Martin Odegaard says Cristiano Ronaldo and two other Real Madrid legends ‘took care of him’ after signing

Martin Odegaard has credited Cristiano Ronaldo as one of three Real Madrid stars who looked after him when he arrived in Spain.

The Arsenal midfielder got his first big break in football when he moved to Los Blancos from Norwegian side Strømsgodset.

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Odegaard has come a long way since his move to Madrid as a teenager

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Odegaard says that his time at Real Madrid was positive thanks to stars such as Cristiano RonaldoCredit: getty

It was a huge move for a player who was just 16 at the time, particularly given Odegaard’s reputation as one of the top wonderkids in world football.

While limited to just 11 first team appearances for Real Madrid, Odegaard is now regarded as one of the best midfielders in the world after joining Arsenal, making more than 100 appearances and being named captain by Mikel Arteta.

But while it’s in north London where Odegaard reignited his career, he’s eternally thankful for what life in Madrid did for his prospects.

Quoted by AS, Odegaard said: “My time in Madrid was good.

“It was a positive stage. I have learned to mature and it has been a great learning experience, but I needed to play more.

“I am happy with the decision to leave and with how the race went. If I had not gone through Madrid I would not have reached the level I have today. Madrid is the biggest club in the world and the pressure there is too.”

Asked about the Real Madrid stars who took care of him, Odegaaed said: “They were all very kind, and the ones who spoke English – Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Cristiano Ronaldo – took extra care of me in the beginning.

“They gave me advice and helped me a lot. But honestly I don’t think any of them were particularly worried about a 16-year-old from Norway taking their place in the team.

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Odegaard made 11 first team appearances for Real Madrid before joining Arsenal

“I wasn’t involved in matches. I felt a bit like an outsider. I was stuck in between (the first team and B team). I stopped playing with the spark that was typical of my game. I went a bit too safe for a time. I was worrying more about not making mistakes than actually playing my game.

“My game was always about making a difference. Playing the difficult pass. I can understand why it happened now. I was still a little kid, but I’ve learned that you have to be ruthless. You have to not give a f***. You have to show the real you on the pitch.”

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