My place, my club

Arsenal captain Martin Ødegaard tells us about his journey from a small town in Norway to the big time in north London, the former Real Madrid teen sensation now living up to his promise at a club that feels like home

WORDS Chris Burke and Philip O'Connor | PHOTOGRAPHY Michael Regan

Cover Stories
How about this for the perfect time capsule? “If you get carried away now, you won’t get far in ten years. I’m supposed to be at my best then, not now.” That was Martin Ødegaard, speaking – you guessed it – exactly ten years ago, shortly after having joined Real Madrid as a starry-eyed 16-year-old tipped for greatness. Not everything has gone smoothly since then but, a decade on, it’s fair to say that the Arsenal captain is indeed at his best.

Arsenal captain. Just those two words alone speak volumes. Ødegaard became Madrid’s youngest-ever debutant in May 2015, every door looking wide open for a boy who’d made both his professional debut for Strømsgodset and his Norway debut at the age of 15.

Instead, he made just 11 appearances for Madrid, spending most of his spell on loan – including the back end of the 2020/21 season, when he switched to the Gunners and began rebuilding his career. A year and a half later, and signed on a permanent deal, the young playmaker was awarded the captain’s armband. He was still only 23.

Tony Adams. Patrick Vieira. Thierry Henry. David O’Leary. Frank McLintock. The list of former Arsenal skippers contains some of the finest talents and biggest characters in the history of the game. Ødegaard may be a little less noisily vocal than many of his predecessors, but he has had a massive impact in north London as a creative force, stitching play together with his purposeful movement and deft passing, a superior game intelligence allied with elegant technique and diligent work rate.

“I felt that from the moment I arrived here, I’d come home,” Ødegaard tells Champions Journal as he reflects on his Arsenal renaissance in this interview. The sense too is of a player back on his rightful path, following the trajectory that always seemed within his grasp, the teen dripping with potential now attaining his peak at one of Europe’s most illustrious clubs. Stay tuned for the next ten years.

“I felt like everything made sense from day one, with the people, the coach, the club, the playing style”
Everyone who plays football today grew up watching the Champions League and dreamt of being there, on the biggest stage.

Martin, can we begin with your early memories of Drammen, the city where you grew up?

Drammen is quite small. There must be around 60-70,000 people who live there, and in the little area where I grew up, everyone knew everyone else. For me, everything was about football. All my friends played football, we met up every day on the pitch, and that was basically what we did. So, it was a nice childhood with lots of friends who had the same interests. I was lucky because, around the time I started school, they put artificial grass on the fields just below. It was good timing. That was the field we played on every day, both during and after school, and also where we had training. It was kind of our second home.

You left Norway ten years ago for Real Madrid. Can you give us some insight into that time, as a 16-year-old, being sought after by such a big club. How did you handle that?

At that time, I didn’t think too much about anything that happened. But, of course, as you get older, you look back at it and realise it was very special. I got a lot of attention and a lot happened in a short period of time. And I was very young. But I was just enjoying myself and living my dream, and I was just happy achieving the things I’d dreamed about my whole life. I didn’t think too much about it at the time.

Are there any lessons from that time that still inform your career today?

The biggest lessons I’ve learnt are formed by what’s happened along the way, how I’ve handled both the ups and the downs, and all the experiences I’ve been through. You learn a lot from that, and you gain strength from it, both the positive experiences and the tougher ones. So, that’s really what I’ve taken with me: I’ve been through a lot and become a stronger and better person because of everything that’s happened.

You’ve been at Arsenal for over four years now. What makes this club so special to you?

I felt that from the moment I arrived here, I’d come home. It felt very natural and it felt like my club, my place. I felt like everything made sense from day one, with the people, the coach, the club, the playing style. I felt like everything suited me very well, and I’m still very content and feel very at home here. I’m very happy.

Was there anything in particular that drew you to Arsenal?

I would say the main reason was [coach Mikel] Arteta. I had a talk with him and listened to all his ideas, the way he wanted to play football, how he wanted to help me improve, how he wanted to use me. But, in addition to that, I’ve always had a soft spot for Arsenal. I’ve always liked watching them play football, always paid a lot of attention to their players and always kept an eye on the club. It was a combination of all of that.

