Odegaard's great leap

When he stepped onto Valdebebas for the first time as a Madrid player (months before he had gone incognito) in January 2015, those who saw him could appreciate in Martin Odegaard what he was, a teenager. Physically fibrous and very resistant, but a footballer of only 16 years. In a few weeks it will be six years since that and the Norwegian has not only forged an adult body, he is also a full member of the Real Madrid first team, At 22 just turned 22 this past Thursday, he faces the stage in which his predecessors made the great leap. At this age Cristiano, Kaká, Özil and James, four superlative talents who also wore the white shirt, gave the final shot to their careers …

This Thursday, Odegaard celebrated his birthday with his father Hans-Erik and virtually his mother, his brother Kris and his sisters Mari and Emilie. He did it at a time impasse, trying to recover completely to be in Ipurua because he does not finish finding continuity because of the injuries (three this course). Even Zidane has tried to integrate it into the dynamics by modifying the scheme to host a 4-2-3-1 that would allow the Nordic to have all the necessary freedom to express his fantasy near the area as a playmaker. All in a Madrid with almost zero rotations.

Zidane does it because he knows of Odegaard's talent and because he is finally at an age in which he has experience and physique. There are precedents. Cristiano ‘broke’ into a star on his 22nd birthday season. It was the first time he was uncovered as a scorer for Manchester United, with 23 goals, had never reached the twenties in his career. That 2006-07 was his first Premier and the following year he raised his first Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player.

Odegaard is more of a fantasist, in the line of Kaka, who also jumped to the front line at 22 years old. At that age, in 2003-04, he appeared in Milan to make Berlusconi fall in love and win the Scudetto with Carletto. A title that allowed him to shine calmly in that team rossonero Although it did not begin to reap individual successes until 2006 (XI of FIFPro and UEFA) and 2007 (Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player).

Özil and James, the power of ten

Odegaard's presence as a full-fledged player of the white first team is new, but his experience is not. Despite his 22 years, he started at 13 to be in the routine of the Norwegian Stromsgodset first team and adds 153 games as a professional in three leagues and five different teams (Stromsgodset, Heerenveen, Vitesse, Real Sociedad and Real Madrid). His balance is 26 goals and 32 assists. He has also added 25 games with the absolute from Norway who co-leads with Haaland. Baggage to think of higher heights.

Like the ones that were marked James, at his age, when he raised the level at Monaco 2013-14 and left the World Cup in Brazil turned into the fashionable footballer … and from there to the Bernabéu. 22 years were also those who showed the passport of Özil when he arrived at Madrid and was the top assistant of that League 2010-11, finished thirteenth on the Ballon d'Or and was elected German Player of the Year. Two ten who followed the path that Odegaard is now taking, at the time when he can become a definitive star. If at last the injuries pass, at once, to oblivion.