Illness explains Odegaard's subdued Nations League outing
Norway secured a comfortable 3-1 Nations League victory over Wales, with Antonio Nusa, Andreas Schjelderup, and Erling Haaland all finding the net. However, captain Martin Odegaard lacked his usual spark despite completing the full 90 minutes.
His subdued outing drew public scrutiny from former Norway international Kjetil Rekdal, who questioned the midfielder's energy levels. Manager Stale Solbakken subsequently stepped in to defend his skipper, revealing that Odegaard had been vomiting throughout the night prior to the match.
Rekdal criticises display before Solbakken reveals the truth
Speaking to TV 2, Rekdal highlighted how noticeably quiet the Arsenal midfielder looked compared to his usual standards.
"I think he was terribly tame today," Rekdal said. "He looked tired and didn’t have the movement he usually has. I think he was much less visible than he usually is."
Solbakken quickly clarified the situation, explaining that Norway's medical and coaching staff had to make allowances for the playmaker before agreeing on a half-time plan to manage his minutes.
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"We have had a captain who has been lying around all night and spitting, and who was allowed to take some other liberties than he was supposed to," Solbakken said. "If you lie down all night and throw up, that’s it. All credit to him for going the distance. We had a conversation during the break that he should just drive from the start and let us know when the tank was empty."
Team-mates hail Odegaard's leadership and resilience
Inside the Norway dressing room, Odegaard's determination to play through sickness earned widespread admiration from his international colleagues. Defender David Moller Wolfe praised the midfielder's ability to dictate the tempo despite his physical state.
"It’s absolutely insane," Wolfe said in the press zone. "He controls the pace of the match the way he wants and the way we’ve become very accustomed to him doing it. It says a lot about him and how good a player and leader he is."
Second-half substitute Patrick Berg echoed that sentiment, admitting the squad was aware of the difficult night their skipper had endured.
"I understood that Martin had a bad night," Berg said of his team-mate. "It’s not exactly optimal when you’re going out and playing a football game. It’s strong of him to be able to finish."
Recovery takes priority after gruelling shift
Having emptied the tank to see out the full 90 minutes against Wales, Odegaard's immediate focus turns to recovering fully from the illness. Both Norway and Arsenal will hope the physical toll of playing while unwell leaves no lasting fatigue as the midfielder continues his duties for club and country.