Bodø/Glimt’s wild Champions League ride has us all talking—these Norwegian underdogs from way up north are punching way above their weight. That knockout of Inter Milan? Pure magic, and it’s got everyone buzzing about their grit and style.
Picture this: freezing night in Bodø, Aspmyra Stadion rocking, and Bodø/Glimt dismantle Inter 3-1 at home—Fet, Hauge, and Høgh with the goals, catching the Italians off guard even as they rattled the post. Then at San Siro, they do it again, 2-1 with Hauge and Evjen striking, surviving 30 shots to dump last season’s finalists out 5-2 aggregate. First Norwegian team to Round of 16 since 2000—total shock!
They scraped 23rd in the league phase but feasted in playoffs: stunned Manchester City 3-1 at home, edged Atlético Madrid 2-1 away after going behind, and held their own in draws vs. Slavia Prague, Tottenham, and Dortmund. Losses? Just a tight one to Galatasaray. It’s all about lightning counters and never-say-die heart.
Kicked off in 1916 as a tiny Bodø outfit, they broke the north’s curse with a 1930 regional cup, then the national one in ’75. Yo-yo years followed until 2018, when coach Kjetil Knutsen flipped the script: four league titles (2020-24), Europa semis last year, and now this UCL dream.
No sugar daddy here—it’s all member-owned, with ultras like 1916 and Den Gule Horde calling shots alongside chair Inge Henning Andersen and director Frode Thomassen. Scout boss Aasmund Bjørkan keeps the talent pipeline humming, pure community vibes.
They bank European cash to scout kids, pay staff right, and snag deals across borders—no debt traps. Sell a star like Hauge (ex-Milan loan), reinvest smartly, and success snowballs into bigger sponsorships. Pitch wins, business booms.
Patrick Berg bosses midfield as captain, with Auklend, Saltnes feeding Høgh, Blomberg, and Helmersen up top. Backline? Bjørtuft and Gundersen hold firm—tight unit that punches back.
At 57, Kjetil’s been a wizard since ’18—four titles, three top coach nods, 59% win rate over 361 games. His press-and-attack game wrecked Roma 6-1 once; now it’s terrorizing UCL big boys.
Jens Petter Hauge owns this story—six UCL goals, including the picks vs. Inter (that San Siro howler-finisher!). At 26, his speed and cool head scream Glimt: turn defense to danger in seconds.