Can you tell us a little bit about the first Zoom meeting you had with Mikel Arteta?

Yes, I remember it well. I was in Madrid at the time and spoke to him. I was incredibly impressed by his ideas and plans for the club, and the way he wanted to play football. You notice it right away when he speaks that this is a guy who knows what he’s talking about, and I believed in his project right away. I was convinced right away.

What kind of coaching style does Arteta have?

He can do a lot of different things, but I think his greatest strength is that he’s able to read what the team needs at any given time. First and foremost, he’s extremely good tactically and has an understanding of football that I’ve never seen before. In addition, he’s able to understand what the team needs and he has the creativity to bring that out, which makes everyone pull together in the same direction. A crucial quality for a team to be able to work.

What’s he like off the pitch?

A very nice guy. He cares a lot about his players, and that’s the culture throughout the entire club; we’re a family and we look after each other, and he does that too. If someone is having a tough time off the pitch, then he’s there to support them and help them. He sees his players and cares a lot. It’s like that across the board at the club. We’re a family here, and that’s nice.

What does the role of team captain mean to you? What kind of leader are you?

Of course it means a lot. It’s an enormous honour to captain such a big club as Arsenal. It’s not like I dreamt of being captain my whole life, but when you get that opportunity and you experience what it’s like, it’s an incredible honour and something I value very highly. There are different ways of captaining. I think the most important thing for me was to do it in my own way and be myself, and to do what I feel is right. The most important thing is to get the best out of the team and the players around you, help people and lead by example. That’s what I try to do.

We have to ask – please tell us about those Declan Rice free-kicks against Real Madrid…

Yeah, that was completely incredible. For the first one, we actually had a plan to cross the ball in, but he saw an opportunity, went for it and it went in. A fantastic free-kick and goal. Then he did it again even better! There’s not much more to say, really, other than that it was an amazing performance.

You’ve built such a good relationship with Bukayo Saka on the right of Arsenal’s attack. How does that work?

We’ve played together for a long time now. We know each other well; we have a good connection on and off the pitch. We’re good buddies. We’ve played together a lot and have a very natural and nice link, where we don’t need to overthink it. It’s very natural. He’s a fantastic player, and it’s fantastic playing with him. I really enjoy it.

Who has the best fashion sense, you or Bukayo?

I have to give the vote of confidence to myself, really. I have to retain some self-belief in that regard. We attended a [Burberry] fashion show and dipped our toes in there. That was my first time at a fashion show. It was a cool thing to do with Bukayo, and it was a fun experience.

What does the Champions League mean to you and Arsenal?

Everyone who plays football today grew up watching the Champions League and dreamt of being there, on the biggest stage. Personally, it was extremely special for me when I was young. I used to ask to stay up late to watch the games. It was always special, and to be here today is of course incredibly cool. It’s a dream come true to be on the biggest stage, and that’s what everyone wants. To be able to do it with this club, this team, is fantastic. On top of that, we play our home games with the atmosphere of the Emirates, so it doesn’t get much better.

Arsenal captain. Just those two words alone speak volumes. Ødegaard became Madrid’s youngest-ever debutant in May 2015, every door looking wide open for a boy who’d made both his professional debut for Strømsgodset and his Norway debut at the age of 15.

Instead, he made just 11 appearances for Madrid, spending most of his spell on loan – including the back end of the 2020/21 season, when he switched to the Gunners and began rebuilding his career. A year and a half later, and signed on a permanent deal, the young playmaker was awarded the captain’s armband. He was still only 23.

Tony Adams. Patrick Vieira. Thierry Henry. David O’Leary. Frank McLintock. The list of former Arsenal skippers contains some of the finest talents and biggest characters in the history of the game. Ødegaard may be a little less noisily vocal than many of his predecessors, but he has had a massive impact in north London as a creative force, stitching play together with his purposeful movement and deft passing, a superior game intelligence allied with elegant technique and diligent work rate.

