Martin Odegaard has played a key role for Norway in their excellent start to World Cup qualifying, leading the competition in assists after three games.
Norway captain Martin Odegaard is still trying to reach his first major international tournament, with his country failing to make it to a World Cup or European Championship since the year 2000.
With Odegaard, Haaland, and other top talents like RB Leipzig’s Antonio Nusa and Manchester City’s Oscar Bobb, this may be the country’s best chance of qualification for a while. The Arsenal 26-year-old seems determined not to waste it.
On Friday, Odegaard provided a clever assist to put Norway 3-0 up against Italy, likely to be the primary challengers at the top of their qualification group.
The assist was Odegaard’s fifth in his last three qualifiers, and he’s now provided more assists than any other player in UEFA World Cup qualifying.
Norway sit top of their qualification group with three wins from three, and Italy (nine points behind) are incapable of catching them in their two games in hand. Odegaard’s team have a three-point and nine-goal lead over second-place Israel.
Norway can’t take their foot off the gas just yet. They have another qualifier against Estonia on Monday, and it would be a shame to waste an excellent win over Italy by dropping points a few days later.
But it looks like the team might finally have the talent and drive needed to return to the main stage, led by Arsenal’s captain.