Martin Odegaard has admitted that his on-field clash with Neymar during Norway's 2-1 victory over Brazil at the World Cup became 'a little awkward', though the two players reconciled after the final whistle.
Norway's dramatic win over Brazil
Norway secured their place in the quarter-finals with a comeback victory, thanks to two late second-half goals from Erling Haaland. Brazil had earlier missed a penalty through Bruno Guimaraes in the first half, which proved costly. Neymar, who came on as a substitute in the second half, pulled a goal back for Brazil in the 10th minute of injury time, but it was not enough to force extra time.
Odegaard and Neymar's heated exchanges
Neymar targeted Odegaard on multiple occasions after being introduced, growing increasingly frustrated as he failed to dispossess the Arsenal captain. The Brazilian was shown a yellow card for kicking Odegaard, and later shoved him during a heated confrontation between both sets of players. After scoring his penalty, Neymar also shoulder-barged Odegaard as he returned to his half to restart the match.
Despite the tension, Neymar sought out Odegaard after the full-time whistle to hug him and exchange words, a gesture that Odegaard appreciated. Speaking to TV2, Odegaard said: 'Yes, it got a little awkward. But there was a good atmosphere afterwards. So it ended well.'
Neymar's apparent international retirement
Following the defeat, Neymar appeared to confirm his retirement from Brazil's national team. The 34-year-old, who had been close to missing out on a place in Carlo Ancelotti's squad, was seen in tears on the pitch. He told Globo: 'I tried, I tried. Now it's over. I started here, I finished here.'
Former Brazil midfielder Felipe Melo criticised Ancelotti for not starting Neymar against Norway, saying: 'I understand that the coach has his convictions, but he also has to understand a little, you know. I would have started the game with Neymar right away, I would have started with Neymar. Maybe if he had been in the first half, he would have converted [the penalty] and the game would have been a different story.'
What's next for Norway
Norway will now face England in the World Cup quarter-final on Saturday at 10pm BST, a clash that promises to be a stern test for Odegaard and his teammates.
