegaard has attracted is with Adidas.

Adidas is a well-known global sportswear company that focuses on producing high-quality, cutting-edge goods. By collaborating with Odegaard, Adidas is able to take advantage of his marketability and fan influence.

In accordance with the endorsement agreement, Odegaard will probably advocate for Adidas on social media, in interviews, at press events, and at other public appearances.

By providing high-quality items, this cooperation benefits their followers while also assisting Odegaard and Adidas in expanding their audience and exposure.

A fan of Ole growing up!

While growing up in Norway, Odegaard was a huge fan of former Manchester United striker and boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

The legendary striker was Odegaard’s idol in a country known for producing some of the biggest names in football.

And while Solskjaer took the role of managing Manchester United, the forward even heaped praise on the Norwegian international, calling him ‘a very talented young player’ before United’s encounter with Arsenal.