Martin Odegaard leads by example as Arsenal captain and has become one of the Premier League's best. Photo: Getty Images/Adrian Dennis Rain battered north London and pelted every inch of Emirates Stadium, but hundreds of soaked Arsenal fans still rushed to the side of the pitch after the final whistle of their win over PSV on Wednesday night. These days, they do it after every game, whatever the weather, because they know Martin Odegaard is following their path.
At the end of every home match, the Arsenal captain sets off after shaking hands with his opponents . during a solo walk across a field. When he first joined the club, most of the fans had already left the stadium by the time he reached them. Now thousands of fans are waiting to show their appreciation for the player who best embodies Mikel Arteta's revolution.
It's just a small detail — «it's not a big deal to me,» says Odegaard — but for Arsenal fans, all these little things add up to the bigger picture. For Odegaard, it's a picture of popularity and promise as the playmaker continues to lead an Arsenal team that appears to be on a spectacular upward trajectory.
After years of uncertainty at Real Madrid, Odegaard believes he has found a home in north London. He's happy at the club, settled in the area («an easy life,» he says) and excited about what this young group of players can achieve. Such is the strength of his belief in the Arsenal project and he has now dedicated the peak years of his career to it by signing a new five-year contract.
«An easy decision,» Odegaard says of the deal that ties him to Arsenal until he's 29 years old. “I felt at home here from day one. I needed a place to settle, to find a home. That's what I did here. I always had that special feeling at Arsenal.”
Odegaard is the latest star player to extend his contract with the club. Over the past 12 months, Gabriel Magalhas, Gabriel Martinelli, William Saliba and Bukayo Saka have signed new long-term contracts. It is hoped that this group, which redefines what many thought was possible for a modern Arsenal side, will continue to develop as a unit.
“It shows what we do as a club,” Odegaard says. “People want to be here for the project. What we do is really special and the players see what the coach wants, how the club is progressing, what kind of connection we now have with the fans. It's easy for players to get involved.
“All players want the same thing. They want to stay for a long time, really fight for the club and win together. I am confident that we will get better and better.”
Odegaard is the player who epitomizes Mikel Arteta' Arsenal's tactical vision Photo: Getty Images/Paul Ellis
Odegaard, like Arteta, makes no attempt to hide from the team the need to one day turn all that promise and potential into big trophies. They can't stay young and promising forever, and after competing for the title last season their expectations have increased.
“It’s natural,” says Odegaard. “Personally, I like the pressure. I like having it. Regardless of outside pressure, I will always try harder. I think the whole team enjoys the pressure. We want to be up there at the top, fighting to win.”
Having scored 15 goals in all competitions last season and three in seven matches this campaign, Odegaard continues to take his game to the next level. heights under the strict guidance of Arteta. The relationship between coach and captain is strong and there is a feeling that Odegaard is Arteta's eyes and ears on the pitch.
«He has the ability to make you understand football in a different way,» says the Norwegian, who will be hoping to continue his impressive start to the season in Sunday's north London derby. “He sees so many details that you don’t even think about. The way he explains it to you makes sense.”
This is not to say that Arteta and Odegaard discuss every aspect of the game. For example, Arteta recently talked about Arsenal using «43 different formations» in the Community Shield, but not all players have been tasked with seeing football the same way. “A lot of things are in his head, and I don’t think he tells us everything he’s thinking,” Odegaard says. “He's good at keeping things short and to the point.”
Aretha may be a demanding and controlling coach, but players like Odegaard still have the freedom to make their own decisions. As captain, Odegaard has been asked to take on this responsibility, as he did when he scored the winning penalty against Crystal Palace earlier this season.
“I just asked Bukayo [the regular penalty taker] if I could take it,” Odegaard says, leaning back in his chair in the plush hospitality lounge at the Emirates. “He said yes if I felt good. It shows what kind of team we are, the different personalities and leadership within the team. We can solve this on the field.»
Odegaard's on-field relationship with Bukayo Saka is key to success. Arsenal attacking play Photo: Getty Images/David Price
Odegaard is the club's presentable face, well-groomed and well-spoken, and a far cry from the bathtub-slapping captains of past eras. However, leadership comes in all shapes and sizes and Arsenal are lacking vocalists in the dressing room. They lost an important figure when Granit Xhaka left for Germany, but soon gained a new one in Declan Rice.
“He was great from day one,” Rice’s Odegaard said. “On the pitch you see his quality, what he brings to the team. Energy, strength. He's a great guy, a funny guy, and also a leader. He captained West Ham and it's nice to have someone like him around to help. We can help each other.”
Odegaard doesn't have to shout and scream to get his point across. After all, his left leg often says enough on its own. His position in the team is helped by his status as a Ballon d'Or nominee (along with Saka) and a former Real Madrid prodigy who joined the Spanish giants aged just 16.
“At Madrid it was just a bit of a others,” he says. “I was very young. I was stuck between the first and second teams, then on loan I rushed back and forth. So I never had time to settle down.”
He has now settled into a new city and a new life, and Odegaard feels ready to take the next step forward with his club. For Arsenal and for him, this means winning the trophy. “Of course I think about it,” he says. “It’s a big dream, a big goal – to win. That's why I signed the contract, because I believe that we can achieve great things.»
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