Martin Ødegaard celebrates his 27th birthday today and as captain of Arsenal, his biggest wish for a unique gift will be the premier league title which has eluded them since they last won it in 2004 under Arsene Wenger, Softfootball reports.
Ødegaard has led the Gunners to consecutive second place finish in the premier league behind Manchester City and Liverpool respectively and getting their handle on the trophy is a wish heavy on the minds of the North London club faithfuls and thetension was visible as Arsenal managed a 2-1 win over struggling Wolves last weekend.
Arsenal took out time to celebrate their captain via their official X handle on his special day. They posted:
Happy birthday, Martin! 🎈 pic.twitter.com/ERbiQ5vt9R
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) December 17, 2025Ødegaard has since recovered from the medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury to his left knee that kept him out in October but hasn’t hit the ground running in terms of his form as he has just one assist in 10 appearances so far this season.
The Norwegian footballer got injured during Mikel Arteta’s 300th game where Arsenal defeated West Ham 2-0. It wasn’t long he came back from a separate injury that he got injured again in the Hammers game. That has been the story of Ødegaard this season and Arteta would hope he stays fit this time because they are better with him on the pitch.
Ødegaard began his senior career at age 15 in 2014, becoming the youngest player and goalscorer in the Norwegian top flight. He signed for Real Madrid in January 2015 at age 16, a high-profile transfer following trials with several top European clubs. He became the club’s youngest-ever player, replacing Cristiano Ronaldo on his debut, but found first-team opportunities limited.
He spent two seasons in the Dutch Eredivisie, where he won the Vitesse Player of the Year award. The midfielder also had a successful loan in the 2019-2020 season in La Liga saw him become one of the league’s standout players, winning the Copa del Rey and being named La Liga Player of the Month in September 2019. And following a productive six-month loan, Ødegaard joined Arsenal permanently in August 2021.
Since arriving Arsenal, Odegaard has become a key member of the squad, playing 211 matches with 81 goals contribution, consisting of 41 goals and 40 assists.
