{"id":3286,"date":"2026-03-12T11:55:44","date_gmt":"2026-03-12T11:55:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=3286"},"modified":"2026-03-12T11:55:44","modified_gmt":"2026-03-12T11:55:44","slug":"how-bodo-glimt-were-brainwashed-into-winning-champions-league-games-football","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=3286","title":{"rendered":"How Bod\u00f8\/Glimt were &#8216;brainwashed&#8217; into winning Champions League games | Football"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"646\" height=\"363\" src=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/SEC_289020708-a40b.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=646\" class=\"article-image wp-image-27382128\" alt=\"Compilation of Bodo\/Glimt players\" decoding=\"sync\"\/>\t<\/div><figcaption>Bod\u00f8\/Glimt have been ripping up the Champions League this season (Picture: Shutterstock\/Getty\/Metro)<br \/><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>You\u2019ll probably have noticed Bod\u00f8\/Glimt\u2019s rise by now. In their past five Champions League games, they have beaten Manchester City, Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan (twice) and now Sporting Lisbon. <\/p>\n<p>They\u2019ve done it playing an attacking style of football with the vast majority of their squad born in Norway, and some of their most important players being from Bod\u00f8 itself \u2013 population, just 50,000.<\/p>\n<p>This is a team who have gone to stadiums that could fit the entire town\u2019s population and more, and have left as winners.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Fans and pundits across the world have been at pains to figure out just how they\u2019ve done it so far. Is it their astroturf pitch? Are opposition teams simply underestimating them? Is there some Norse mythological god behind all this?<\/p>\n<p>The answer might be something else.<\/p>\n<p>After a relegation in 2017, the club were looking for different ways to find an edge, and ended up hiring a former fighter pilot, Bjorn Mannsverk, as the club\u2019s mental coach. He, with the support of manager Kjetil Knutsen, banned all talk of winning and helped players overcome psychological difficulties by focusing on overall performance and well-being instead of just results. <\/p>\n<p>\u00d8rjan Berg, father of captain Patrick and former Bod\u00f8 player himself credits Mannsverk\u2019s work with making a huge difference: \u2018Bj\u00f8rn has brainwashed us for six years now,\u2019 he told ESPN. \u2018I think that today\u2019s team is playing the best football ever played in Norway.\u2019<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube\">\n<p>\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe title=\"Bodo Stun Sporting! \ud83d\udd25 | Bod\u00f8\/Glimt 3-0 Sporting | UEFA Champions League Highlights\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/kT_IGTJ5njY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A golden generation in the Arctic circle<\/h2>\n<p>While most clubs now have someone like Mannsverk to help player mentally, there genuinely does seem to be something else in the cold, cold air in Bod\u00f8. <\/p>\n<p>Their two most important players, Berg and Jens Petter Hauge are both in their second spells at their hometown club. Berg had an ill-fated season at Lens in France in 2022 while Hauge moved to AC Milan as a 21-year-old but struggled to make an impact. Both now look like they could play at any top club. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img width=\"646\" height=\"431\" src=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/GettyImages-2261824615-d4b2.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=646\" class=\"article-image wp-image-27382081\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\t<\/div><figcaption>Jens Petter Hauge scored in both legs against Inter Milan in the playoff round (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img width=\"646\" height=\"431\" src=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/GettyImages-2265518777-437e.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=646\" class=\"article-image wp-image-27382142\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\t<\/div><figcaption>The Norwegian team\u2019s togetherness and spirit have been credited as key to their winning run (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Star striker Kasper H\u00f8gh had 15 goals in his entire career before making the move north two seasons ago \u2013 he has the same amount just in European competitions for Bod\u00f8 since then.<\/p>\n<p>Midfielder Ulrick Saltnes was planning on retiring a few years ago after he fell out of love with the game. The then 26-year-old struggled with stomach problems arising from stress that meant he found it hard to finish a full game, let alone perform well.<\/p>\n<p>He was one of the first to work with Mannsverk, who encouraged him to have fun on the pitch. Now aged 33, Saltnes has been one of Bod\u00f8\u2019s key players over the past few seasons.<\/p>\n<p>Whatever they\u2019re doing, it\u2019s working.<\/p>\n<div class=\"factbox\" data-ico=\"factbox_article\" data-track-module=\"factbox_article\">\n<h2 class=\"factbox-title\">\n\t\t\t\tYou&#8217;re reading an extract from Metro&#8217;s football newsletter, In The Mixer\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<div class=\"factbox-content\">\n<p>Punchy analysis, transfer talk and our take on the week\u2019s biggest stories direct to your inbox every week.\u00a0Sign up here, it\u2019s an open goal.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img width=\"646\" height=\"383\" src=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/GettyImages-2262876142-63af.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=646\" class=\"article-image wp-image-27382127\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\t<\/div><figcaption>Bod\u00f8\/Glimt celebrate knocking out Inter Milan in the playoff round. (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How far can Bod\u00f8\/Glimt go in the Champions League?<\/h2>\n<p>This run is the culmination of years of building but has still come out of nowhere.