For all the attention Erling Haaland gets, Martin Ødegaard may be the player who really determines how dangerous Norway can be at this World Cup. He’s the team’s creative axis, and that feels right — he is the captain, the chief playmaker, and the player most responsible for turning Norway from a talented side into a coherent one. With Norway back at the World Cup for the first time in 28 years, Ødegaard is central to the sense that this really is their golden generation.
Ødegaard does not have to be the headline scorer to dominate a tournament. He is the one threading passes into Haaland, setting the rhythm, and giving Norway the kind of control they have often lacked in past cycles. That creative influence is even more important because Norway landed in a difficult group with France and Senegal, where they will need more than just direct play and finishing.
There is also a bit of tension around his fitness, which only adds to the intrigue. In late March Ødegaard stayed in London recovering from a knee issue and then missed Norway’s warm-up loss to the Netherlands, though Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said on May 4 that he was fit and available again. So Norway’s fate may greatly depend on the fitness of their key playmaker. With a fully sharp version of Ødegaard they can be a dangerous opponent in this group and beyond.