“I felt that from the moment I arrived here, I’d come home,” Ødegaard tells Champions Journal as he reflects on his Arsenal renaissance in this interview. The sense too is of a player back on his rightful path, following the trajectory that always seemed within his grasp, the teen dripping with potential now attaining his peak at one of Europe’s most illustrious clubs. Stay tuned for the next ten years.

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“I felt like everything made sense from day one, with the people, the coach, the club, the playing style”
Everyone who plays football today grew up watching the Champions League and dreamt of being there, on the biggest stage.

Martin, can we begin with your early memories of Drammen, the city where you grew up?

Drammen is quite small. There must be around 60-70,000 people who live there, and in the little area where I grew up, everyone knew everyone else. For me, everything was about football. All my friends played football, we met up every day on the pitch, and that was basically what we did. So, it was a nice childhood with lots of friends who had the same interests. I was lucky because, around the time I started school, they put artificial grass on the fields just below. It was good timing. That was the field we played on every day, both during and after school, and also where we had training. It was kind of our second home.

You left Norway ten years ago for Real Madrid. Can you give us some insight into that time, as a 16-year-old, being sought after by such a big club. How did you handle that?

At that time, I didn’t think too much about anything that happened. But, of course, as you get older, you look back at it and realise it was very special. I got a lot of attention and a lot happened in a short period of time. And I was very young. But I was just enjoying myself and living my dream, and I was just happy achieving the things I’d dreamed about my whole life. I didn’t think too much about it at the time.

Are there any lessons from that time that still inform your career today?

The biggest lessons I’ve learnt are formed by what’s happened along the way, how I’ve handled both the ups and the downs, and all the experiences I’ve been through. You learn a lot from that, and you gain strength from it, both the positive experiences and the tougher ones. So, that’s really what I’ve taken with me: I’ve been through a lot and become a stronger and better person because of everything that’s happened.

You’ve been at Arsenal for over four years now. What makes this club so special to you?

I felt that from the moment I arrived here, I’d come home. It felt very natural and it felt like my club, my place. I felt like everything made sense from day one, with the people, the coach, the club, the playing style. I felt like everything suited me very well, and I’m still very content and feel very at home here. I’m very happy.

Was there anything in particular that drew you to Arsenal?

I would say the main reason was [coach Mikel] Arteta. I had a talk with him and listened to all his ideas, the way he wanted to play football, how he wanted to help me improve, how he wanted to use me. But, in addition to that, I’ve always had a soft spot for Arsenal. I’ve always liked watching them play football, always paid a lot of attention to their players and always kept an eye on the club. It was a combination of all of that.

Can you tell us a little bit about the first Zoom meeting you had with Mikel Arteta?

Yes, I remember it well. I was in Madrid at the time and spoke to him. I was incredibly impressed by his ideas and plans for the club, and the way he wanted to play football. You notice it right away when he speaks that this is a guy who knows what he’s talking about, and I believed in his project right away. I was convinced right away.

What kind of coaching style does Arteta have?

He can do a lot of different things, but I think his greatest strength is that he’s able to read what the team needs at any given time. First and foremost, he’s extremely good tactically and has an understanding of football that I’ve never seen before. In addition, he’s able to understand what the team needs and he has the creativity to bring that out, which makes everyone pull together in the same direction. A crucial quality for a team to be able to work.

What’s he like off the pitch?

A very nice guy. He cares a lot about his players, and that’s the culture throughout the entire club; we’re a family and we look after each other, and he does that too. If someone is having a tough time off the pitch, then he’s there to support them and help them. He sees his players and cares a lot. It’s like that across the board at the club. We’re a family here, and that’s nice.

What does the role of team captain mean to you? What kind of leader are you?

Of course it means a lot. It’s an enormous honour to captain such a big club as Arsenal. It’s not like I dreamt of being captain my whole life, but when you get that opportunity and you experience what it’s like, it’s an incredible honour and something I value very highly. There are different ways of captaining. I think the most important thing for me was to do it in my own way and be myself, and to do what I feel is right. The most important thing is to get the best out of the team and the players around you, help people and lead by example. That’s what I try to do.

