The 2026 FIFA World Cup is a little over a month away from coming to the Meadowlands, which means that another star player that is coming to the region to play in the tournament is being put in the spotlight. This week, the attention is going to Martin Ødegaard, a midfielder for Norway. Ødegaard is the captain of Norway’s team and will be playing in his first FIFA World Cup.
Ødegaard’s talents were apparent from a very young age, as he began training with the first team of Strømgodset, a Norwegian club, in 2012, at the age of 13. That same year, he made his debut with the first-team in a friendly match. On April 13, 2014, Ødegaard made his league debut for the club at just 15 years of age, becoming the youngest player ever in Norway’s highest tier of soccer. Just over a week later, Ødegaard scored his first professional goal, becoming the league’s youngest goalscorer.
Ødegaard drew major attention from some of the top soccer clubs in the world and would eventually sign with La Liga club Real Madrid on Jan. 21, 2015. After spending time with the reserves, Ødegaard made his debut for Real Madrid on May 23, entering the game as a substitute. At 16 years of age, Ødegaard became the youngest player to debut in the club’s history.
On Nov. 30, 2016, nearly two years after signing with Real Madrid, Ødegaard made his first start for the club in a Copa del Rey match that his club won by a score of 6-1. On Jan. 10, 2017, Ødegaard joined Dutch club Heerenveen on a loan for 18 months. Ødegaard became a routine starter for the club, scoring three goals throughout his time there.
It was announced that Ødegaard would once again be heading to a different team on loan for the 2018-19 season, joining another Dutch club, Vitesse. The season was a breakout year for Ødegaard, who recorded 11 goals and 12 assists during his season with the club.
On July 5, 2019, Ødegaard was loaned once again, this time to La Liga club Real Sociedad. Ødegaard scored four goals and notched six assists during the season, in addition to being named La Liga Player of the Month in September 2019.
Ødegaard shined in the 2019-20 Copa del Rey, an annual competition amongst the top Spanish soccer teams. Real Sociedad reached the finals, with Ødegaard recording three goals and assists in just five starts. Ironically, in the quarter-finals of the competition, he scored to help eliminate Real Madrid, the team that was loaning him to his current club.
Following just nine appearances with Real Madrid, Ødegaard voiced his desire to join another team during the winter transfer window. This led to Ødegaard joining Premier League club Arsenal on Jan. 27, 2021. Three days later, he made his debut for the club, entering as a substitute in a 0-0 draw.
On Aug. 20, 2021, Ødegaard permanently signed with Arsenal on a four-year deal worth €35 million. In December 2018, Ødegaard recorded three goals and three assists in just six matches, which led to him being nominated for Premier League Player of the Month.
Entering the 2022-23 season, Ødegaard was named as Arsenal’s newest captain. He made the most of his new title, putting up his best season for the club, scoring 15 goals, which was more than double what he recorded in the previous season, as well as recording eight assists. His impressive numbers led to him winning Premier League Player of the Year at the 2023 London Football Awards.
Ødegaard signed a new contract on Sept. 22, 2023, extending his time at Arsenal. He is now in his sixth season with the club, where he still serves as the team’s captain, demonstrating leadership and skill, traits that will undoubtedly be useful for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
On Aug. 19, 2014, Ødegaard was called up to play in a senior international match against United Arab Emirates. At just 15 years old, he became the youngest person to play for Norway at the senior level. A month later, on Sept. 30, he was called up to participate in Norway’s UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying matches. Ødegaard made his debut in the matches, entering the game as a substitute in a 2-1 win over Bulgaria. His appearance made him the youngest player to compete in a European Championship qualifier.
Ødegaard scored his first international goal against Romania in a UEFA Euro 2020 qualification match. In March 2021, Ødegaard was named as the captain of Norway’s national team, a role that he still holds. This summer, under his leadership, Norway will be competing in its first FIFA World Cup since 1998.
Ødegaard and Norway will be heading to MetLife Stadium on June 22, where the team will be facing Senegal in a group stage match for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This will not only be Ødegaard’s tournament debut, but all of his teammates will also be playing in the tournament for the first time, making it even more significant for them.
