Arsenal and Norway captain Martin Odegaard has a fascinating private life away from the pitch
Martin Odegaard of Norway celebrates after winning the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round Of 16 match between Brazil and Norway at New York New Jersey Stadium on July 5, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Martin Odegaard has led Norway through a historic World Cup campaign(Image: Richard Sellers/Allstar, Getty Images)
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Martin Odegaard will have the honour of captaining his country in their first World Cup quarter-final game on Saturday evening. The Norway captain will come up against favourites England, the country where he plays his football for Arsenal, in Miami Stadium.
Not many would have fancied Norway's chances against the Three Lions going into the competition, but a historic and well-earned 2-1 triumph over Brazil in the last-16 proves they must be taken seriously. While Erling Haaland grabbed the headlines with his brace in that match, Odegaard caught the eye of the experts, gliding past Brazil's players and dictating proceedings from start to finish.
The 27-year-old now has the chance to elevate what has been the best season of his career in terms of silverware, having already lifted the Premier League trophy for the first time as Arsenal's captain in May.
Famous wife
Helene Spilling, the partner of Arsenal midfielder Martin Odegaard, wearing a black vest and leggings
Helene Spilling is a famous dancer in Norway(Image: @helenespilling/Instagram)
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Martin Odegaard and Helene Spilling, photographed in 2024
Odegaard and Spilling, photographed in 2024(Image: Justin Goff Photos/Getty Images)
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It is only right that Odegaard, as the golden boy of Norwegian football since he was just 15, married someone with significant star power. The playmaker started dating former professional Norwegian dancer and television personality Helene Spilling in early 2023, although their relationship remained largely out of the public eye.
The couple made their first public appearance together at the London Football Awards in March 2023, before confirming their relationship with a series of outings across the capital the following month.
Spilling, 30, shot to fame after winning the 17th series of Norway's version of Dancing with the Stars. She began dancing at the age of 12 and pursued her career in competitive dancing in Lithuania at one point.
Throughout her illustrious career, she won the Norwegian dance championship on 17 occasions, while also representing her country at European and world level. Spilling is due to feature in the 2026 edition of the popular Norwegian reality show Mesternes Mester, filming in August.
She is also the founder and owner of The Zone Dance Studio in Oslo, and serves as a brand ambassador for Thune - one of Norway's most prestigious jewellery brands.
Secret wedding
Norway's national team and Arsenal's soccer player Martin Odegaard and Helene Spilling attend their wedding ceremony in Oslo, on Saturday, June 21, 2025
Martin Odegaard and Helene Spilling attend their wedding ceremony (Image: AP)
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In August 2024, the couple revealed they were expecting their first child together with a heartfelt pregnancy announcement posted on social media. On December 1, 2024, Odegaard and Spilling welcomed their first child, a son named Matheo.
True to his modest and understated nature, it later came to light that Odegaard had quietly tied the knot with Spilling in a private civil ceremony in November 2024, with no public announcement made at the time. The biggest giveaway was her official name change to Helene Spilling Odegaard, with eagle-eyed fans also having spotted her sporting an engagement ring that summer.
The couple later celebrated their marriage with a larger wedding ceremony in Gjerdrum, Norway, in June 2025, attended by family, friends, and several of Odegaard's Arsenal teammates.
Stunning mansion
Martin Odegaard #8 of Arsenal and his wife Helen Spilling at the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Arsenal at Selhurst Park on May 24, 2026 in London, England.
They live together outside of London(Image: Getty)
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Odegaard and his wife reportedly moved into their dream English home in December 2024. According to Se og Hør, the mansion cost around £7.7million.
It is believed to be situated 30km north west of London in Hertfordshire - just half an hour from Arsenal's London Colney training centre. The report claims it is surrounded by high hedges and a dark gate, providing a private and tranquil existence away from fans and paparazzi lenses.
It followed Odegaard's purchase of a cabin plot in Hafjell, a popular ski destination, in his homeland Norway. The 1,100-1,350 square metre property sits near his team-mates Sander Berge and Stefan Strandberg.