Dortmund Brace for the Polar Surprise of Bodø/Glimt
So, let me walk you through this remarkable story ahead of Dortmund’s Champions League meeting with Bodø/Glimt. It’s one of those matchups where, the more you learn about the Norwegian club, the more you realize how unbelievable – almost impossible – their rise has been. And yet, here they are, arriving from the edge of the Arctic Circle to take on one of Europe’s most iconic football arenas.
Bodø/Glimt come from a town of just 45,000 residents, a place where daylight is almost a luxury in winter. Early December brings only a couple of hours of sun, and the rest of the time, the town is wrapped in dim, icy twilight. The club’s sporting director, Havard Sakariassen, laughed as he pointed out that “this brightness lasts only a moment” when he shared the view from his window. Living and training there means coping with gloomy skies, freezing winds, and sudden weather swings – it’s all part of everyday life at the Arctic Circle.
Also Read:What makes their journey so incredible is how close they came to disappearing. In 2010, the club was bankrupt. Just a few years later, everything changed: they were promoted, became runners-up in 2019, and then won their first-ever league title in 2020. That spark turned into something much bigger. More titles followed, European runs impressed neutrals across the continent, and the club became a cult favorite. The blowout 6–1 win over Mourinho’s Roma in the Conference League still gets talked about, and last season’s Europa League semifinal against Tottenham showed that the team wasn’t just a northern curiosity—they were the real deal.
Even this year in the Champions League, although they haven’t collected a win yet, they’ve been anything but pushovers. Draws against Tottenham and Prague, narrow losses to Monaco, Juventus, and Galatasaray—each game has proved that they can stand their ground at this level. Their home stadium, Aspmyra, holds only 8,200 fans, but its fierce cold and intense atmosphere make it one of the toughest spots for visiting teams.
The club’s identity is another fascinating twist. Bodø/Glimt pride themselves on being a development club, almost like a Nordic version of Athletic Bilbao. Most players are Norwegian, many from the region, and several stars actually returned home after spells abroad. Short decision-making paths and a “performance-over-results” mindset guide everything they do. And yes, one of the quirkiest traditions in Europe lives there too: a giant yellow toothbrush waving in the fan block, a relic of 1970s supporter culture.
Now, as thousands of Bodø/Glimt fans in bright yellow arrive in Dortmund—some even warming up the atmosphere earlier at a handball World Cup match—the team prepares for a night that represents the next chapter of their unlikely rise. And if there’s one thing this club has proved, especially to itself, it’s that the impossible can indeed become possible.
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