Photo: Rodrigo Freitas / NTB, Annika Byrde / NTB
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Martin Ødegaard (24) is one of the most famous Norwegian players in the world, and one of the world’s best footballers.
He broke into Strømsgodset at the age of 15, and attracted worldwide attention.
He was eventually brought to legendary football club Real Madrid, where he was loaned out repeatedly.
In the end, Ødegaard went to big English club Arsenal, and there he established himself as one of the world’s biggest stars.
Ødegaard has also received attention off the football field recently, after it was discovered that he and professional dancer Helene Spilling were lovers.
The article continues under the pictures.
Ståle Solbakken faces Martin Ødegaard in defense
The stage was immediately set for a new international match, in which Norway will play Jordan and Georgia.
Martin Ødegaard is the captain of the national team, and a very popular man.
But at the weekend he came under heavy criticism from the foreign press.
At the weekend, Martin Ødegaard scored in the big game against Manchester United, but before the game the Norway captain came under heavy criticism.
Manchester United legend Roy Keane was unimpressed with Ødegaard, with the Norwegian being filmed hugging Manchester United’s Sergio Reguilon in the tunnel.
Reguilon and Ødegaard played together at Real Madrid.
– I saw the player tunnel there, and everyone might think I’m old-fashioned, but I don’t understand that you have to talk to the people you’re going to fight. You’ll soon be kicking each other, he says, reproduced by Mirror.
National team manager Ståle Solbakken took Keane’s criticism with great stride.
– I think Roy Keane is a funny pundit and I love listening to him. But I take the criticism in stride. If the fact that he greets opponents before games is the only criticism he’s received, then I’m fine with that, Solbakken told Television 2.
The match was rich in content and ended 3-1 to Arsenal. Solbakken doesn’t think pre-match hugs had a significant impact on this.
– It started from the first minute, so obviously they could tell the difference, said Solbakken.
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