Odegaard becomes Euro qualifiers´ youngest starter

Norway’s Martin Odegaard became the youngest player to start a European Championship qualifier after lining up against Croatia on Saturday.

The Real Madrid wonderkid, who in 2014 became his country’s youngest player as a 15-year-old, was named in Per-Mathias Hogmo’s starting XI for the Euro 2016 Group H trip to Zagreb, and in doing so he claimed another record.

At 16 years and 101 days old, Odegaard surpassed Peter Jehle of Liechtenstein, who started a qualifier against Azerbaijan in October 1998, at 16 years and 265 days.

Odegaard – who was not even born when Jehle achieved that feat – also previously became the youngest Norwegian top-flight player and goalscorer.

He played the entire match in the Croatian capital but was unable to inspire the Norwegians, as they were hammered 5-1 by the Group H leaders.