How a fighter pilot’s mental techniques helped tiny Bodø/Glimt reach the Europa League semifinals

Glimt fans cheer before the Europe League quarter final second leg match between Lazio and Bodo Glimt in Rome, Apr. 17, 2025. (AP/File)
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Updated 30 April 2025
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How a fighter pilot’s mental techniques helped tiny Bodø/Glimt reach the Europa League semifinals

  • Bodø/Glimt have also had some big results in Europe in recent seasons — a 6-1 thrashing of Jose Mourinho’s Roma in the Conference League 2021 stands out
  • “It is a fairy tale, almost a miracle,” Mannsverk told AP

OSLO: How did an unheralded Norwegian team from a tiny town north of the Arctic Circle become one of the fairytale stories of European soccer?
For Bodø/Glimt, the transformation has been underpinned by a fighter pilot who developed mental techniques for his squadron before bombing missions in Libya.
Bjørn Mannsverk discovered a group of players exuding negative energy and prone to “a collective mental breakdown” when he was asked in early 2017 to join the backroom staff of a team that had just been relegated to Norway’s second tier.
His task as “mental coach” at Bodø/Glimt? To make players talk openly about their feelings, lower stress levels, change their attitudes and routines about things like preparation and nutrition, and remove the stigma around mental training.
Winning or losing no longer mattered. It was all about following a philosophy and culture established by Mannsverk, a former Royal Norwegian air force squadron leader whose military duties took him to Afghanistan after the 9/11 attacks and to Libya for a NATO-led intervention in 2011.

The results have been extraordinary.
After securing an immediate return to Norway’s top division, the team — based more than 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) north of Oslo in a fishing town, Bodø, with a population of around 55,000 — have captured four of the country’s last five league titles. It started in 2020 with a first in the history of a club founded in 1916.
Bodø/Glimt have also had some big results in Europe in recent seasons — a 6-1 thrashing of Jose Mourinho’s Roma in the Conference League 2021 stands out — and this year they have become the first Norwegian club to reach the semifinals of a major European competition.
The first leg against Tottenham in the Europa League takes place in London on Thursday. It’s Bodø/Glimt’s biggest ever match.
“It is a fairy tale, almost a miracle,” Mannsverk told AP in a video interview. “How can you actually come from (Norway’s) second division in 2017 to playing a Champions League playoff and teams like Arsenal five years later?
“But I think it’s possible ... if you have the right mentality and you work hard over time.”
An active air force pilot for more than 20 years, Mannsverk and others in his squadron were the subjects of a mental training project in 2010 where the focus was on meditation and “every day repeating boring stuff, but with 100 percent attention.”
It meant that when he was in Libya the following year, he had the mental capacity to handle the dangerous missions he was asked to perform. His squadron’s mantra — “train as you intend to fight” — worked.
“Even though I got strong feelings when my first bombs hit the target and it was in infernal flames and fragments and everything,” he said, “it was like, ‘My training said that it’s OK, this is happening, recognize that, but know I have to return and do my job.’”
With Bodø until recently having a NATO air base, it was simply a happy coincidence that Bodø/Glimt’s leadership came across members of the squadron at the same time as they were seeking a “silver bullet” — as Mannsverk put it — to improve the team’s mental conditioning.
A project was born and fully embraced by manager Kjetil Knutsen following his appointment in 2018.
Bodø/Glimt have never looked back.
Mannsverk’s fingerprints are all over the team’s behavior, though he acknowledges there has been such a buy-in by the players that they now take decisions by themselves.
Like having a rotating cast of eight captains to share leadership duties. Like when the players gather into a circle — Mannsverk calls it the “Bodø/Glimt Ring” — after conceding a goal to discuss what happened and maintain solidarity. Like the players having no specific targets, apart from being the best version of themselves.
Inge Henning Andersen, Bodø/Glimt’s chairman, told the AP that midfielder Ulrik Saltnes considered retiring because he used to suffer from stress-related stomach issues that flared up around matches. Saltnes opened up about his problems to Mannsverk and “finally found a way out of it,” Andersen said.
The team play at an intensity that far exceeds its rivals, which players attribute to Mannsverk.
“I don’t think it would be possible to play like that without Bjørn and the mental work we do,” Saltnes once told the BBC.
This season’s Europa League campaign is giving Bodø/Glimt widespread attention, notably for its location. The team’s Aspmyra stadium — with a capacity of less than 9,000 — is one of the most northernly in world soccer at 67 degrees latitude. Tourists have long come to the town on the tip of Norway’s west coast because it is a good spot to see the northern lights.
Bodø, named the European Capital of Culture in 2024, has less than an hour of sunlight during its shortest days, meaning players take supplements to combat a lack of sunlight. It can be bitterly cold and windy in the long winters, making for tough trips for opponents from other countries.
On paper, Tottenham, one of the world’s richest clubs, start as a huge favorite against Bodø/Glimt. The crowd at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Thursday will be bigger than Bodø’s population.
Yet the English club are having one of their worst seasons in a generation and currently lies in 16th place in the 20-team Premier League. It gives Bodø/Glimt a realistic shot at an upset, like they produced when getting past Italian team Lazio in the quarterfinals.
Another chance, then, for the club to write another amazing chapter in their remarkable journey.
“We like to tell our story,” Mannsverk said. “The philosophy is a good thing. We know it’s difficult in football, where there’s so much money involved, to give a coach or a team the time. And it takes time to change and drill in the mentality.
“This was not done overnight ... but I’m totally convinced that it will work more or less all over.”


