Norway did not go into the 2026 World Cup as one of the main favourites to win the tournament.

However, the team believed in their own abilities and managed to reach the last eight of the competition.

They’ve already knocked Brazil out in the round of 16, and now they’re taking on England.

Erling Haaland’s formidable goal-scoring ability (he has scored 7 goals so far) is the main focus of attention. However, behind those celebrations lies a quiet captain who leads from the sidelines.

In that sense, Martin Ødegaard is the linchpin of this squad. The player has shown great resilience throughout his career, overcoming difficult times from a young age, and today stands as the undisputed leader of the squad.

His presence amongst the elite is nothing new. The Arsenal midfielder has already earned recognition after being nominated for the ‘Ballon d'Or’ award on two occasions (2023 and 2024).

Despite having had a somewhat inconsistent season with his club, the number 10 arrived at the World Cup in excellent physical and mental form.

His maturity is evident in every match, where he takes charge of organising play and distributing the ball with a composure rarely seen in a footballer.

It is that composure that is keeping Norway in the running in the World Cup quarter-finals today.

From rising star to pillar of the elite: Ødegaard’s journey

To understand Ødegaard’s leadership, we need to look back in time at a career marked by perseverance and resilience.

The Norwegian midfielder has not had an easy career.

From a very young age, he had to learn to cope with the pressure and steel himself in adverse situations – just as the Norwegian national team is currently doing at the World Cup.

  • His rise to prominence: At just 15 years old, he made his debut for the senior national team and was hailed as one of world football’s brightest prospects, leading to his early move to Real Madrid.

  • The string of loan spells: Faced with a lack of opportunities to establish himself in Real Madrid’s first team, he had to go on a series of loan spells to get playing time.

He spent time at Heerenveen and Vitesse in the Netherlands, before enjoying an outstanding season at Real Sociedad, where he demonstrated his ability to play in Spain’s LaLiga.

  • Establishing himself in London: Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal put their faith in him, first on loan and then by signing him permanently.

In England, he not only became a key part of the project but also served as first-team captain for a long time.

These changes and ups and downs allowed him to mature in every respect, to such an extent that today, at the age of 27, he is the psychological and footballing leader of a Norwegian side that wants to continue making history.

“We have to believe in ourselves. We’ve shown the whole world that we’re a good team” – Martin Ødegaard

Martin Ødegaard’s statistics at the 2026 World Cup

  • Matches played: 4

  • Assists: 3

  • Key passes per match: 3.4

  • Passing accuracy in the opposition’s half: 87%

The driving force behind the Vikings’ hopes

Martin Ødegaard’s leadership is also, to a large extent, the driving force behind the Norwegian fans’ hopes at this World Cup.

Given everything he has experienced in his career, the people have faith in their captain.

This deep connection between the player and his people has found its ultimate expression in the now-famous celebration that brings each of Norway’s matches to a close.

It is Ødegaard himself who leads the squad’s march towards the stands to kick off the impressive Viking celebration.

The ritual begins with arms raised high and a silence that is broken, to the beat of the drum, by a unison of clapping and a resounding cry: “Uh!”.

The beat gradually quickens until it becomes a veritable storm of sound that captures the attention of the entire stadium.

For Norway, this celebration is a symbol of identity, roots and belonging. It reflects the mindset of a national team that is telling the rest of the world it is not afraid to compete.

Just as he controls the flow of the match with the ball at his feet, Ødegaard coordinates the rhythm of this war cry, also known as the ‘Viking row’.

Whilst Haaland steals the limelight with his goals, the Arsenal midfielder is responsible for bringing everything together: the tactics, the dressing room and the stands.

How far will Norway’s World Cup dream go?