Players and coaching staff of Bodo/Glimt celebrate their victory over Inter in the second leg of the Champions League play-off on the evening of 24/2, at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium, Milan, Italy. Photo: Reuters

The fairy tale of Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League continues as they eliminated last season's runner-up, Inter Milan, in the play-off round, creating one of the biggest upsets in the tournament's history. The 5-2 aggregate victory sent shockwaves across Europe, as Kjetil Knutsen's squad advanced to the Champions League round of 16 in their debut season. This achievement comes just one season after Bodo/Glimt became the first Norwegian team to reach a European cup semifinal, in last season's Europa League.

Bodo/Glimt, a team playing in Norway's second division in 2017, hails from the northernmost part of Europe to ever compete in the Champions League. They are from the town of Bodo, a 16-hour drive north of Oslo, located near the Arctic Circle, with a population of only 55,000. If the entire town were to attend Inter's San Siro stadium, there would still be empty seats. Their budget is also a fraction of what European giants command.

The triumph on 24/2 is even more remarkable considering Bodo/Glimt is currently in their off-season. The Norwegian top flight (Eliteserien) concluded on 30/11/2025 and will only resume in mid-March. Yet, during this break, they defeated Man City, Atletico Madrid, and eliminated Inter – currently leading Serie A – with victories both at home and away. From being given a mere 0,3% chance by the Opta supercomputer to reach the round of 16 before the decisive stage, Bodo/Glimt is now among the 16 strongest teams in the competition.

Their home ground, Aspmyra Stadion, has a capacity of 9,000 and features an artificial pitch, earning it the nickname "Frozen Hell" due to its harsh geographical location. After a 3-1 home victory, Bodo/Glimt traveled to Inter's stadium with a two-goal advantage. There, they faced intense pressure before Jens Petter Hauge capitalized on a Manuel Akanji error, and Hakon Evjen added a second goal with a superb counter-attack. Though Alessandro Bastoni pulled one goal back, Bodo/Glimt secured a convincing 5-2 aggregate victory.

For the first time since the 1987-1988 season, a Norwegian club has won a knockout tie in the European Cup/Champions League. Bodo/Glimt also became the first team outside Europe's top five leagues (England, Spain, Germany, Italy, France) to win four consecutive matches against "Big Five" opponents since Johan Cruyff's Ajax in the 1971-1972 season, when Ajax went on to win the European Cup.

Coach Kjetil Knutsen remarked after the match: "Can you believe it? A team from a small northern town achieved this result. It is unbelievable".

Knutsen is widely regarded as the most important figure in the Scandinavian team's current success. When the club was promoted in 2018, coach Aasmund Bjorkan abruptly departed, and Knutsen, then an assistant, was appointed head coach. He initiated a revolution in Bodo/Glimt's playing style, abandoning the familiar defensive counter-attacking approach. Knutsen wanted the club to play attacking football, push their defensive line high, and press aggressively.

To achieve this, Knutsen subjected the players to rigorous training sessions, instilling discipline and building a strong physical foundation, preparing them for an intense, energetic style. Such a transformation required time and trust from all parties.

"Bodo/Glimt does not have a powerful owner, nor is there pressure for mandatory success," Sports Director Havard Sakariassen stated regarding Knutsen's period of club reform. "We respect Knutsen and saw the positive aspects of the change. So, once he decided that was how the team would play, everyone supported him".

This cohesive environment, prioritizing the collective, is considered key to their success. The trust placed in the head coach paid off. Bodo/Glimt became a force in Norway and a regular participant in European cups. Knutsen, pursued by several larger clubs, chose to stay and extended his contract until 2029.

"For me, people are the most important thing," he said. "The joy of winning together is what truly matters. There must be an environment where everyone cares for each other, and we created that".

Jens Petter Hauge, the team's top scorer in this Champions League season with six goals, exemplifies this philosophy. He left the club to join AC Milan in 2020, later playing for Frankfurt and Gent, but ultimately realized his hometown was the best fit. Hauge is emerging as a prominent forward this year, scoring against Tottenham, Inter Milan, Dortmund, and Man City. His brilliant form has attracted attention from many major European clubs, even before the season concludes.

