This past week, Real Madrid made headlines by signing 16-year-old Norwegian wunderkind Martin Odegaard from Stromsgodset. The young gentleman has been hailed as the “Norwegian Messi” and was one of the most sought-after targets in Europe. Madrid secured his services inspite of challenges from Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, and Manchester City. So who is this kid with a Thor-esque name, and is he worth the hype?
Odegaard is an attacking midfielder who made his first-team debut for Stromsgodset at the tender age of 13 in a 2012 friendly. He became a regular member of the first team in April 2014 as the youngest player ever to debut in the Tippeliagaen, which is Norway’s top league. He scored 5 goals in 23 league appearances for Stomsgodset this season, leading the club to a 4th place finish. He made his international debut for the Norewegian national team at just 15 years old, which is the youngest ever for an individual to play in a European Championship qualifier. Skilled with both feet, Odegaard is known to have incredible vision on the pitch, especially for someone his age.
Odegaard will not head straight to Madrid’s first team. He instead will train with Real Madrid’s “B” team, Real Madrid Castilla, which is coached by French legend Zinedine Zidane (another player to whom Odegaard has been compared...no pressure Martin). Real Madrid Castilla plays in the third division of Spanish football and is Real Madrid’s reserve squad. In addition to sparing the 16-year-old from the bright lights that would accompany a role with the first team and allowing him the opportunity to play more frequently, Zidane will also be able to serve as a role model to shepherd Odegaard’s development, both on and off the pitch. Additionally, as part of the terms of his transfer, Odegaard’s father, former professional player Hans Erik Odegaard, will be hired as a coach by Real Madrid to assist with his son’s development.
As seen in the clip above, there’s no doubt that Odegaard is incredibly gifted on the pitch. But there’s a vast difference between impressing in the Tippeligaen, and La Liga. For every Lionel Messi (who also made his La Liga debut at 16), there are 1000 Freddy Adus, who fail to live up to the hype and fall flat on their face. For Madrid, who paid in the ballpark of $3.4 million to sign Odegaard, it’s good business, as if he does turn out to be an impact player, it’ll have invested very little to obtain him, and if he doesn’t...no harm done.
For Odegaard, it’s “an honor a dream come true” (his words) to join one of the biggest clubs in the world from a country that isn’t exactly known for producing footballers. And for all of this to happen at 16??? I did many things when I was 16: very few of them could considered “professional.” In addition to the step-up in competition, the temptations and distractions that will be around him will multiply, so there are many reasons his career may not pan out. This kid is literally half my age and has already played a full season in a top-flight European league and represented his country in a qualifier for the European Championships. And in no way is that depressing for me.
We may not hear anything from Odegaard for a few years, but file this away for the future. He may just be the next big thing.
Follow Mike Smith on Twitter @thefootiegent
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