Norway’s Odegaard dismisses injury concerns before Iraq opener

Martin Odegaard wants everyone to stop worrying about his knee. The Norway captain and Arsenal midfielder has waved off fitness questions ahead of his country’s 2026 FIFA World Cup opener against Iraq on June 16 in Boston, telling Norwegian media that his knee “felt good” and that he sees no reason for concern.

For a player who missed key qualifiers after sustaining a left-knee MCL injury in October 2025, that’s exactly the kind of reassurance Norway needed to hear.

A timely return for Norway’s talisman

In a warm-up match against Morocco before the World Cup opener, Odegaard scored Norway’s equalizer, the kind of statement performance that does more to quiet injury talk than any press conference ever could.

Odegaard has been a senior international since the age of 15. He’s captained the side for five years. When he says he’s ready, the squad listens.

28 years is a long time to wait

Here’s the thing about Norway’s World Cup return: the last time they were at this stage, it was 1998. That’s a 28-year gap between World Cup appearances, and their last major tournament of any kind was Euro 2000.

Norway landed in Group I alongside Senegal and France. Norway’s path through this group requires getting results early. The Iraq match isn’t just an opener. It’s likely the most winnable fixture on their group stage schedule, which makes Odegaard’s fitness status even more significant.

The Odegaard-Haaland factor

Odegaard’s vision and passing range from midfield paired with Erling Haaland’s finishing ability gives Norway a spine that most mid-tier nations would trade their entire youth academy for. Norway qualified unbeaten, which is not a fluke result over an entire qualifying campaign.

The squad heads into the tournament with a fully fit roster. Odegaard’s knee was the biggest question mark hanging over their preparations, and his dismissal of those concerns removes the last significant cloud.

The competitive risk is straightforward: one bad result against Iraq, and Norway’s group stage math gets ugly fast with France and Senegal still to play. Odegaard’s knee holding up across three matches in roughly nine days will be the variable that determines whether this World Cup return becomes a celebration or a cautionary tale about rushing back from injury.

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