Hauge celebrates his opening goal in the victory over Inter in the second leg of the Champions League play-off on the evening of 24/2, at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium, Milan, Italy. Photo: Reuters

Another unique figure is Bjorn Mannsverk, a former fighter pilot who became a sports psychologist. He joined the club in 2017 when they were in the second division and transformed their mindset through meditation, focusing on process rather than results.

"This is like a miracle," Mannsverk said. "From the second division in 2017 to the Champions League. Everything is possible with a strong mentality and long-term hard work".

Bodo/Glimt first won the Norwegian championship in 2020, then repeated in 2021, 2023, and 2024. However, it was the European stage that brought them global recognition. In 2021, they caused a shock by defeating Jose Mourinho's AS Roma 6-1 in the Europa Conference League. Bodo/Glimt was the first team to score six goals against a defense led by Mourinho.

Last season, they continued to impress in the Europa League, beating Twente, Olympiacos, and Lazio at home before losing to Tottenham in the semifinals.

In this Champions League season, Bodo/Glimt had a rocky start, failing to win their first six matches. However, they unexpectedly defeated Pep Guardiola's Man City in 1/2026. Two weeks later, the Norwegian representative came from behind to beat Atletico 2-1 in Spain, advancing from the group stage, and then continued to make history by eliminating Inter. In the round of 16, Bodo/Glimt will face either Man City or Sporting.

Bodo/Glimt does not rely on superstars. They even only have four foreign players in the Champions League squad. Apart from Russian goalkeeper Nikita Haikin, the other three are Danish, fitting the Scandinavian identity. Most players were recruited at very low costs, some even as free agents.

Goalkeeper Nikita Haikin joined the club for free, as did Fredrik Sjovold, Jostein Gundersen, Sondre Brunstad Fet, and Fredrik Bjorkan. The two most expensive transfers in the starting lineup, Patrick Berg and Jens Petter Hauge, cost less than 5 million USD combined.

Previously, Bodo/Glimt had sold these players for higher fees, only to bring them back at lower costs. This demonstrates the club's flexible transfer strategy and ability to optimize financial resources. Without a huge budget, the Norwegian team is still able to compete fiercely in Europe's most prestigious competition.

The assembly of local players strengthens Bodo/Glimt's identity. It is a family club, belonging to all the residents of the coastal town, just 120 km from the Arctic Circle.

Captain Patrick Berg is the nephew of Runar Berg, who spent 14 years with Bodo/Glimt before retiring there in 2010. Runar Berg's father, Harald Berg, also played for the club. 15 years ago, the club was on the verge of bankruptcy. Unwilling to see this happen, Runar Berg launched a fundraising campaign.

Patrick Berg (yellow) in the second leg of the Champions League play-off on the evening of 24/2, at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium, Milan, Italy. Photo: Reuters

"A stranger threw me 20 USD and said, 'Take this and save the club'," Runar Berg recalled. "After that, people selling sausages and lottery tickets also contributed. One company even donated a batch of cod for us to organize a dinner party, selling tickets for money. We also put on a concert that raised an estimated 175,000 USD".

Thanks to the efforts of local residents, Bodo/Glimt was saved. Now, the team is enjoying the most brilliant period in its history. Despite this, those at Bodo/Glimt remain grounded.

In the Aspmyra Stadion canteen, Bodo/Glimt legends like Runar Berg still maintain their daily habit of stopping by for coffee. Knutsen's players, when they visit, always greet the older generation, but they never receive effusive praise, even after resounding victories.

"Even though they just accomplished extraordinary things, we treat them as we always do," Jacob Klette, who played 400 matches for Bodo/Glimt in the 1960s, said of his successors. For those who have dedicated their lives to the club, this team grew from nothing, and the pride and determination of the people of Northern Norway became the foundation for its success. While they have made great strides, they remain humble enough to continue striving for greater milestones ahead.

Vy Anh