Arsenal and Norway Captain Martin Odegaard Withdraws from National Squad

Martin Odegaard, who serves as captain for both Norway and Arsenal, has announced his withdrawal from his national team’s squad for the upcoming Nations League fixtures this week, stating a need to “listen to his body.” The midfielder suffered an ankle ligament injury during the international break in September, which subsequently kept him out of action for seven weeks. He made his return to play in Arsenal’s 1-0 defeat by Inter Milan in the Champions League last week, and then completed the entirety of Sunday’s 1-1 Premier League draw against Chelsea. Odegaard was initially excluded from Norway’s squad for their matches against Slovenia on 14 November and Kazakhstan three days later, but he traveled to Oslo for an assessment by the medical department. Following this evaluation, Odegaard stated: “After discussions with the medical staff at the national team, we have unfortunately come to the conclusion that the situation is not good enough to play these games.” He further explained his condition, adding: “I’ve been through a long training period and when you haven’t practiced football in the last nine weeks, it’s natural not to be 100% yet. I need to listen to my body, complete this rehab process and get my foot back in good shape.” The injury Odegaard sustained in September led to him missing 12 matches for Arsenal. This season, he has made five appearances for the Gunners across all competitions. Norway currently leads their Nations League group, having accumulated seven points from four matches. Odegaard, who has played 61 times for his country, was appointed captain of the national side in 2021.