Arsenal star Martin Odegaard explains why he thought Erling Haaland was 'a little b*****d'

Martin Odegaard and Erling Haaland are team-mates on the international stage with Norway.

Posted Sunday, April 23, 2023 by Express.co.uk

Martin Odegaard has admitted that he thought Erling Haaland was 'a little b*****d' when they first met. Although the pair have forged a strong friendship in the years since, they are pitted against each other for the Premier League title run-in as Arsenal and Manchester City prepare to go toe-to-toe.

Odegaard and Haaland have plenty in common, having both risen through the Norwegian ranks while attempting to live up to their wonderkid status. The Arsenal captain was snapped up by Real Madrid as a 16-year-old after breaking through at Stromsgodset.

And Haaland was held to similarly lofty standards as he earned his first senior start as a 15-year-old with Bryne. Prolific spells with Molde, RB Salzburg and Borussia Dortmund followed, before a high-profile transfer to Manchester City last summer.

Reflecting on the duo first crossing paths before a European Under-21 Championship qualifier for Norway against Germany in 2018, Odegaard has recalled how his first impressions were not so positive.

Erling Haaland is already eighth in Norway's all-time scoring charts

Speaking as part of a documentary about Haaland's move to Man City titled 'The Big Decision', he explained: "You have changed a little. You were more like a little b*****d in the beginning. You were so childish.

"You have grown up more in the last couple of years. But you saw it in the first [international] camp, in the videos when you dance and sing. It looks like you are 12 years old and the biggest little b****d. Honestly!"

Odegaard went on to explain how, after getting to know the 6ft 5in marksman, he began to embrace his eccentric personality. He continued: "I don’t think he does things because he thinks they are really cool. But maybe he wants to get a reaction and maybe be a little funny. I just laugh at him. I do not take it seriously when he does crazy things.

"He could walk in with some sick shoes on or a sick bag, but I don’t think ‘here’s Erling, he loves this.’ It’s more like ‘what does he want with this? You have to be a special person to rock something like that’."

Haaland is within two of hitting the 50-goal mark for Man City, and the striker would surely love to reach the landmark when Arsenal visit the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night, in a mammoth Premier League encounter that could ultimately decide the title race.

While the 22-year-old has already equalled Mohamed Salah's record of 32 goals in a single 38-game Premier League season, Odegaard is also enjoying his best campaign at club level, notching 19 goal contributions in 31 matches while sporting the captain's armband in the Gunners' midfield.