In Norway teen Odegaard, Real spots a galactico
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A COMPLETE unknown only a year ago, Norwegian prodigy Martin Odegaard’s transfer to Real Madrid has set his fledgling career soaring towards the summit.
The 16-year-old midfielder had long been courted by some of Europe’s top clubs. A deal with the Spanish giant was announced on Thursday, clearing the way for him to join a number of world stars in midfield. “I felt it was the best option for the way I could develop both on a sporting level and in my personal life, so it had the best possibilities for me,” he said.
Before joining the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, James Rodriguez, Toni Kroos and Karim Benzema after the summer he will spend the spring playing for Castilla — the club’s youth team, coached by Zinedine Zidane. “My goal is quite simply to become a better footballer,” he said. “Whether I play with the first or second team makes no difference. It will come when it comes.”
A dream come true for a boy who just celebrated his 16th birthday on December 17.
The rapid turn of events will not be unfamiliar to Odegaard, who already has three international appearances for Norway to his name. When he joined the first team of Stroemsgodset, the club of his native city of Drammen, in April 2014, he became the youngest player to ever play in the Norwegian first division.
A month later, he became the league’s youngest scorer.
Odegaard became the youngest Norwegian international in history in August — only 15 years and 253 days old — and later the youngest ever to feature in a European Championship qualifier, in October against Bulgaria.
Bayern Munich President Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said Odegaard was the “talent of the century.”
“A good player. I think he’s a young boy, he can still grow,” Ronaldo said of him.
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