Norwegian media pick their star man - and it wasn't Haaland

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Erling Haaland scored twice for Norway against Denmark on Thursday night, and still could not claim top billing in his own country's media. That honour went to Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard.

Stale Solbakken's side opened their UEFA Nations League campaign with a 3-2 win at Ullevaal Stadion, two months on from their World Cup 2026 exit at the hands of England. Haaland struck either side of half-time, with his 74th-minute winner proving decisive after Mikkel Damsgaard and Rasmus Hojlund had pulled Denmark level from two goals down.

Odegaard provided two assists, teeing up Oscar Bobb for the opener before setting up Haaland's late winner from a corner following a worked set-piece routine.

"A captain with a capital C"

Norwegian outlet NRK handed both Odegaard and Haaland eight-out-of-10 ratings, but stated that the Manchester City striker "was not Norway's best" on the night. That distinction went to the Arsenal skipper.

"Is in tremendous form and shows it, once again, on the Ullevaal mat," NRK's review read, as relayed by football.london. "The conductor stands up and takes responsibility, once again, when Norway need it and manages to turn the match in Norway's favour."

Broadcaster TV2 reached a similar conclusion, pointing to the moment Denmark clawed their way back to 2-2 as the turning point at which Odegaard took control.

"He may not be the loudest player on the field, but he is a captain with a capital C," TV2's match report read. "A leader who not only basks in the glory when everything is going well, but who is also able to lift both the team and the audience when things are going badly."

The report added: "Martin Odegaard has grown with this national team. He now appears as the natural leader both on and off the field."

The captaincy arc

Odegaard arrived in north London from Real Madrid nearly six years ago, initially on loan, as a talented but unproven midfielder still searching for a permanent home. The leadership responsibilities followed in stages, first with the Arsenal armband and then as the fixed point around which Norway's attacking football is built.

Thursday's display served as a reminder of what the 27-year-old offers when the game demands a creator rather than a finisher. Two assists in a 3-2 win, both arriving at moments when Norway needed a response, is exactly the kind of direct end-product Arsenal supporters have been keen to see more of from their captain.

It also underlined a point that occasionally gets lost when Haaland is on the scoresheet: Norway's rhythm still runs through Odegaard. The two assists came at either end of the emotional swing of the match - the opener that set the tone, and the corner routine that settled it.

Norway's Nations League campaign is up and running, and Odegaard will return to Arsenal duty after the international break with his confidence intact and his form recognised by those who watch him most closely.