The story of Bodo/Glimt's rise from obscurity to Europa League semi-finals

Compared to MU, Tottenham and Bilbao, Bodo/Glimt are like strangers in the Europa League semi-finals. Despite their long history (founded 108 years ago), the Norwegian team rarely enjoys the taste of victory. Until 2020, they had nothing to show for it except 2 Norwegian Cup titles and 2 other Second Division titles.

As recently as 2017, Bodo/Glimt were playing in Norway’s second tier. Back then, even longtime fans of the Bodo-based club could not have imagined that they would one day play in the semi-finals of the Europa League, after an incredible run that saw them overcome Twente, Olympiakos and Lazio. To underline the significance of the occasion, Bodo/Glimt were the first Norwegian side to reach the semi-finals of a major European competition, and the best result for a Scandinavian side this century.

The most surprising thing is that the rise of Bodo/Glimt has nothing to do with finance. They didn’t get lucky enough to catch the eye of a billionaire boss or a sovereign wealth fund. It was purely technical.

Coach Kjetil Knutsen is the architect of Bodo/Glimt's success.

Indeed, when promoted in 2018, when coach Aasmund Bjorkan suddenly left, the Board of Directors surprisingly appointed assistant Kjetil Knutsen as captain. Knutsen immediately launched a revolution in the playing style at Bodo/Glimt. Instead of the traditional counter-attacking style, he wanted the club to play more proactively, pushing the squad high and actively pressing, then attacking whenever possible.

Inspired by the legendary Marcelo Bielsa, Knutsen puts his players through gruelling training sessions, instilling discipline and building a physical foundation for a fierce and energetic style of football. From the moment the players leave the pitch, the intensity, structure and discipline are consistent.

Of course, Knutsen's revolution did not succeed immediately. But in any case, he still received great support from the team's management as well as the players and fans. This may be an advantage of Bodo/Glimt being a small team.

From the Second Division, Bodo/Glimt rose to become Norwegian champions and continued to impress in Europe.

"There is no powerful owner here, nor is there any pressure to succeed," said Havard Sakariassen, sporting director. "We respect Knutsen and see the positives of the change. So once he decides that's how the team is going to play, everyone will stand behind him and support him."

The trust has been rewarded. Bodo/Glimt have won the Norwegian championship four times in the past five years (2020, 2021, 2023, 2024), and Knutsen's men have also become regulars in European cups, where they have made strong impressions such as a 6-1 victory over Jose Mourinho's Roma and reaching the quarter-finals of the 2021/22 Europa Conference League.

What is unique is that Bodo/Glimt is not built on stardom. They even have only three foreign players, and apart from Russian goalkeeper Nikita Haikin, the other two are Scandinavian (Danish). The inclusion of local players reinforces Bodo/Glimt’s identity. It is a family club, owned by all the people of this coastal town just 120km from the North Pole.

Runar Berg spent 14 years with Bodo/Glimt before retiring in 2010. At the time, the club was on the brink of bankruptcy. Not wanting to see things go badly, Berg launched a fundraising campaign. His father, Harald Berg, had played for the club. Now his nephew, Patrick Berg, is the club's captain.

Fans are the foundation for Bodo/Glimt to grow.

"A stranger threw me 200 kroner and said, 'Go and save the club,'" Berg recalls. "Then the sausage sellers and the lottery came together. A company donated a haul of cod so we could have a dinner party, sell tickets and raise money. We also put on a concert which raised an estimated £130,000."

Thanks to their efforts, Bodo/Glimt was saved. And now, the team is in the most glorious period of its history, with unbelievable achievements continuously being created. Despite this, the people here always keep their feet on the ground.

In the canteen at the Aspmyra Stadion, former Bodo/Glimt players like Berg still come in for coffee every day. Knutsen’s players who stop by all the time pay their respects to their elders, but don’t expect flattery in return, even after big wins.

“Even though they have done something special, we still treat the players like normal people,” said Jacob Klette, who played 400 times for Bodo/Glimt in the 1960s. According to those who have been with the club all their lives, they have come from nothing and the pride and determination of the northern Norwegians has been the foundation of their success. Although the club has come a long way, they are humble enough to pursue the next great milestone.

Thanh Hai

Source: https://tienphong.vn/cau-chuyen-ve-su-troi-day-cua-bodoglimt-tu-vo-danh-den-ban-ket-europa-league-post1738832.tpo