Luka Modric praised Real Madrid youngster Martin Odegaard after both met in a qualifier for the European Championship between Croatia and Norway.
The 16-year-old became the youngest player to start an international match in this competition, although he couldn’t prevent Norway from suffering a harsh defeat: 5-1.
Yet, asked about the Real Madrid Castilla player, Modric claimed he was “not surprised of seeing him start.” “You can see he’s a very talented player. He’s got great quality, but you can’t expect a 16-year-old to carry the weight of the team in his shoulders,” the Croatian explained.
“There are very few players who are better than him. He’s capable of facing any kind of pressure and he knows when to pass the ball. He can create space for himself and is particularly good with the ball,” Modric added.
Speaking of the game, Modric claimed Odegaard “played very well.” “I think he was Norway’s best player,” he said.
Asked about his future as a Los Blancos player, Modric argued the Norwegian could succeed at the Santiago Bernabeu: “I hope he will. He’s got everything needed to become a great player. It all depends on him. He’s got to work hard to reach the level required to play at Real Madrid.”
“He has trained with us [Real Madrid’s first team], he has shown great talent and hard work. He’s a good boy. A modest and quiet kid who’s good to have in the team. I hope he will become a key player for Real Madrid in the future,” the Croatian added.
