"I needed to find a real home...": Odegaard reviews his time at Madrid

"It needed to find a real home. I found it in London", has said Martin Odegaard on what meant to go out of the Real Madrid and recalar in the Arsenal, where little by little has turned into one of the leaders of the project of Mikel Arteta. A sentence that, also, resume the complicated that it was the step of the Norwegian footballer in the White House, because it never achieved to settle.

Odegaard Arrived to the Real Madrid with 16 years and like one of the big novelties of the Norwegian football; a player that 'contested' half Europe and that Florentino Pérez finish fichando. It arrived very young and, typical of the age and his evolution like player, did not adapt immediately. They were a lot of gone and turns until, finally, finish remaining in his new house: the Emirates Stadium of the Arsenal.

In an extensive interview to 'The Players Tribune', Odegaard has reviewed his career futbolística and has done special quotation to his go through the Madrid, since it chose to the group merengue, of his presentation, how received him in the changing room, the criticisms or his turn before remaining definitively in the Arsenal.

It has recognised that, before fichar by the group madridista, was very near of recalar in the team of the 'gunners': "My dad handled everything with the clubs, and there were many. We were to Bayern, Dortmund, Man Utd, Liverpool, Madrid, Arsenal also. They carried us in private aeroplanes and did us feel special. I was near to choose to the Arsenal. When we went there, I could train in London Colney. I knew to Arsène Wenger. It carried us to dine to dad and to me. This was genial, but also odd. It is Arsène Wenger, know? It is this legend that grew seeing in the television, and now am seated in front of him eating steak".

However, it finish decántandose by the Real Madrid by his 'predilection' by Isco Alarcón and the presence of one of his idols, Zinedine Zidane: "I spoke It a lot with my dad and the rest of my family. At the end, the Madrid is the Madrid. They were the champions of the Champions League with the best players of the world. In that then, loved to Isco, was so soft with the ball. But the really key of the offer of the Madrid was that had a team B where could play to the competitive football immediately. And the trainer of this team? Zinedine Zidane".

The decision was easy and the agreement reached very rapido. So much so they concretised his presentation of a day to another and did not have time, not even to prepare . Odegaard Has commented that "sent an aeroplane to look for us from Norway in the morning. Very early. Then, I wake up me but still I am half asleep. My peel is throughout. I did not have time of ducharme. Simply I put me the clothes that could hold quickly, put something more intelligent in a stock exchange and take the flight".

The midfield player continued relating that "I imagine me that once that it arrive to the hotel in Madrid can change me, duchar, prepare me, know? Suddenly, I am seated at the side of the legend of Madrid Emilio Butragueño, that carries a very elegant suit, of course, and are presenting me to the world. I know that you have seen the photos. I, with this old sweater to lines, without at least ducharme, treating to straighten my hair with my hands", before recognising what meant this day for him.

And it is that, in spite of all what happened later, remembers the day of his presentation like "the biggest day of my life", standing out that "lace images visited all the world. It supposes that I am this player that the Real Madrid has won to all for fichar and seem a boy of school at random that finish to take out of turns it by the stadium".

A surrealist experience

On how they received him in the changing room madridista, in that then full of stars and with Cristiano Ronaldo, aimed that "it was surrealist. I do not have the sufficient age to drive, so my father has to carry me to play with Isco and Ronaldo and Bouquets and Modric and Bleat and Benzema, as if it left me in the school. But all were very kind, and those that spoke English (Kroos, Modric, Ronaldo) took care me a lot at the beginning".

A history complicated

The very that treated him did not avoid, in any case, that him atormetaran the critical constants that received. In this regard it commented that "with the Castilla, was not with them regularly, so I did not find this connection. In the first team I was only a boy that came to train. I did not participate in the parties. I felt me a bit like an odd. It was trapped in the half. I left to play with the spark that was typical of my game. I was a bit too safe by a time".

The pressure was maximum, as it recognised and 'left' to be he: "it concerned Me more not committing errors that really play my game. The press pursued me by not being immediately to the height of the expectations. I was an easy white. If really you know me, you know that I smile a lot, but I think that from outside sometimes my face sees grumpier of what really am!".

Of the press, insisted in that "it facilitated them write on how was struggling to adapt me. Maybe if it had been Spanish, had given me a bit more than time to grow. Honestly, I do not know it. There is not half term in the modern football. Or you are the best signing of the history, or are a shit".

War with Zidane?

Finally, it pronounced on a subject that always has generated controversial: his relation with Zidane and the return to the Madrid in which it did not triumph and pushed him, definitively, to the Arsenal: "Had a good connection with Zidane since it trained to the Castilla and took care me a lot, so it wanted to think that this time would work. But afterwards it gave me COVID. I was to title the first two parties of this season in 2020-21, but was not entirely recovered. I did not play to my best level and after this, did not have a lot of opportunities more. Almost at all".

It finalised saying that "in the meantime, am seeing the Real Sociedad in the television thinking, still could have been there. Only I can appreciate to the Madrid for betting by a youngster of 16 years. All had good intentions and do not blame to anybody, but needed to find a place where can establish me. It needed to find a real home. I found it in London".