Martin Odegaard and the 10-year journey from expectation, disappointment to a great comeback

TPO - Meeting Real again in the Champions League, Martin Odegaard must have felt that time passed quickly. 10 years ago, he came to the Spanish Royal team with the expectation of becoming a Galactico, before causing great disappointment, opening the way for another great comeback.

It is not uncommon for a young player to be sought after and expected to become a superstar in football. However, none are quite like Martin Odegaard.

Shortly after breaking a series of records in the Norwegian top flight at the age of 15, Odegaard joined Real in early 2015 and was introduced in a 15-minute press conference despite being just a young player.

As Odegaard recounts, the Real Madrid plane arrived in the morning without warning. He was abruptly pulled out of bed, without a chance to shower or comb his hair, hastily grabbed a few important items into his bag and boarded the plane to Madrid. When the plane landed, a car was waiting to take Odegaard straight to the Bernabeu, where he quickly completed his medical and was present at the press conference.

Odegaard receives the Real shirt from legend Emilio Butragueno at a press conference in 2015.

At that time, he had just turned 16. However, people thought he was good enough to play alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema. He was on the payroll of Real Castilla, but every day, his father would take Odegaard to practice with the Real first team.

Even as Odegaard's integration struggles and his exclusion from Real Castilla's squad have continued, the belief that the Norwegian will become a Galactico has not wavered. Coach Carlo Ancelotti has hinted that President Florentino Perez asked him to include Odegaard in first-team games.

So, although it was determined that Odegaard was not in the plan because he was a future signing, Ancelotti still had to let him play 32 minutes in the 7-3 win over Getafe. This was also the Italian coach's last match before being fired in the summer of 2015.

Odegaard came on for Ronaldo in his first match for Real on May 23, 2015.

Odegaard himself is aware that he is a victim of over-hype. So everyone does not give him time, expecting him to shine immediately and anywhere, in the Real Castilla shirt or the first team. After each performance that is not as expected, Odegaard will be awaited by criticism. This kills his freedom. He tries to play it safe and not make mistakes, only to realize that he has not improved at all.

Real were also losing patience. They sent Odegaard on loan to Heerenveen, Vitesse and Real Sociedad. The "Norwegian boy" - as Ancelotti called him - gradually matured over the years, and his excellent performances also increased. But by then, Real were skeptical.

Not so with Arsenal and Mikel Arteta. The Spaniard had a strong belief that Odegaard would be a key part of the Gunners’ plans to reach new heights. Over a Zoom call in 2021, he talked to Odegaard about the project he was building, what needed to change, his role and how he would develop. Arteta’s enthusiasm convinced Odegaard.

Furthermore, the Norwegian midfielder himself said that coming to Arsenal was like coming home. Since he was a boy, Odegaard liked the Gunners' style, with players who were intelligent, technical and often made difficult passes. That was also the type of player he wanted to become.

With the captain's armband, Odegaard is currently the leader of Arsenal.

In four and a half seasons at Arsenal, including half a season on loan, Odegaard scored 40 goals and provided 34 assists in all competitions. He has defined the style, is the heart of the Gunners' current system and is also the creative centre with unique passes.

"Odegaard represents the special values of this club," Arteta said earlier this week, ahead of the big clash with Real in the quarter-finals of the 2024/25 Champions League. Looking back on what he has been through, the now 26-year-old still has absolute respect for Real for having trusted him.

"There I got invaluable knowledge about what it takes to reach the top. I watched, trained and learned from superstars, played at the Bernabeu and learned how to handle pressure. All of that made me who I am today," Odegaard said.

And now, the "Norwegian boy" is ready to face his old team to prove that they were not wrong in stirring up the world with a boy who is only 16 years old.

Thanh Hai

Source: https://tienphong.vn/martin-odegaard-and-the-10-year-journey-from-hope-that-vong-to-su-tro-lai-ki-vi-post1731892.tpo