The captains of the ‘North London Derby’ rivals are drawing attention to their lookalike leadership.
Tottenham rivals Arsenal won 1-0 away to Brentford in the third round (round of 32) of the 2023-2024 English Carabao Cup (EFL Cup) at the Gitek Community Stadium in Brentford, England, on Monday (Aug. 28).
Arsenal defended well against Reece Nelson’s eight-minute opener to secure the win. Now through to the fourth round (round of 16), Arsenal will face West Ham in November for a place in the fifth round.
After the game, Arsenal went up to the away fans who had traveled to the game. Arsenal captain Martin Ødegaard, 25, led his teammates to the fans.
It was his behavior that was interesting. First, he grabbed Egyptian midfielder Mohamed Elneny (31) by the hand and pulled him out of the crowd. This was to let the fans know that Elneny was back. It was Elneny’s first game back in eight months after suffering an injury in January.
Ödegaard also pushed Charles Sagoe Jr. (19) onto his back. This was to introduce him to the next generation of strikers. The youngster smiled shyly and greeted the crowd.
The Arsenal youth product was called up to the first team for the UEFA Champions League group stage match against PSV Eindhoven. He made his senior debut in the match. He could play for the England and Ghana national teams in the future.
Ödegaard didn’t just walk away. He even took off his shirt to give it to a young fan who was cheering him on. It was a classy gesture for a captain as well as a player.
Ödegaard’s behavior was reminiscent of Son’s earlier actions. After Tottenham’s 2-1 come-from-behind home win over Sheffield United in the fifth round of the 2023-2024 English Premier League (EPL) on Nov. 16, the Tottenham captain pushed Heung-min on the back to get him to the front of the team.
He stepped onto the pitch in the 35th minute of the second half and scored the game-winning header. Richelson has been in the spotlight after he was seen breaking down in tears during a match for Brazil. He recently announced that he was seeking psychological counseling.
This is where Son Heung-min came in to save the day. He brought the singer in front of the fans and put him in the spotlight. “Richie (her nickname) obviously 안전놀이터 had a very difficult time and a difficult season. But I was really happy. I was probably happier than him,” he emphasized.
Arsenal and Tottenham are rivals in the ‘North London Derby’. But they also have some of the most classy captains in the game. That’s why both teams have been in such good form this season, going unbeaten.