Martin Odegaard Furious With Bernardo Silva After Late Tackle in Norway's Defeat to Portugal

Martin Odegaard was left furious with Bernardo Silva after a late challenge overshadowed Norway's 2–1 Nations League defeat to Portugal in Oslo.

The Arsenal captain was caught by Silva in the closing stages after he had already released the ball, leaving Odegaard in pain and limping around the pitch.

The Norway midfielder made his feelings clear after the final whistle, questioning why Silva had made the challenge so long after the ball had gone.

For Norway, it was an unhappy ending to a match in which they had pushed Portugal hard.

Odegaard Questions Silva's Challenge

The incident happened during stoppage time as Portugal attempted to protect their 2–1 lead.

Silva, who had only entered the game late on, closed down Odegaard and caught the Norwegian around the ankle as the Arsenal captain released the ball.

Odegaard immediately reacted angrily.

After receiving treatment, he continued playing but was visibly uncomfortable as Norway searched for an equaliser.

Speaking to TV2 afterwards, Odegaard said he had suffered a blow to his ankle and hoped it would settle within the following days.

He was particularly unhappy with the timing of the challenge.

The Norway captain said Silva had brought him down “long after” he had played the ball and described the incident as something that did not belong on a football pitch.

Silva Gives a Very Different Response

The reaction from the Portuguese camp could hardly have been more different.

When reporters asked Silva about the incident after the match, the Portugal midfielder offered a short response:

“It's football, my friend.”

That response is likely to keep the controversy alive, particularly after Odegaard revealed that he did not receive an apology.

The incident also attracted criticism from members of the Norwegian camp.

Norway defender Leo Østigård described the challenge as extremely ugly and suggested it could have warranted a red card, while Andreas Schjelderup also called it a late and harsh tackle.

The Bigger Concern Is Odegaard's Ankle

Norway's Defeat Makes the Ending Even More Frustrating

The late controversy came after Norway had put together a competitive performance against Portugal.

João Félix gave Portugal an early lead before Erling Haaland equalised shortly after half-time.

Portugal eventually regained the advantage when Gonçalo Ramos capitalised on a mistake by Norway goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland.

Norway pushed for another equaliser, but Portugal held on for a 2–1 victory.

Odegaard had played an important role in Norway's attacking efforts, including the free-kick that eventually led to Haaland's equaliser.

Instead of ending the night focused solely on the performance, however, the Norway captain left the pitch dealing with an ankle problem and an angry exchange with Silva.

Arsenal Will Now Be Watching Closely

Odegaard's fitness will naturally become the biggest concern once the international break moves forward.

The Arsenal captain has previously dealt with injury problems, making any new ankle issue something the club will want assessed carefully.

For now, however, there is no confirmed indication of a serious injury.

The immediate facts are simpler: Odegaard was caught by Silva late in the match, he was visibly hurt, he criticised the challenge afterwards, and Silva offered a very different interpretation of what happened.

Portugal left Oslo with three points.

Norway were left with a defeat — and their captain waiting to discover whether the late incident will have consequences beyond the final whistle.