Beauty is simplicity. To glide through the complexity of motion with consummate ease. In a footballing landscape in a state of perpetual evolution, the artist will ultimately paint on their canvas. Martin Odegaard, the Drammen Da Vinci, who weaves images of wonder when his talents are freed from inward restraint.
The Norwegian prodigy saw his mesmeric talents sought after at a tender age, joining European powerhouse Real Madrid whilst still a schoolboy, just 16-years-old. A child in the midst of Galaticos. No child is certain of their place in the world, let alone when thrown into football’s Valhalla.
If life was as easy as walking amongst Galaticos without adversity, it wouldn’t be much of a life. The teenage sensation quickly discovered the gruelling reality of elite football in the grasps of Los Blancos. Nearly have a decade of loans throughout the continent, in the pursuit of a home that never quite came. Three separate clubs bearing eye-witness to unfolding wizardry from a career in its infancy.
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Heerenveen, Vitesse and Real Sociedad all saw the talent of the Norwegian sensation, yet the powers that be at the Bernabeu would bring the Norseman home, threading a story of potential legacy, of etching his name into the cobbled streets of Madrid.
Across the English channel, rested a fallen giant, plunged into chaos after years of turmoil, indecision and false promise. Odegaard ventured to the Capital, on yet another loan move, to a team that had been languishing in 15th at Christmas. He took the number 11, bearing the number of the prime creator, the archetypal artist, whose left boot was a paintbrush on the pristine Emirates canvas for many a season - Mesut Özil.
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The Norwegian was tasked with a rescue mission, to salvage a season heading towards the realms of humiliation. How one defines the measure of his mission success depends on the metrics used. Arsenal’s form for the rest of the season matched that of the Premier League’s top sides, however, it wasn’t enough to secure any form of European football, the damage done in the opening fifteen games was irreparable.
However, for the young man, La Casa Blanca was no longer his home, not in his heart. He flew back to the sun-stained metropolis of Madrid, awaiting to return to where his heart yearned. On the 20th August 2021, that became a reality, securing a permanent move away from the six year rusted shackles of Los Blancos, to return to London Colney.
In the season that followed, the Norwegian was the metronome of Gunners creation, tallying up 76 chances created in the league, with only three players - Trent Alexander Arnold, Bruno Fernandes and Kevin De Bruyne - creating more than Arsenal’s £31 million man. But it wasn’t just the freedom to display his artistry that brought him back to the Emirates, Odegaard speaks of something greater:
“I feel like we’re building something special here with all the players and the staff.”
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“We’re a great group, we have a lot of big young talents but also some more experienced players, I think the mix is good and the team is very hungry. It’s really nice to be part of the team.”
The tumultuous years of his youth lead the 23-year-old to crave certainty, the sense of belonging where a house can be called a home. North London is that home for Odegaard, a much needed one after that unsettled start to his career. That experience has been transformative for the Norwegian captain, leading him to naturally veer towards leadership roles:
“I’ve been through a lot, even though I’m pretty young. In this team I’m not the youngest anymore and I have some experience and I can use that in a positive way, and help the other young players.”
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That intrinsic sense of authority, the desire to lead, both on and off the pitch, led to Odegaard becoming de-facto captain as Alexandre Lacazette was dropped from the side in the latter months of the season. In 18 months, the Norwegian has gone from venturing yet further ashore from Madrid in search of belonging, to finding a sturdy ship he is entrusted to captain.
Time will tell whether that captaincy becomes a permanent role, however, a man already entrusted with national captaincy would appear a natural choice to adopt the role at club level. Captaincy or no captaincy, the journey is far from over for the 23-year-old, in-fact, it’s barely begun.
From the blistering winds of Drammen to the cultural heartbeat of England via the baroque architecture of Madrid, the rocky journey has led to Odegaard finding a home. Yet the journey is not the destination. The pursuit of the endgame is the endgame, developing along the well-worn road so your destination signals a new beginning. The Norwegian reached his destination, a home, and has begun his next journey, the fulfilling of limitless potential.
Topics: Arsenal, Martin Odegaard, Mikel Arteta
Jake Lennard