Arsenal midfielder Martin Odegaard suffered severe ankle ligament damage during an international match in September, which ruled him out for nearly seven weeks. The injury forced Odegaard to miss a total of 12 games for Arsenal during this period.
Odegaard finally made his return in the Champions League against Inter Milan, where Arsenal lost 1– 0. He then played the entire match against Chelsea in the Premier League, which drew 1– 1. These matches showed that Odegaard is ready for a comeback, but there is still time for his body to fully recover and get back into shape.
Odegaard was not included in the squad for Norway’s upcoming UEFA Nations League matches against Slovenia on 14 November and Kazakhstan on 17 November. Instead, he was called to Oslo by Norway’s medical team to have his fitness checked.
“After discussions with the national team’s medical team, we have decided that the current conditions are not suitable to play in these matches,” Odegaard explained. “I’ve been training for a long time and haven’t been on the field for the last nine weeks. It’s naturally difficult to be 100% fit in such a situation. I need to listen to my body, complete the rehabilitation process, and wait for the ankle to heal.”
Odegaard has previously played a total of 61 matches for the Norwegian national team, he was selected as the captain of the Norwegian national team in 2021. The Norwegian side are currently top of their group in the Nations League, with seven points from four matches.
It is very important for Odegaard to recover from injury and get back into regular playing rhythm. It is not yet certain when he will be able to play for the national team, but Odegaard’s return is important for both Arsenal and Norway, as he is a skilled midfielder who can bring a new life to the team.