Frank Christian
Martin Odegaard is determined to lead Arsenal towards the Premier League championship this season as they gear up to face Manchester City again.
Under Mikel Arteta’s guidance, Arsenal started their EPL journey with a 2-0 victory over Wolves, with Odegaard playing the full 90 minutes at the Emirates Stadium.
Odegaard, now Arsenal’s midfield linchpin, has ascended to become one of Europe’s top creative playmakers, serving as captain in his third season under Arteta.
However, his trajectory to success was not seamless from the beginning, starting with his high-profile move to Real Madrid at the age of 16 in 2015.
Despite his debut with the senior Norway team at the age of 15 and being acclaimed as a future star at Madrid, things did not pan out as expected in the Spanish capital.
Struggling to acclimate with the club’s youth setup, Odegaard faced numerous challenges which led to four loan spells away from Madrid, including a stint at Arsenal, and only eight La Liga appearances until his permanent departure in 2021.
The focus on his young age became a point of irritation for Odegaard, impacting Real Madrid’s reservations in utilizing him.
Odegaard expressed his frustration, stating, “It was annoying. Everyone just saw me as the young kid, and you just want to be seen as a regular player. I think it’s normal when you play at such a young age, it comes with more attention,” as per an interview with Arsenal’s YouTube page.
“As you get older and accumulate more minutes, people start to forget your age and recognize your quality. They don’t focus too much on your age, and that’s the main thing,” he added.
During a Q&A session, Odegaard shared his thoughts with Arsenal’s youngest-ever player, Ethan Nwaneri, who emerged from the club’s Hale End academy following the paths of Ashley Cole, Jack Wilshere, Cesc Fabregas, and current star Bukayo Saka.
