Martin Odegaard's Journey: From Real Madrid Prodigy to Arsenal Captain
Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard returns to the Santiago Bernabeu, seeking to lead his team to the Champions League semi-finals against his former club Real Madrid.
However, the pressure of playing for the biggest club in the world seemed too much for him to handle at the time. After showcasing his talent at Stromsgodset in Norway, Odegaard was highly sought after by European clubs, but Real Madrid ultimately won the transfer battle to sign him. Now, he has the opportunity to show his former side what they missed by not giving him enough opportunities.
When Martin Odegaard joined Real Madrid in 2015, the plan was for him to train with the first team but play with the reserves while developing. Odegaard described his early days at the club, saying, “It was surreal. I wasn't old enough to drive, so my dad had to take me to training every day to play with Isco, (Cristiano) Ronaldo, (Sergio) Ramos, (Luka) Modric, (Gareth) Bale, and (Karim) Benzema, as if he were dropping me off at school.”
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— Arsenal (@Arsenal) April 15, 2025
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti acknowledged the challenges Odegaard faced, stating, “When he arrived, he was very young - there was no room for him in the team.” Ancelotti added, “Up front we had Ronaldo, Benzema, James Rodriguez, and he couldn't find the space to show his qualities.” The abundance of talent at the club made it difficult for Odegaard to break through and showcase his skills.
Martin Odegaard has come to terms with his time at Real Madrid, acknowledging that his youth and self-pressure hindered his performance. He reflected, “I understand why it didn't work out today... I was just a kid.” Odegaard recognized that he lost the freedom to play his natural game, saying, “I put too much pressure on myself and stopped playing with the spark that runs through my game.”
Odegaard also identified the root of his struggles, stating, “I worried more about not making mistakes, while my game has always been about making a difference, attempting the difficult pass.” This shift in mindset likely contributed to his difficulties in breaking through at Real Madrid.
Road Back to the Top
Martin Odegaard's career trajectory took him through loan spells at Heerenveen and Vitesse Arnhem in the Netherlands before he found success at Real Sociedad. This convinced Real Madrid to give him a chance in the 2020-21 season. However, the competition proved fierce once again, and Odegaard's limited playing time led his father and agent, Hans Erik, to seek new opportunities. Arsenal, under Mikel Arteta, reached an agreement with Madrid for another loan and later signed Odegaard for 35 million euros (£30m), making him a key player and eventually the captain of the Gunners. As one of the best players in the Premier League, Odegaard now returns to the Bernabeu, seeking to drive Arsenal to their first semi-final appearance since 2009 and validate his decision to leave Real Madrid.
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