We have to ask – please tell us about those Declan Rice free-kicks against Real Madrid…

Yeah, that was completely incredible. For the first one, we actually had a plan to cross the ball in, but he saw an opportunity, went for it and it went in. A fantastic free-kick and goal. Then he did it again even better! There’s not much more to say, really, other than that it was an amazing performance.

You’ve built such a good relationship with Bukayo Saka on the right of Arsenal’s attack. How does that work?

We’ve played together for a long time now. We know each other well; we have a good connection on and off the pitch. We’re good buddies. We’ve played together a lot and have a very natural and nice link, where we don’t need to overthink it. It’s very natural. He’s a fantastic player, and it’s fantastic playing with him. I really enjoy it.

Who has the best fashion sense, you or Bukayo?

I have to give the vote of confidence to myself, really. I have to retain some self-belief in that regard. We attended a [Burberry] fashion show and dipped our toes in there. That was my first time at a fashion show. It was a cool thing to do with Bukayo, and it was a fun experience.

What does the Champions League mean to you and Arsenal?

Everyone who plays football today grew up watching the Champions League and dreamt of being there, on the biggest stage. Personally, it was extremely special for me when I was young. I used to ask to stay up late to watch the games. It was always special, and to be here today is of course incredibly cool. It’s a dream come true to be on the biggest stage, and that’s what everyone wants. To be able to do it with this club, this team, is fantastic. On top of that, we play our home games with the atmosphere of the Emirates, so it doesn’t get much better.

Arsenal captain. Just those two words alone speak volumes. Ødegaard became Madrid’s youngest-ever debutant in May 2015, every door looking wide open for a boy who’d made both his professional debut for Strømsgodset and his Norway debut at the age of 15.

Instead, he made just 11 appearances for Madrid, spending most of his spell on loan – including the back end of the 2020/21 season, when he switched to the Gunners and began rebuilding his career. A year and a half later, and signed on a permanent deal, the young playmaker was awarded the captain’s armband. He was still only 23.

Tony Adams. Patrick Vieira. Thierry Henry. David O’Leary. Frank McLintock. The list of former Arsenal skippers contains some of the finest talents and biggest characters in the history of the game. Ødegaard may be a little less noisily vocal than many of his predecessors, but he has had a massive impact in north London as a creative force, stitching play together with his purposeful movement and deft passing, a superior game intelligence allied with elegant technique and diligent work rate.

“I felt that from the moment I arrived here, I’d come home,” Ødegaard tells Champions Journal as he reflects on his Arsenal renaissance in this interview. The sense too is of a player back on his rightful path, following the trajectory that always seemed within his grasp, the teen dripping with potential now attaining his peak at one of Europe’s most illustrious clubs. Stay tuned for the next ten years.

“I felt like everything made sense from day one, with the people, the coach, the club, the playing style”
Everyone who plays football today grew up watching the Champions League and dreamt of being there, on the biggest stage.

Martin, can we begin with your early memories of Drammen, the city where you grew up?

Drammen is quite small. There must be around 60-70,000 people who live there, and in the little area where I grew up, everyone knew everyone else. For me, everything was about football. All my friends played football, we met up every day on the pitch, and that was basically what we did. So, it was a nice childhood with lots of friends who had the same interests. I was lucky because, around the time I started school, they put artificial grass on the fields just below. It was good timing. That was the field we played on every day, both during and after school, and also where we had training. It was kind of our second home.

You left Norway ten years ago for Real Madrid. Can you give us some insight into that time, as a 16-year-old, being sought after by such a big club. How did you handle that?

At that time, I didn’t think too much about anything that happened. But, of course, as you get older, you look back at it and realise it was very special. I got a lot of attention and a lot happened in a short period of time. And I was very young. But I was just enjoying myself and living my dream, and I was just happy achieving the things I’d dreamed about my whole life. I didn’t think too much about it at the time.

Are there any lessons from that time that still inform your career today?

The biggest lessons I’ve learnt are formed by what’s happened along the way, how I’ve handled both the ups and the downs, and all the experiences I’ve been through. You learn a lot from that, and you gain strength from it, both the positive experiences and the tougher ones. So, that’s really what I’ve taken with me: I’ve been through a lot and become a stronger and better person because of everything that’s happened.

