Norway coach Ståle Solbakken Left Ødegaard and Haaland out of the squad entirely for the dead-rubber group match against France on 26 June, saving both for the Round of 32 against Côte d'Ivoire on 30 June.Source: Lowdown

What club does Martin Ødegaard play for?

Martin Ødegaard plays for Arsenal in the Premier League, where he has been club captain since 2022.Source: Wikipedia

Who is Norway's captain at the 2026 World Cup?

Martin Ødegaard is Norway's captain at the 2026 World Cup. He was rested alongside Haaland for the final group game and enters the Round of 32 against Côte d'Ivoire fully fresh.Source: Lowdown

Background

Martin Ødegaard captained Norway at the 2026 World Cup, The Nation's first appearance at the finals since 1998, and was rested entirely alongside Erling Haaland for the dead-rubber group finale against France on 26 June, held back for the round-of-32 tie with Côte d'Ivoire on 30 June.

Born in Drammen on 17 December 1998, Ødegaard became the youngest player to represent Norway at 15 years and 253 days, and the youngest ever to sign for Real Madrid when he joined in 2015. After loan spells at Heerenveen, Vitesse and Real Sociedad, he moved to Arsenal permanently in 2021 and has captained the club since 2022, winning its Player of the Season award in both 2023 and 2024.

A playmaker often compared to Mesut Özil for his vision and set-piece delivery, Ødegaard drove Norway's qualification campaign with seven assists. With 67 caps and the armband since 2021, he is the creative axis of a Norway side reaching the World Cup knockout rounds for the first time in a generation.