Callum Hudson-Odoi is 25 today. The Nottingham Forest winger has quietly built his way back into form and confidence after a few bumpy years. His story has been one of patience and persistence.
In matches like Forest’s 2-2 draw with Manchester United, he looked sharp and alive again, full of the spark fans once saw at Chelsea. Even when Forest lost 2-0 to Bournemouth, he was still one of the few players driving forward and trying to make things happen.
Now wearing the number 7 shirt, Callum feels like a man reborn. Under Sean Dyche’s new setup at Forest, as reported by SoftFootball, he’s turned into a more complete player with quicker decisions, smarter runs, and more confident finishing.
The 2024/25 season saw him score 5 goals and deliver 2 assists, not a bad turn for someone who once seemed lost in the shuffle at Chelsea.
Born in Wandsworth, London, he joined Chelsea’s academy as a kid and was marked early as a top talent. Injuries slowed him down, that Achilles tear in 2019 especially, but he didn’t fade away.
His loan move to Bayer Leverkusen gave him a reset, and his switch to Nottingham Forest in 2023 turned out to be just what he needed.
Chelsea, via their official X account, shared a post celebrating Callum Hudson-Odoi’s 25th birthday with an image of him lifting the 2021 UEFA Champions League trophy, marking his contribution to Chelsea FC’s victory over Manchester City, a match where Pep Guardiola’s tactical decision to omit key midfielders Rodri and Fernandinho surprised analysts and contributed to the 1-0 upset.
He’s played three times for England and was part of that famous U-17 World Cup-winning squad back in 2017. Now with a deal running till 2026, he’s settled, focused, and clearly loving football again.
Happy 25th birthday, Callum. Keep flying down that wing, lad.