You’ve been at Arsenal for over four years now. What makes this club so special to you?

I felt that from the moment I arrived here, I’d come home. It felt very natural and it felt like my club, my place. I felt like everything made sense from day one, with the people, the coach, the club, the playing style. I felt like everything suited me very well, and I’m still very content and feel very at home here. I’m very happy.

Was there anything in particular that drew you to Arsenal?

I would say the main reason was [coach Mikel] Arteta. I had a talk with him and listened to all his ideas, the way he wanted to play football, how he wanted to help me improve, how he wanted to use me. But, in addition to that, I’ve always had a soft spot for Arsenal. I’ve always liked watching them play football, always paid a lot of attention to their players and always kept an eye on the club. It was a combination of all of that.

Can you tell us a little bit about the first Zoom meeting you had with Mikel Arteta?

Yes, I remember it well. I was in Madrid at the time and spoke to him. I was incredibly impressed by his ideas and plans for the club, and the way he wanted to play football. You notice it right away when he speaks that this is a guy who knows what he’s talking about, and I believed in his project right away. I was convinced right away.

What kind of coaching style does Arteta have?

He can do a lot of different things, but I think his greatest strength is that he’s able to read what the team needs at any given time. First and foremost, he’s extremely good tactically and has an understanding of football that I’ve never seen before. In addition, he’s able to understand what the team needs and he has the creativity to bring that out, which makes everyone pull together in the same direction. A crucial quality for a team to be able to work.

What’s he like off the pitch?

A very nice guy. He cares a lot about his players, and that’s the culture throughout the entire club; we’re a family and we look after each other, and he does that too. If someone is having a tough time off the pitch, then he’s there to support them and help them. He sees his players and cares a lot. It’s like that across the board at the club. We’re a family here, and that’s nice.

What does the role of team captain mean to you? What kind of leader are you?

Of course it means a lot. It’s an enormous honour to captain such a big club as Arsenal. It’s not like I dreamt of being captain my whole life, but when you get that opportunity and you experience what it’s like, it’s an incredible honour and something I value very highly. There are different ways of captaining. I think the most important thing for me was to do it in my own way and be myself, and to do what I feel is right. The most important thing is to get the best out of the team and the players around you, help people and lead by example. That’s what I try to do.

We have to ask – please tell us about those Declan Rice free-kicks against Real Madrid…

Yeah, that was completely incredible. For the first one, we actually had a plan to cross the ball in, but he saw an opportunity, went for it and it went in. A fantastic free-kick and goal. Then he did it again even better! There’s not much more to say, really, other than that it was an amazing performance.

You’ve built such a good relationship with Bukayo Saka on the right of Arsenal’s attack. How does that work?

We’ve played together for a long time now. We know each other well; we have a good connection on and off the pitch. We’re good buddies. We’ve played together a lot and have a very natural and nice link, where we don’t need to overthink it. It’s very natural. He’s a fantastic player, and it’s fantastic playing with him. I really enjoy it.

Who has the best fashion sense, you or Bukayo?

I have to give the vote of confidence to myself, really. I have to retain some self-belief in that regard. We attended a [Burberry] fashion show and dipped our toes in there. That was my first time at a fashion show. It was a cool thing to do with Bukayo, and it was a fun experience.

What does the Champions League mean to you and Arsenal?

Everyone who plays football today grew up watching the Champions League and dreamt of being there, on the biggest stage. Personally, it was extremely special for me when I was young. I used to ask to stay up late to watch the games. It was always special, and to be here today is of course incredibly cool. It’s a dream come true to be on the biggest stage, and that’s what everyone wants. To be able to do it with this club, this team, is fantastic. On top of that, we play our home games with the atmosphere of the Emirates, so it doesn’t get much better.

Martin Ødegaard is loving life as a dad
‘A fantastic feeling’

Martin Ødegaard is flicking through the photos on his Instagram feed, including one of his son, who was born on 1 December last year. “This is when our son was born,” he says. “It was the first – and only – picture we shared of that moment. Naturally, it’s the craziest and most special event you can experience. A fantastic feeling. The first people I told were my closest family members. I sent them the picture as soon as it was taken.”

