Martin Odegaard still cringes at looking like a meme during his Real Madrid unveiling as a teenager.
The midfielder joined the La Liga giants from Stromsgodset Fotball in his native Norway back in 2015. But his unveiling at the Bernabeu was one the 24-year-old didn’t go as planned due to the choice of attire and scruffy appearance on what was supposed to be the biggest day of his life.
When reflecting on the day, Odegaard still grimaces at the thought of his outfit. But he explained that the reason for his meme-like appearance was because he was given no time to prepare for the unveiling after being rushed to get ready for his flight to Spain.
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And he thought he’d be given time to have get ready and change clothes when arriving in Madrid, but the club had other plans and thrust the midfielder straight in front of the camera to his surprise. Odegaard explained to the Players Tribune: “Let’s talk about my presentation day.
“I’m actually cringing thinking about it now … but I know a lot of people talked about this at the time. I was basically a meme. So let me clear up what happened. They sent a plane to pick us up from Norway in the morning.
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(Image: Real Madrid via Getty Images)
“Really early. So, I wake up but I’m still half asleep. My hair is all over the place. I didn’t have time to shower. I just put on whatever clothes I could grab quickly, throw something smarter into a bag and we take the flight.
“I figure that once I arrive at the hotel in Madrid I can get changed, take a shower, prepare myself, you know? But then we land, we get off the plane and I realise they are taking us directly to the training ground to do the medical and then the press conference. No hotel stop.
(Image: Getty Images)
Odegaard went on to suggest that you could see the fear in his face as he wore an “old stripey jumper” next to Madrid legend Emilio Butragueno, dressed in an impeccable suit.
“This was the biggest day of my life, images going all over the world,” he continued “I’m supposed to be this player that Real Madrid has beaten everyone to sign and I look like a random school kid they just pulled from the stadium tour.
(Image: Getty Images)
However, despite the initial embarrassment, Odegaard is grateful for the experience in hindsight as he feels it made him look normal to fans who think footballers are superheroes, and made it easier for them to connect with him when he was a “shy little kid.”
(Image: Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
And now those tough experiences have moulded Odegaard into a polished player in Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal’ side. He joined the Gunners on a permanent basis in the summer of 2021 after a loan phase at the Emirates, and has been a key staple in the side’s push for the Premier League title this season.
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