By Philip O'Connor
June 29 (Reuters) - Norway captain Martin Odegaard won the Premier League with Arsenal in May and reached the Champions League final, but the midfielder says the pinnacle of his career will come on Tuesday when his side face Ivory Coast in the World Cup last 32.
The midfielder, who made his senior debut in the Norwegian top flight at the age of 15, led Norway to their first World Cup since 1998, where they won their first two games to progress from the group, setting up a clash against
the African side with a place in the last 16 at stake.
Asked by broadcaster TV2 what he would say to his younger self, the 27-year-old beamed.
"I would have said that it's huge, to live the dream of playing the finals in the World Cup, it's fantastic, a huge and fantastic feeling," he said.
After a 28-year absence from the competition, Odegaard, Erling Haaland and company have captivated their nation, with their fans making their Viking "row" celebration one of the talking points of the tournament.
"Thank you for all the support we get, all the love we feel for, and the optimism and everything we see. We thank you for that. And we hope we can give them even more to cheer for and enjoy ourselves with. So really just thank you for all the support," Odegaard said in a message to their fans.
Coach Stale Solbakken made sweeping changes to his side for their final group game against France to ensure that Odegaard and the others would be well-rested for the Ivory Coast showdown.
"We have dreamed of this for so long, to be able to play a game in the finals, a big game with the opportunity to progress, it is huge," Odegaard said, adding that there would likely be a rowing celebration on the pitch again if Norway are victorious.
(Reporting by Phil O'Connor, Editing by Christian Radnedge)
