​Martin Odegaard’s World Cup journey with Norway concluded on Saturday evening as his side were ousted by England in the quarter-finals. Even before the final whistle blew, Odegaard had already helped Norway take the lead by delivering an assist for their opening goal. That contribution marked his fourth assist of the tournament, a new record that no Arsenal player had previously achieved at a single World Cup. Odegaard now stands as the first Arsenal captain to record four or more assists at a World Cup.
Only two other Arsenal players have managed three assists at one World Cup: Dennis Bergkamp in 1998 and Bukayo Saka in this edition. Saka still has a mathematical chance to catch or surpass Odegaard, since England are still in the competition and have two more matches to play.
England will meet Argentina in the semi-finals on Wednesday, and, depending on the outcome there, either Spain or France in the third-place play-off on Saturday or the final on Sunday. Regardless of how England fare, Odegaard has etched his name as the all-time Arsenal record holder for World Cup assists.
With the tournament behind him, Odegaard will begin his summer break, which will last at least three weeks. An earliest return date is August 2, the day after Arsenal’s opening pre-season friendly against Girona. Returning then would allow the Arsenal captain to get in some warm-up matches against Real Betis, Borussia Dortmund, and Como 1907 ahead of the Community Shield clash with Manchester City on August 16.
The Norway captain’s exploits at the World Cup have underscored his continued importance to Arsenal, highlighting his ability to contribute creatively on the sport’s biggest stage. As Odegaard shifts his focus to the upcoming club season, fans will be watching to see how his international form translates into a strong start for Arsenal as they prepare to defend their domestic ambitions and push for success in Europe.