Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard may only be 24 years old, but he’s already one of the best footballers Norway has ever produced.
The Scandinavian nation has produced the likes of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and John Arne Riise over the years, but Odegaard is already up there with the best of them.
Of course, in time, Erling Haaland will probably prove to trump the lot of them, but, for now, Odegaard is very much in that conversation for the best Norwegian player ever.
Speaking on ESPN, Jan Aage Fjortoft was asked which Norwegian players he would put on the so-called ‘Mount Rushmore’ of Norwegian football, and he says that Odegaard has to get a mention, claiming that he and Erling Haaland are the two players that are closest to being world-class at the moment.
Odegaard bordering on world-class
Fjortoft gave his opinion on the £30m Arsenal midfielder.
“I will say that we have to start with the two who are the closest to world-class at the moment, Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard. I have to put in Rune Bratseth our centre half in the 90s and the captain of our national team,” Fjortoft said.
Needs to do more
In terms of pure talent, Odegaard is up there with the best players in the world, but internationally, it has to be said he needs to be doing more.
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This is a Golden generation for Norway, but Odegaard isn’t showing up for his country the same way he is for his club.
He’s scored just three goals in 55 appearances internationally – despite playing against relative minnows at times. In comparison, he bagged 15 goals in the Premier League alone last term against much better opposition.
Odegaard is close to that elite level of player, but if he’s to truly cement himself as one of the best in the world, he needs to make some sort of mark on the international stage.