Martin Ødegaard

Martin Ødegaard
Ødegaard with Arsenal in 2022
Personal information
Full name Martin Ødegaard
Date of birth (1998-12-17) 17 December 1998
Place of birth Drammen, Norway
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
Arsenal
Number 8
Youth career
2005–2009 Drammen Strong
2009–2014 Strømsgodset
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2013 Strømsgodset 3 11 (4)
2013–2014 Strømsgodset 2 5 (1)
2014–2015 Strømsgodset 23 (5)
2015–2017 Real Madrid Castilla 58 (5)
2015–2021 Real Madrid 8 (0)
2017–2018Heerenveen (loan) 38 (2)
2018–2019Vitesse (loan) 31 (8)
2019–2020Real Sociedad (loan) 31 (4)
2021Arsenal (loan) 14 (1)
2021– Arsenal 138 (33)
International career
2013 Norway U15 2 (0)
2013–2014 Norway U16 6 (0)
2014 Norway U17 4 (0)
2014–2018 Norway U21 18 (5)
2014– Norway 64 (3)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17:57, 25 May 2025 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23:48, 6 June 2025 (UTC)

Martin Ødegaard (born 17 December 1998) is a Norwegian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for and captains both Premier League club Arsenal and the Norway national team. Known for his vision and passing, he is regarded as one of the best midfielders in the world.

Ødegaard began his senior club career at age 15 in 2014, playing for Strømsgodset; he set the Tippeligaen record for its youngest goalscorer, and in 2015, signed for Real Madrid in a transfer worth an initial €4 million (Kr. 35 million), where he set the club record for its youngest player. After enduring sporadic playing time, Ødegaard joined Eredivisie clubs Heerenveen and Vitesse, and La Liga club Real Sociedad, on successive loans between 2017 and 2019; Ødegaard won the Copa del Rey with Real Sociedad in 2019. Following a six-month loan with Arsenal in the second half of the 20–21 season, he signed for them on a permanent deal in August 2021, in a transfer worth an initial £30 million (€35 million). He was announced as the club's captain in July 2022.

Ødegaard made his senior international debut for Norway in 2014, at age 15, and has set the record for the youngest senior Norway player, and the youngest player to play in a UEFA European Championship qualifying match. He assumed the full captaincy of Norway in March 2021.