<\/p>\n<p>Bod\u00f8 became Norwegian champions for the first time in 2020 and the core of this squad have been together for a number of years.<\/p>\n<p>They also made the quarter finals of the Conference League in 2022, and lost last season\u2019s Europa League semi final to Tottenham. <\/p>\n<p>You\u2019d imagine that, if they hold onto their lead in the second leg against Sporting Lisbon, the quarter final may be Bod\u00f8\u2019s lot \u2013 but in an inverse of Tottenham\u2019s fortunes, just when you think things can\u2019t keep getting better, they do.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><strong>For more stories like this,\u00a0check our sport page<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><strong>Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on <meta charset=\"utf-8\"\/><br \/>\n<strong>Facebook,\u00a0<\/strong><a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Metro_Sport\">Twitter<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Instagram<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"metro-more-link\"><svg><title>Arrow<\/title>\n<use xlink:href=\"#common-right-arrow\" href=\"#common-right-arrow\"\/><\/svg><span class=\"mor-link\" data-track-module=\"mor-link_article\">MORE: Thibaut Courtois reveals possible reason for Antonin Kinsky horror show against Atletico Madrid<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"metro-more-link\"><svg><title>Arrow<\/title>\n<use xlink:href=\"#common-right-arrow\" href=\"#common-right-arrow\"\/><\/svg><span class=\"mor-link\" data-track-module=\"mor-link_article\">MORE: Chelsea legend says four Arsenal players are suffering because of Mikel Arteta<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"metro-more-link\"><svg><title>Arrow<\/title>\n<use xlink:href=\"#common-right-arrow\" href=\"#common-right-arrow\"\/><\/svg><span class=\"mor-link\" data-track-module=\"mor-link_article\">MORE: Liam Rosenior responds to calls to replace two Chelsea players after PSG defeat<\/span><\/p>\n<section id=\"share-buttons-bottom\" class=\"share-buttons share-buttons-bottom\">\n\t\t\t<span><svg><title>Comment now<\/title>\n<use xlink:href=\"#social-comment\" href=\"#social-comment\"\/><\/svg><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"share-bar-comments__label\">Comments<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t<span><svg><title>Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google<\/title>\n<use xlink:href=\"#social-preferred-source\" href=\"#social-preferred-source\"\/><\/svg><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"share-bar-preferred-source__label\">Add as preferred source<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/section>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/> How Bod\u00f8\/Glimt were &#8216;brainwashed&#8217; into winning Champions League games | Football<br \/>\n<br \/>#Bod\u00f8Glimt #brainwashed #winning #Champions #League #games #Football<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Bod\u00f8\/Glimt have been ripping up the Champions League this season (Picture: Shutterstock\/Getty\/Metro) You\u2019ll probably have&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3287,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[3182,3183,329,317,2255,326,642],"class_list":["post-3286","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports","tag-bodoglimt","tag-brainwashed","tag-champions","tag-football","tag-games","tag-league","tag-winning"],"featured_image_urls":{"full":["https:\/\/news678.top\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/SEC_289020708-a40b_1773315910.jpg",1200,630,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/news678.top\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/SEC_289020708-a40b_1773315910-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/news678.top\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/SEC_289020708-a40b_1773315910-300x158.jpg",300,158,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/news678.top\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/SEC_289020708-a40b_1773315910-768x403.jpg",640,336,true],"large":["https:\/\/news678.top\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/SEC_289020708-a40b_1773315910-1024x538.jpg",640,336,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/news678.top\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/SEC_289020708-a40b_1773315910.jpg",1200,630,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/news678.top\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/SEC_289020708-a40b_1773315910.jpg",1200,630,false],"covernews-featured":["https:\/\/news678.top\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/SEC_289020708-a40b_1773315910-1024x538.jpg",1024,538,true],"covernews-medium":["https:\/\/news678.top\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/SEC_289020708-a40b_1773315910-540x340.jpg",540,340,true]},"author_info":{"display_name":"admin","author_link":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?author=1"},"category_info":"<a href=\"https:\/\/news678.top\/?cat=6\" rel=\"category\">Sports<\/a>","tag_info":"Sports","comment_count":"0","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news678.top\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3286","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news678.top\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news678.top\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news678.top\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news678.top\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3286"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/news678.top\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3286\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news678.top\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3287"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news678.top\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3286"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news678.top\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3286"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news678.top\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3286"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}