Arsenal midfielder Martin Odegaard admits he struggled to make friends during his time at Real Madrid.
Odegaard signed for Real among much hype at the age of 16, but spent a lot of time on loan and on the fringes of the first team.
He failed to get enough chances under Zinedine Zidane, while current boss Carlo Ancelotti made it clear Odegaard would not be a key member of his squad either.
"Of course there were many tough periods," Arsenal's summer signing Odegaard told TV2 when asked about his time at Real Madrid.
"I experienced a lot with both the first team and the second team. I have been close to the best and biggest.
"It made me stronger. I feel I have grown a lot on it.
"There were some tough periods, but also a lot of good that I have experienced. Being so close to the best in the world is special. I have learned a lot from it.
"When you are at the highest level, it is not as easy to make friends and that kind of thing.
"At least not when you are young and come from somewhere else. It can be tough at times. But it has made me stronger and I am very happy and pleased to have experienced it.
"You live a little of your life outside. You become more left to yourself. It may not be the dressing room culture you are used to from a little closer to home. It is different."
Asked about the differences in dressing rooms at Arsenal and Real, Odegaard replied: "It's quite large, I would say.
"I think it's a bit like that in the biggest clubs. It gets a little more scattered and all that.
"I'm very happy where I am now, a very nice dressing room and a good bunch. It's nice and easy to thrive."
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