Why does Martin Odegaard place his hands over his ears after scoring a goal for Arsenal?

4 months ago 52

FANS love to watch their favourite player’s unique goal celebrations.

And Arsenal star Martin Odegaard has certainly mad his mark.

a soccer player wearing a red emirates fly better jersey

Martin Odegaard had his senior debut at the age of 15[/caption]

Who is Martin Odegaard?

Martin Odegaard was born on December 17, 1998, in Drammen, Norway.

The professional footballer plays as a midfielder and captains both Arsenal in the Premier League and the Norway national team.

His career began aged 15 with Strømsgodset, where he became the youngest player and goalscorer in Norway’s top division, Eliteserien.

In 2015, he signed for Real Madrid, where he initially struggled for consistent playing time.

He spent several seasons on loan at clubs including Heerenveen, Vitesse, and Real Sociedad.

Odegaard joined Arsenal on loan in January 2021 and made a strong impression, leading to a permanent transfer later in the year.

He was appointed Arsenal captain in 2022 and has since been a key player, earning the award of Arsenal Player of the Season for 2022–23, and being named in the Premier League Team of the Year.

Internationally, Odegaard made his senior debut for Norway in 2014 at just 15 years old, becoming the youngest player to represent the country.

He was later named Norway’s national team captain in March 2021.

As of August 2024, he has 59 caps for Norway, scoring three times.

Why does Martin Odegaard place his hands over his ears after scoring a goal?

Odegaard’s celebration with his hands over his ears is a response to criticism he received, particularly from Jamie Carragher.

After Arsenal’s 3-1 victory over Liverpool in February 2024, Carragher criticised Odegaard for his celebratory actions.

In his excitement, the Norwegian took the camera off club photographer Stuart MacFarlane to snap a shot of his own.

This resulted in Sky Sports pundit Carra telling the star: “Just get down the tunnel.

“You’ve won a game, three points.

Carragher also joked on X: “By all means enjoy it, but enjoy it by being disciplined!”

He added that his comment was a bit of banter, using a Neil Warnock phrase, but that the “camera stuff was a bit OTT”.

A few days after the pundit’s blast, Odegaard came up with a new celebration – placing his hands over his ears.

a soccer player stands on the field with his hands on his head

Odegaard was defended by his manger for his celebration[/caption]

The star’s new move came as he scored the opening goal in a 5-0 trouncing of Burnley just a few days after Carra’s criticism.

The gesture was seen as a message that he was unfazed by the negative feedback, as he blocked his ears and closed his eyes, with a big smile on his face.

When asked about the meaning behind Odegaard’s distinctive celebration, Gunners manager Mikel Arteta told reporters: “I don’t know. I didn’t notice that he made that gesture.

“But he was really happy in the dressing room with the way he played again today.

“I think he was exceptional.

“I don’t think he needs to send any message.

“He needs to be himself and he needs to do what he feels.

“And if he feels to do something, do it and deal with the consequences because some people are going to like it and some people won’t.”

And Odegaard hit back saying: “If you’re not allowed to celebrate when you win a game, when are you allowed to celebrate?

“We’re happy with the win and we’ll stay humble.

“We keep working hard and we prepare for the next one but of course you have to be happy when you win.”

The banter between Carragher and Oodegaard continued a month later after Arsenal defeated Sheffield United 6-0.

The pundit asked the team captain: “Martin it was a fantastic performance by yourself, great win for the team – I just didn’t see the photographer on the pitch.

“Is he in the dressing room are you going to get together?”

Odegaard replied: “I was waiting for that. I was waiting for you to say something.

“I was too scared to do it today so I went straight inside today.”

The Arsenal’s unique celebration follows a trend among his teammates.

For instance, Gabriel Jesus often mimics holding a “phone” to his ear, adding a playful touch to his celebrations.

Kai Havertz cups his ears after scoring and Bukayo Saka celebrates by holding the corner flag.

Each player’s celebration style adds a personal touch to their on-field success and reflects their individuality.