- Odegaard played with Ronaldo at Madrid
- Picked up good habits from Madrid stars
- Has gone on to star for Arsenal
WHAT HAPPENED? Arsenal captain Odegaard struggled to break into the Real Madrid team during his time at the Santiago Bernabeu, resulting in him being sent out on several loan deals, but he has revealed he still learned a lot during his time with Los Blancos from being around big names such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modric and Toni Kroos.
WHAT THEY SAID: "There are a lot of small things during that time there: to see how they take care of their bodies, see how they train, the setting for matches, how they switched on and off," he told TV2. "It's extreme. Those who were the most extreme about it, you saw how detail-oriented they are, how much they turn up the heat when the match comes. They can be very relaxed and stuff before, but when the match comes, it hits. The whole focus and all that. It was cool to see."
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Odegaard ultimately left for the Premier League and joined Arsenalpermanently in 2021. The Norway international has gone on to become a key player for the Gunners and has even taken over the armband. The club captain has also recently committed his future to the north Londoners, putting pen to paper on an extension that will keep him at the club for another five years.
IN THREE PHOTOS:
GettyGetty ImagesGetty ImagesWHAT NEXT? Odegaard will return to action with Arsenal on Saturday in the Premier League. The Gunners take on Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.