Norwegian minnows Bodø/Glimt have progressed to the last 16 of the Champions League for the first time in their history. Glimt broadly translates to “flash” in Norwegian, and the four-time winners of the Norwegian top flight are certainly proving to be no flash in the pan when it comes to the Champions League this term.
They entered the competition at the play-off round, way back in mid-August, when Rangers were humiliated 9-1 over two legs by Club Brugge. Bodø eased past Austrian side Sturm Graz 6-2 to make it as far as the league (and before that group) phase for the first time in their history.
The town of Bodø has a population of just 43,000 people, making it a similar size to Grantham. The Lincolnshire market town may have produced one of the UK’s most remarkable Prime Ministers but its football team has never played in the Champions League. Getting to the league phase was a remarkable achievement for the town, which lies just within the Arctic Circle. In a season when Kazakh side Kairat (who eliminated Celtic) became the most easterly side to make it that far in the competition, Bodø/Glimt became the most northerly.
The Norwegians were not done there, though, and now that our geography lesson is over, we should highlight the fact that among their fine results in the league phase was a 2-2 draw with Spurs. OK, we know what you’re thinking – Olaf, it’s Tottenham. But Bodø also drew 2-2 at Borussia Dortmund before an incredible home win on matchday seven.
Up to that stage, despite those fine draws and pushing Juve close in a 3-2 defeat, they had seemed set to depart the competition. However, they shocked the football world when they deservedly beat Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City 3-1. It was a genuinely stunning result but Bodø/Glimt had gained momentum, and in their final game of the league phase they travelled to Madrid and beat Atletico 2-1!
That took them to nine points, and they scraped into the knockout play-offs by virtue of goal difference alongside Benfica. That duo was two of five clubs to end level on points. The draw pitted them against Italian giants and three-time European champions Inter Milan. Surely this was the end of the road for Grantham… sorry, Bodø?
Norwegians Stun Italians
The Bodø/Glimt fairytale continues at San Siro
Into the round of 16 #UCL pic.twitter.com/EhG2oQsXAD
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) February 24, 2026
Inter had finished 10th in the league phase, narrowly missing out on an automatic berth in the round of 16. The Italians amassed 15 points, the same as Real Madrid and only one fewer than each of Man City, Chelsea and Barcelona. Since 2020/21 Inter had won Serie A twice (never finishing outside the top three in the league) and made two Champions League finals. What’s more, they had been the dominant force in Italian football in 2025/26, having won 20 of their 25 Serie A matches to sit well clear at the top of the table.
Great effort, Bodø! But it’s time to go home, back to the Arctic, and leave the Champions League to the big boys. That’s what we imagine many Inter fans, and possibly players too, were thinking. But in Italian. However, whether it was complacency, bad luck, or the tough conditions away teams have faced in Norway, Bodø/Glimt were still not done with the UCL this term. The first kleg was in the Arctic and the hosts won 3-1. The bedrock of their success has been outrunning their opponents and taking their chances and that is exactly what they did.
They rode their luck to a degree, with the Italians twice hitting the woodwork, but the hosts deserved the win. Inter would have fancied their chances of mounting a comeback in the return, but Bodø would be just as confident of completing the job, having now beaten Man City, Atleti and Inter in consecutive Champions League games.
A one-goal defeat in Milan would have been enough for the Norwegian outfit, but they did better than that. They completed a double over their hosts, their fourth big win in a row in the competition. The shot tally read 30-7 in favour of the home team, but the shots on target totals were closer at 7-5, while the visitors created more “big chances” (3-2). It is goals that count, and they edged that too, winning 2-1 to progress to the last 16 by a 5-2 aggregate scoreline.
They will now either face Man City again in the last 16 or Sporting, but either way, we wouldn’t be surprised if this Norwegian saga has further to run.