“There’s one here with my wife,” he adds. “That is from when we shared that we were expecting a kid. That was obviously a special occasion too. That feeling the moment you find out is fantastic. I’d say becoming a father is the very best thing you can do in this life. It’s an amazing feeling and difficult to put into words. But, of course, it gives you a bigger perspective on everything. I’m enjoying myself and it’s very nice.”

Living in the media glare at a high-profile London club can make keeping some privacy a challenge, especially when your wife, Helene Spilling, is also a celebrity back home in Norway as a professional dancer on the programme Dancing with the Stars.

“You do feel that the whole world is quite interested in as many details as possible,” Ødegaard says. “We wanted to keep the special moments private. That’s why we don’t actually share much online. But I notice that when we do share something, everyone is really interested and curious and wants to know as much as possible.”

Off the pitch, life has changed, but on it, it’s business as usual. “When I’m training and playing football, I’m fully focused on the job and I do what I’m supposed to do. And then I think it’s important to come home and disconnect from that. And, of course, that becomes even easier when you have a small baby to take care of.”

Martin Ødegaard is loving life as a dad
‘A fantastic feeling’

Martin Ødegaard is flicking through the photos on his Instagram feed, including one of his son, who was born on 1 December last year. “This is when our son was born,” he says. “It was the first – and only – picture we shared of that moment. Naturally, it’s the craziest and most special event you can experience. A fantastic feeling. The first people I told were my closest family members. I sent them the picture as soon as it was taken.”

“There’s one here with my wife,” he adds. “That is from when we shared that we were expecting a kid. That was obviously a special occasion too. That feeling the moment you find out is fantastic. I’d say becoming a father is the very best thing you can do in this life. It’s an amazing feeling and difficult to put into words. But, of course, it gives you a bigger perspective on everything. I’m enjoying myself and it’s very nice.”

Living in the media glare at a high-profile London club can make keeping some privacy a challenge, especially when your wife, Helene Spilling, is also a celebrity back home in Norway as a professional dancer on the programme Dancing with the Stars.

“You do feel that the whole world is quite interested in as many details as possible,” Ødegaard says. “We wanted to keep the special moments private. That’s why we don’t actually share much online. But I notice that when we do share something, everyone is really interested and curious and wants to know as much as possible.”

Off the pitch, life has changed, but on it, it’s business as usual. “When I’m training and playing football, I’m fully focused on the job and I do what I’m supposed to do. And then I think it’s important to come home and disconnect from that. And, of course, that becomes even easier when you have a small baby to take care of.”

Martin Ødegaard is loving life as a dad
‘A fantastic feeling’

Martin Ødegaard is flicking through the photos on his Instagram feed, including one of his son, who was born on 1 December last year. “This is when our son was born,” he says. “It was the first – and only – picture we shared of that moment. Naturally, it’s the craziest and most special event you can experience. A fantastic feeling. The first people I told were my closest family members. I sent them the picture as soon as it was taken.”

“There’s one here with my wife,” he adds. “That is from when we shared that we were expecting a kid. That was obviously a special occasion too. That feeling the moment you find out is fantastic. I’d say becoming a father is the very best thing you can do in this life. It’s an amazing feeling and difficult to put into words. But, of course, it gives you a bigger perspective on everything. I’m enjoying myself and it’s very nice.”

Living in the media glare at a high-profile London club can make keeping some privacy a challenge, especially when your wife, Helene Spilling, is also a celebrity back home in Norway as a professional dancer on the programme Dancing with the Stars.

“You do feel that the whole world is quite interested in as many details as possible,” Ødegaard says. “We wanted to keep the special moments private. That’s why we don’t actually share much online. But I notice that when we do share something, everyone is really interested and curious and wants to know as much as possible.”

Off the pitch, life has changed, but on it, it’s business as usual. “When I’m training and playing football, I’m fully focused on the job and I do what I’m supposed to do. And then I think it’s important to come home and disconnect from that. And, of course, that becomes even easier when you have a small baby to take care of.”

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