Martin Odegaard Fires Back at Arsenal Legend's Scathing Criticism: "My Whole Career Is on the Line"

Arsenal captain Martin Ødegaard firmly rejected Tony Adams's critique of his captaincy role, sticking to his long-held philosophy of blocking out external commentary.

This wasn't always his approach. During his days as a teenage sensation breaking numerous age-related records in Norway, he would eagerly scan through every newspaper searching for stories about himself. That mindset changed once media coverage became less universally favorable.

Ødegaard's unsuccessful period at Real Madrid didn't win him many supporters, but he has thrived during his time at Arsenal since making his permanent switch to north London four years ago. The previous season, though, saw the 26-year-old experience a significant decline in performance as injuries and becoming a first-time father created challenges throughout the campaign.

Adams, Arsenal's iconic former skipper, chose to publicly question Mikel Arteta's decision to retain Ødegaard as captain considering his recent struggles. The Arsenal manager responded quickly and firmly, disclosing that the team had unanimously selected Ødegaard as their captain for the 2025–26 season.

"It's correct that we held a vote," the Norway star confirmed to VG. "It was still his [Arteta's] decision in the end. It's a wonderful validation to receive it."

When questioned about Adams's remarks, Ødegaard shrugged: "I don't pay much attention to it. Everyone has the right to their perspective and express what they think. I accept that reality. You cannot worry about what everybody says, there will always be plenty of positive and negative comments that could impact me. The key is to shut it out, which I've practiced throughout my entire career."

Gabriel Magalhães captained Arsenal during their latest match against Liverpool since Ødegaard was only healthy enough for the substitute bench. The playmaker suffered a serious shoulder injury a week prior and was questionable to participate at all. Ødegaard succeeded in entering the game for the closing 20 minutes and linked up with Norway for September's World Cup qualifying matches.

"It was very painful, but now I have it managed and I feel prepared," Ødegaard explained during this week's international camp. "There was never a conflict [between Norway and Arsenal]. I communicate frequently with Ståle Solbakken. The club naturally wanted me available for Liverpool, and my sole responsibility was to get fit."