Not many players could bring that fear factor within an elite midfield player like Arsenal star Martin Odegaard. After playing in Spain, Norway, the Netherlands, and now in England, the 25-year-old has finally named the player whom he believes to be the toughest opponent in his career.
The Gunners captain has faced this Liverpool star nine times but has failed to score in each of these games. He only found success after his sixth outing but has then struggled against him in the rest of his encounters.
After playing 61 times for the Norwegian team and making over 100 appearances in the Premier League, Odegaard has named Virgil van Dijk as the toughest player he faced until now. In a quick-fire Q&A with TNT Sports, the former Real Madrid star said: “I think Virgil is a really tough one.”
Odegaard faced Van Dijk twice before moving to Arsenal (both during the 2022 World Cup qualifiers with Norway). Since then, he went head-to-head with the Dutch centre-back seven times and has failed to find the back of the net.
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In fact, the Arsenal captain was absent in his team’s 2-2 draw against the Reds last month, in which Van Dijk scored via a powerful header. The creative playmaker is now back on the field after missing out several months of action due to an ankle injury.
Mikel Arteta’s team lacked creativity in the 12 games that the captain missed this campaign. His return is a a huge boost for the club.
Odegaard Van Dijk prop 🫡 pic.twitter.com/f2jN8OUOuA
— Bradley (@BradleyLFC24v3) November 25, 2024
Since coming back from an injury, he has provided an assist against Chelsea and Nottingham Forest. Although he is back to his original shape, the No. 8 has to wait until May 2025 to face Van Dijk again.
Who knows, they could even meet in the Champions League in the latter stages of the competition. Earlier this year, the Reds defender was asked a similar question and he named Olivier Giroud as his toughest ever opponent.
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In the same interview, Odegaard also said that Zinedine Zidane is the most famous contact on his phone. The legendary French player once managed the midfielder at Real Madrid and also handed him his first UCL debut. He also named Thierry Henry as Arsenal’s greatest player of all time.
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The maestro went on to reveal that Kai Havertz is his best friend in football. Both players have made 50 appearances together and share three goals between them.
