Martin Odegaard explains what annoyed him about being at Real Madrid | OneFootball

Arsenal‘s captain, Martin Odegaard, recently revealed his frustration with being constantly labelled as the “kid” during his early days at Real Madrid.

This confession came during a conversation with Arsenal’s youngest-ever player, Ethan Nwaneri, on the club’s official YouTube page.

LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 17: Martin Odegaard of Arsenal applauds the fans following the team’s victory during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Wolverhampton Wanderers FC at Emirates Stadium on August 17, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Eddie Keogh/Getty Images)

Odegaard, now a mature 25-year-old, joined Real Madrid at the tender age of 16 in 2015, amidst much fanfare. However, he struggled to break into the first team and spent several seasons on loan at other clubs.

Reflecting on his time in Madrid, Odegaard admitted that the constant references to his age were irritating. “It was annoying,” he said.

“Everyone just saw me as the young kid and you just want to be looked at as a normal player.” He acknowledged that the attention was partly due to his young age but expressed his desire to be recognised for his skills and not just his potential.

MADRID, SPAIN – JANUARY 02: Martin Oedegaard of Real Madrid battles for possession with Denis Suarez of Celta Vigo during the La Liga Santander match between Real Madrid and RC Celta at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on January 02, 2021 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images)

But he reassured Nwaneri that his age wouldn’t always the focus, adding, “I think it’s normal as well, when you play at such a young age. It comes with a bit more attention, but as soon as you get older and get more minutes and older, I think people start to forget your age. They see your quality, so they don’t care too much about your age. That’s the main thing.”

Despite the challenges, Odegaard values his time at Real Madrid. He fondly recalled training alongside legends like Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, and Gareth Bale, describing those moments as “unreal” when Nwaneri asked him when he realised ‘this is really real!’

“I think when I came to Madrid,” Odegaard replied, “when I started training with the first team there and all the big players were there, Ronaldo, you know, Benzema, Bale, to just walk in there in the dressing room and then go out on the pitch with them and see their qualities.”

Odegaard’s journey since those early days has seen him find a home at Arsenal, where he has blossomed into a key player and now captains the team.

So what advice does he give to young players coming up behind him? “The main thing I always say, like for example I say, you have to play your game and you have to enjoy and play with confidence.

“Because you guys have so much quality and sometimes when you’re young you feel like you can’t really show yourself or take the role or something, you know? So I think that’s the main thing, to just play your game and feel like you’re good enough to be where you are.

“And I think it’s important to do it your own way as well and to just live and learn and enjoy.”