Ødegaard becomes Real Madrid's youngest
Saturday, May 23, 2015
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Aged 16 years, five months and six days, Martin Ødegaard became Real Madrid CF's youngest league debutant and we take a look at his predecessor Liga tyros.
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Aged 16 years, five months and six days, Martin Ødegaard became Real Madrid CF's youngest Liga debutant when the attacking midfielder featured as a 58th-minute substitute in the Merengues' season-closing fixture against Getafe CF.
Ødegaard joined Madrid in Strømsgodset IF in January and previously became the youngest player to feature in a UEFA European Championship fixture, aged 15 years and 300 days, when he came off the bench for Norway against Hungary on 13 October. UEFA.com takes the opportunity to look at some of his Liga forerunners and see what became of them.
Alberto Rivera (17 years, 3 months and 25 days)
The record holder before the Norway prospect, Rivera could not have wished for a better debut – coming off the bench to score in a 2-0 win against RC Celta de Vigo in June 1995. The midfielder played just three more times for Real Madrid but still picked up two Liga winners' medals with the Blancos. After loan spells with CD Numancia and Olympique de Marseille in France, he represented Levante UD, Real Betis Balompié and Real Sporting de Gijón before retiring at Elche CF in 2014.
Raúl González (17 years, 4 months and 2 days)
A Madrid great, Raúl needs no introduction. After rising through the Merengues youth ranks, the No7 spent 16 seasons in the first team between 1994 and 2010, remaining the club's record scorer with 323 goals. He was the UEFA Champions League's all-time leading marksman with 71 until Lionel Messi – and later Cristiano Ronaldo – broke his record earlier this term; he also earned 102 Spain caps, captaining La Roja from 2002–06. After leaving Madrid he had two years at FC Schalke 04 before a stint with al-Sadd SC in Qatar. Currently turning out for New York Cosmos in the American second tier.
Samuel Eto'o (17 years, 8 months and 25 days)
Despite lifting three Liga and two UEFA Champions League titles with FC Barcelona, Eto'o started out at the Santiago Bernabéu, debuting in December 1998, the first of three top-flight outings. Unable to make the grade in the capital, the Cameroonian joined RCD Mallorca in 2000 before moving to Catalonia four years later. Part of a formidable front three alongside Lionel Messi and Thierry Henry, Eto'o helped Barcelona achieve a historic treble before heading to FC Internazionale Milano in 2009. His first Italian campaign brought another triple crown as José Mourinho's men conquered all before them. Stays at FC Anji Makhachkala, Chelsea FC and Everton FC followed, prior to his January switch to UC Sampdoria.
Javi García (17 years, 9 months and 20 days)
The defensive midfielder made his Madrid bow in 2004 before being sold to Liga rivals CA Osasuna in 2007. Yet his impressive showings with the Navarre outfit prompted a return to the Bernabéu 12 months later, where he played 15 more Liga games for his boyhood side. In July 2009 he was traded to SL Benfica – landing one Portuguese Liga and three Portuguese League Cups – then in August 2012 he sealed a big-money transfer to then English champions Manchester City FC, for whom he compiled 53 top-flight appearances. After winning the Premier League last year he departed for FC Zenit, aiding them to the quarter-finals of this season's UEFA Europa League.
José Rodríguez (17 years, 11 months and 15 days)
Rodríguez enjoyed a Liga breakthrough 15 days before his 18th birthday, in a 2-0 derby success over Club Atlético de Madrid in December 2012. Three days later he became the Blancos' youngest UEFA Champions League debutant, replacing Kaká in a 4-1 group stage triumph against AFC Ajax – a record he now risks losing to Ødegaard. After failing to figure in the first team last season, he was loaned to RC Deportivo La Coruña and has so far amassed 24 Liga outings for the Galicians.