Norway prodigy left off Real Madrid squad
The Local Norway - [email protected]
Published: 18 Feb, 2015 CET.
Updated: Wed 18 Feb 2015 10:29 CET
Norwegian football prodigy Martin Ødegaard has been left off the squad for Real Madrid’s match against Germany’s Schalke 04, confounding earlier reports that he was due to make his Champions League debut.
The 16-year-old midfielder would have been the youngest player ever to play in the European competition if he had been fielded for the match on Wednesday. Europe's top clubs competed vigorously to sign Ødegaard this winter before the Norway international finally signed for Real Madrid in January. The Spanish club has always stressed that the 16-year-old would initially play mainly for the reserve team. Nigerian defender Celestine Babayaro took the record for the youngest player ever to play in the Champions League when he played for Belgium's Anderlecht against Steaua Bucharest in 1994. He was 16 years and 87 days old when he played, giving Ødegaard, who is 16 years two months and one day old, less than a month to scoop the record.
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The 16-year-old midfielder would have been the youngest player ever to play in the European competition if he had been fielded for the match on Wednesday.
Europe's top clubs competed vigorously to sign Ødegaard this winter before the Norway international finally signed for Real Madrid in January. The Spanish club has always stressed that the 16-year-old would initially play mainly for the reserve team.
Nigerian defender Celestine Babayaro took the record for the youngest player ever to play in the Champions League when he played for Belgium's Anderlecht against Steaua Bucharest in 1994.
He was 16 years and 87 days old when he played, giving Ødegaard, who is 16 years two months and one day old, less than a month to scoop the record.
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