Odegaard condemns Silva's late ankle kick as Nations League tempers flare

At the Oslo stadium on Sunday, a sudden kick to Martin Odegaard's ankle in the dying moments of the Nations League match sparked an outburst that would dominate the post‑game headlines. The former Manchester City midfielder, now a Real Madrid signing, was only shown a yellow card as Portugal edged the Gunners 2‑1.

Flashpoint in Oslo

Odegaard, the Arsenal captain, was filmed repeatedly shouting an expletive in English at Bernardo Silva after the late challenge. The incident unfolded in stoppage time, leaving the Norwegian skipper limping toward the team bus more than an hour after the final whistle.

"This has no place on a football pitch," Odegaard told Norwegian broadcaster TV2, before adding, "It's a shame that people behave like that. He completely lost his head. He just kicks me down long after I've played the ball. I don’t understand what he's doing."

Reactions from the dugout

Norway head coach Stale Solbakken described Silva's tackle as "completely unnecessary" and "right on the borderline of a red card". He noted that the challenge came from behind and appeared deliberately aimed at stopping play.

Portugal midfielder Leo Østigård echoed the sentiment, insisting a red card would have been "fully justified" and calling the tackle "extremely ugly" and "absolutely awful".

History adds spice

The two players have a long Premier League rivalry, having faced each other many times when Silva represented Manchester City and Odegaard captained the Gunners. Their next encounter is set for the return Nations League game in Lisbon on Sunday, offering a chance for redemption.

Both clubs have moved on: Silva transferred to Real Madrid in the offseason, while Odegaard remains Arsenal's captain, leading the side in the English Premier League.