Heroes Aren’t Born, They’re Raised: In Conversation With Martin Ødegaard

For the next chapter of our Heroes campaign, we spotlight a talent whose journey embodies independence and strength.  We’ve been following the rise of Premier League football legend, Martin Ødegaard for years; and he has been a part of our world, supporting our business for a while. The feeling of respect towards each other's crafts is mutual. Alongside this symbol of his generation, we explore clean double denim as an adaptable, everyday uniform, built for real lives lived with intensity, artistry, and authenticity. Our modern hero showcases his Holzweiler Denim heroes.

We're committed to creating the perfect fit for all, made to move and age gracefully with you in effortless style as you navigate everyday life. Holzweiler Denim is the realisation of this commitment. Our hero denim staples are designed to transcend seasons, time and trends; moving seamlessly through each season of your life with you, crafted from high-quality, eco-conscious and durable fabrics.

After a joyful day on set of shooting Martin in his favourite hero pieces, we sat down with the football legend to talk about strength, superpowers, his childhood, style and personal heroes…

Who is the ultimate hero in your eyes and what qualities do they possess?

I have to say, in my life now, the real hero is my wife. Having a baby and seeing how she has been growing into the role as a mum and taking care of our baby, and also helping me to do what I love, playing football at the same time, is unbelievable. So I have to say her.

What makes you look up to someone?

I look up to people who inspire me, that can be in many different ways. It can be on the football pitch, off the pitch. It can be how they treat people around them.

What does real strength mean to you?

Real strength to me is to be really confident in yourself, believing in yourself even if it gets hard - you just have to keep going.

Who or what shaped the person you are today?

I think the people around me, my family, my friends and my upbringing.

What kind of people have left a mark on you?

Obviously my family and close friends, but also the coaches and teammates I’ve met in many different teams and countries. My mum and dad have always helped me believe in myself.

How did you find your superpower? And how did your upbringing in Drammen, Norway inspire you to find this?

Football’s always been my talent, from a very young age. I started kicking a ball around basically from the moment I could walk. My dad was a footballer so I think most of it came from him, but my mum was also into track and field, athletics and stuff like that, so I think I got the best of both worlds there. Also all my friends played football so it was a natural part of my upbringing. 

Whilst not forgetting our roots and where we started, Holzweiler is proud to champion fellow Norwegian talent raising themselves to heroic status on a global scale - who is a Norwegian-born talent that you admire most, and why?

It’s hard to pick, there's a lot of good Norwegians I would say. I’ve always been a big fan of Karpe, the music - I’ve been loving everything they’re doing for a long, long time. Also my guy Jonas Benyoub - massive talent, proper good rapper and a good guy as well, so I’m going to say them. 

What’s something you hold on to, no matter what?

My values, who I want to be as a person, and how I treat the people around me.

Has your sports career influenced your fashion choices over the years at all? If so, how?

Well, I think so! Moving away from Norway, I’ve seen different styles, different cultures. People dress in different ways and you pick up inspiration here and there. Obviously living in London now as well, I see a lot of different fashion trends. You definitely get different influences from all the places you go, so my football career has definitely been a part of that. 

What makes you feel most confident and like your true self?

Just being with the people I love spending time with. My family and friends - I have a very small but very close circle. Obviously, when I play football I feel my most confident because it's the thing I’m best at. But otherwise, it’s all about having the right people around you - good people.

To read more on when we met up with Martin, discover the second chapter of our Heroes campaign featuring the footballer here.