“We Want to Win Everything”: Ødegaard and Arsenal Deliver Stark Warning with Community Shield Rout of Manchester City
Arsenal captain Martin Ødegaard made his intentions crystal clear after the Premier League champions produced a dominant 3-0 victory over Manchester City in the Community Shield. Speaking in the aftermath of a statement performance at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, the Norwegian midfielder left little doubt that last season’s title triumph has only sharpened the Gunners’ appetite for more silverware.
“We showed our level today. We showed that we’re ready. We showed that we’re serious. We want to do it again,” Ødegaard said. “When you get a taste of how nice it is, you want to do it again. We want to win everything.”
Those words carried extra weight given the manner of the win. Arsenal dismantled their closest rivals with clinical efficiency, scoring inside the first minute and never looking back. The result handed Mikel Arteta’s side their 18th Community Shield and provided the perfect launchpad for the defence of their Premier League crown.
The tone was set after just 24 seconds. Myles Lewis-Skelly produced a sharp body swerve and threaded a precise through-ball into the path of Riccardo Calafiori. The Italian full-back, operating high up the pitch as he so often does, finished calmly past Gianluigi Donnarumma to open the scoring. It was the fastest goal of Arteta’s entire managerial tenure at the club and immediately placed City on the back foot.
Arsenal continued to control the contest. On 28 minutes they doubled their lead. Noni Madueke and Ødegaard combined down the right before the captain’s clipped cross found Christos Tzolis at the far post. The summer signing from Club Brugge headed the ball back across goal, where Kai Havertz arrived to power a header past a stranded Donnarumma. The German striker’s finish, forced through the goalkeeper’s grasp, reflected Arsenal’s growing confidence.
Any lingering hope City held was extinguished three minutes into the second half. Tzolis again played a key role, driving forward and releasing Ødegaard. The Arsenal skipper glided past Josko Gvardiol, then produced a sublime dummy that left Donnarumma completely wrong-footed before rolling the ball into the empty net. It was a moment of pure quality that summed up both the individual excellence of Ødegaard and the collective superiority of the champions.
Ødegaard was named man of the match for a performance that showcased his complete return to form. After a difficult 2025/26 campaign disrupted by a series of awkward injuries that limited him to just 16 Premier League starts, the captain looked sharp, progressive and decisive. He completed 55 of 58 passes, won possession more times than any Arsenal teammate, and dictated the tempo throughout. His goal was his first for the club in 2026 and a timely reminder of the creativity that has made him central to Arteta’s project.
The victory also highlighted the immediate impact of Arsenal’s summer business. Tzolis, signed for around £34 million, contributed two assists on his competitive debut and looked dangerous every time he received the ball on the left. Bruno Guimarães, the £75 million arrival from Newcastle, slotted seamlessly into midfield. The Brazilian was calm in possession, aggressive in the duel, and comfortable playing progressive passes before being replaced by Declan Rice at half-time.
Ødegaard was quick to praise both new teammates. “Since the first day he came in, it has been such a natural thing,” he said of Guimarães. “Although we had some big fights with him in the past, he has just come into the team as a real natural part of the team. You can see his quality. He can win the ball, he’s a fighter, but he also has so much quality on the ball. He is so calm on the ball. He always takes the right amount of time and he finds the pass. It’s brilliant. Christos as well – it is good to have new players perform like that already.”
The result carries significance beyond the trophy itself. Manchester City, now managed by Enzo Maresca in the post-Pep Guardiola era, looked disjointed and lacked the intensity that defined their recent title challenges. Arsenal, by contrast, played with the hunger and organisation of a side that knows exactly what is required to compete at the highest level. The 3-0 scoreline equalled their biggest Community Shield margin of victory since they beat the same opponents by the same score in 2014.
For Ødegaard personally, the afternoon represented a release after months of frustration. “Last year was really a big struggle with a lot of difficult moments,” he admitted. “To miss so many games because of injury was really frustrating. It is the worst thing for a footballer to not be able to be on the pitch and I had quite a lot of weird injuries and bad luck. What I have just worked on is to use that as motivation for this year and to come back stronger. And to use all of those experiences in a positive way.”
He added that ending last season with the Premier League title and then enjoying a strong World Cup with Norway had given him the platform to reset. “I feel good, ready to go again.”
Arteta has repeatedly spoken about the need for his captain to stay fit and available. The Spaniard believes a fully fit Ødegaard, surrounded by the quality now at the club, can return to the levels that made him one of the Premier League’s most influential midfielders. Sunday’s display suggested that process is already well underway.
Arsenal now turn their attention to the Premier League. They open their title defence at home to promoted Coventry City on Friday, a fixture that offers an opportunity to build early momentum. City, meanwhile, begin their campaign against Bournemouth and face the challenge of adapting to new ideas under Maresca after a chastening afternoon in Cardiff.
The Community Shield is often dismissed as a glorified friendly, yet Arsenal treated it with the seriousness of a competitive fixture. Their intensity from the first whistle, the quality of their finishing, and the composure they showed once ahead all pointed to a squad that remains hungry. Ødegaard’s post-match comments crystallised that mentality.
Winning the league last season ended a 22-year wait for the title. Rather than savouring the achievement, the captain and his teammates have already shifted their focus to the next challenge. Multiple trophies are the stated aim. The Champions League remains the biggest prize still missing from the current group’s collection, but Ødegaard made clear that the mindset at the club is to compete for every available piece of silverware.
Whether Arsenal can sustain this level across a long season remains to be seen. Injuries, fixture congestion and the inevitable dips in form will test them. Yet the message delivered in Cardiff was unambiguous. The champions are not content with one title. They want more, and they are prepared to attack every competition with the same intensity they showed against Manchester City.
Ødegaard’s performance and words set the tone for the campaign ahead. Arsenal have the first trophy of the season in their cabinet. The captain has made it clear they have no intention of stopping there.
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