Arsenal midfielder Odegaard: Premier League fans make the difference

Football
27 Feb 2022 • 8:02 AM MYT
Tribal Football
Tribal Football

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Arsenal midfielder Martin Odegaard admits he loves playing in front of English crowds.

Nominated for the Premier League Player of the Month award for December, a year after making his Gunners debut, he is established in the league, and he says the fans are a big part of that.

"The atmosphere in England is different to anywhere else I've played," he told the club's website. "I love the passion from the fans here - how much they care about football and their own team, and also the connection they have with the club. There are lots of traditions here in English football that I love and I think it's a great place to play."

The first 18 of his games of his Gunners career were all played behind closed doors, but since we have returned to playing in front of fans, he's scored four times in the league - including away to Burnley, Manchester United and Burnley. So what has he made of the welcome he gets in away games in England?

"Well it's true that sometimes it can be more difficult in stadiums with a big atmosphere. That's the good thing about playing at home, you know the fans will support you, give you energy and make it harder for the other team. So for sure it can be more difficult playing away, when the fans are pushing for their team, whistling you and all that kind of thing.

"It can affect you in the game, but at the same time it's something I really like about football. The fans are such a big part of the sport, you feel that energy when you are playing the game and that's really cool. There's nothing like it when you feel that backing from your own fans."

Odegaard says he's felt that connection with the Arsenal fans from the moment he joined last January - in fact, he was building a bond before he even put pen to paper.

"I've met plenty of fans when I've been out to eat or things like that," he says.

"It's easy to see the interest people have, and that they really, really care about the team. It's probably more on social media though than in public - Arsenal are pretty big on social media!

"I get a lot of messages, especially when I was about to sign here. The fans were really pushing for me to come, they were messaging me all the time, messaging my family and everything! It was something new to me, sometimes it can be a bit much, but in general I think it just shows the passion they have and how much they care."


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