Martin Odegaard was considered a child prodigy and moved to Real Madrid too early. Small steps took him to the top and now, at 24, he could captain Arsenal to the English championship.
Martin Ödegaard set the direction. With flailing arms, the captain of Premier League leaders FC Arsenal asked his teammates to run across the field – to their own fans. Arsenal had just won the prestigious London derby 2-0 at Tottenham Hotspur in February, for the first time in nine years. Ödegaard wanted to break up the escalating pack formations with the Tottenham players by going to the supporters. The conflict arose just after the final whistle when a spectator climbed onto the barrier behind the goal and kicked Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale in the back. Unlike his team-mates, Odegaard largely stayed out of the fray, with his slight build and reserved demeanor he is not one to throw himself into the fray. The scene showed that he still fulfilled his leadership role by preferring to draw attention to victory – and his teammates followed him.