Against all odds, Norwegian minnows Bodo/Glimt have secured their place in the Champions League round of 16 – an extraordinary achievement made all the more impressive by their weekly wage bill.
Kjetil Knutsen's side, who were in Norway's second-tier as recently as 2017, beat Inter Milan on Tuesday night to secure an emphatic 5-2 aggregate win over last year's Champions League finalists.
It has been a campaign to remember for a team who were given a 99.7% chance of being eliminated in the league stage after Matchday 5.
In a remarkable run, they recorded wins over Borussia Dortmund, Manchester City, Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan to secure their spot in the round of 16, where they will face either Sporting or Manchester City.
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To put their achievement into perspective, Bodo are the first team outside of England, Spain, Germany, Italy or France to win four consecutive games against teams from Europe’s big five leagues since Johan Cruyff’s Ajax in 1971-72.
Ajax went on to win the European Cup that season.
As they continue to overcome some of Europe's biggest clubs, Bodo's modest wage budget proves that, even in modern-day football, you don't have to spend a fortune to be successful.
According to Capology, the club's entire wage bill comes to just €176,000 (£153k) per week.
If you compare that sum to Premier League player wages, the following earn £150,000 a-week: Mateo Kovacic, Noni Madueke, Federico Chiesa, Joelinton, Sandro Tonali, Anthony Gordon and Mason Mount.
Here's how fans on social media have reacted to Bodo's latest win in the Champions League.
One said: "Bodo/Glimt are the least underdoggy underdogs I can remember. They play outstanding technical football, score incredible goals and take everything in their stride. Kjetil Knutsen is a genius."
A second wrote: "Bodo Glimt put to bed the myth that you have to spend an absolute fortune to be successful and compete at the highest level… well played Bodo, what a success story. Other clubs take note."
A third commented: "Bodo Glimt haven't played a league game since November btw," and a fourth added: "This Bodo/Glimt CL run and Norway's WC qualification. Something is moving right in the country."
As mentioned above, Bodo have not played a league game in almost three months after the Eliteserien season started in March and ended in November 2025 – another layer to this remarkable story.
Topics: Champions League, Norway
Jack Kenmare