From North London to Norway: Odegaard Sr goes ‘Invincible’ and drags Lillestrom back up

There’s a lovely symmetry to this one. While Martin Odegaard is busy scheming for Arsenal, his dad Hans Erik has just pulled off a feat any Gooner would applaud — an unbeaten league campaign to haul Lillestrom straight back to Norway’s top tier. That’s a proper managerial shift, that.

Invincible echoes in Scandinavia

Lillestrom, relegated in 2024, handed the reins to Hans Erik in January last year with one clear brief: bounce straight back. He didn’t just tick the box — he ripped it up. Champions without a single defeat: 25 wins, 5 draws from 30 matches, 87 scored and only 18 conceded. It’s the first time the division has ever seen a side go the full distance untouched. And the momentum hasn’t stopped there — he’s since stretched the tally to 35 victories on his watch.

If you’re into form lines and value, this remarkable run is the sort that gets punters chatting on the best betting sites. But even the markets would’ve struggled to price up a perfect regular season in Norway’s second tier. That’s how rare it is.

What it means now: Eliteserien, we’re back

Job one was promotion; job two is proving they belong. The Eliteserien 2026 kicks off next weekend and Lillestrom’s first assignment is Aalesund on Sunday 15 March — themselves newly promoted. Expect Hans Erik’s lot to lean on the same staples: structure, aggression out of possession, and a ruthless edge in both boxes.

The Arsenal angle — and a nod to the trailblazers

Any mention of going unbeaten naturally brings up Arsene Wenger’s 2003/04 maestros — 38 Premier League games, no defeats, and a cast of greats led by Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp and Patrick Vieira. Different scale, different stage, same aura: when a side forgets how to lose, it changes the psychology of a whole league.

Martin Odegaard’s future on the touchline?

As Arsenal’s skipper and on-pitch metronome, Martin’s long been praised for his football brain. Could he follow dad into coaching? He’s keeping his powder dry for now — no badges started yet, focused fully on leading Arsenal’s push for silverware. He’s admitted he’ll weigh it up near the end of his playing days: stay in the grind he knows so well, or step back and breathe. Sensible stuff.

The wider ‘Invincibles’ club

How exclusive is that club? Still very. You hear whispers of PSG threatening perfection this year, but finishing the job is a different beast entirely. That’s why what Lillestrom have done matters: scale aside, going wire-to-wire unbeaten is brutally hard in any league.

So fair play to Hans Erik Odegaard. Promotion in the bag, history made, and a fanbase buzzing again. If Martin lifts the Premier League while dad is mixing it with Norway’s elite, that would be some family double, wouldn’t it?