Olympic leader Bach got 10 percent raise in 2024 payment that trails far behind soccer’s elected leaders

Updated 7 sec ago
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Olympic leader Bach got 10 percent raise in 2024 payment that trails far behind soccer’s elected leaders

Bach on Monday will formally hand over to President-elect Kirsty Coventry
The IOC has classed the 71-year-old Bach as a volunteer on a full-time executive mission

GENEVA: The International Olympic Committee paid its president Thomas Bach $350,000 in 2024, the Olympic body said Friday — a 10 percent raise for his final full year in office after a two-year freeze.

The payment, or “indemnity” in Olympic language, revealed in its annual report is small compared to soccer bodies that, like the IOC, are based in Switzerland and count annual revenue in billions.

Bach on Monday will formally hand over to President-elect Kirsty Coventry, who will start an eight-year initial term as the Olympic body’s first female leader and first from Africa.

The IOC has classed the 71-year-old Bach as a volunteer on a full-time executive mission who “should not have to finance activities related to his function from his personal savings.”

Bach, who also gets living allowances, was paid from 12 percent to 15 percent what soccer gives its top elected officials.

FIFA paid its president Gianni Infantino $5.2 million in taxable salary and bonus last year, plus other expenses. Infantino also is among the 109 IOC members and so can claim $7,000 each year for office costs and $450 daily allowance when on Olympic business.

UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin got almost $4.3 million in taxable income last year, including $300,000 from FIFA as one of its vice presidents.

It is unclear if the 41-year-old Coventry will be a salaried president of the IOC instead of officially a volunteer. The IOC was asked for comment.

The two-time Olympic champion in swimming left her job as sports minister of Zimbabwe after winning the seven-candidate IOC election in March.

Bach’s annual payment has been decided by the IOC’s ethics commission on the stated principle “the president should not financially benefit from his position.”

The German lawyer held a series of business consultancies and board of director seats before being elected in 2013 to lead the IOC.

The IOC paid Bach 225,000 euros ($259,000) in 2020. It rose to 275,000 euros ($317,000) in the year of his re-election, 2021, then was frozen for each of the next two years.

International sports bodies have typically published details of leadership pay as part of governance reforms, particularly after corruption scandals in soccer.

Women’s Asian Cup qualifiers postponed, relocated due to Israel-Iran conflict

Updated 14 min 34 sec ago
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Women’s Asian Cup qualifiers postponed, relocated due to Israel-Iran conflict

  • Preliminary matches involving Jordan, Iran, Lebanon, Bhutan and Singapore were due to kick off on Monday
  • The Group A qualifiers will now take place from July 7 to 19

BEIRUT: Women’s Asian Cup qualifiers scheduled for next week in Jordan have been postponed until July and moved to Qatar due to the air war between Iran and Israel, the Asian Football Confederation confirmed on Friday.

Preliminary matches involving Jordan, Iran, Lebanon, Bhutan and Singapore were due to kick off on Monday and run through to July 5.

The Group A qualifiers will now take place from July 7 to 19, with further details regarding venues and match timings yet to be confirmed by the regional body.

The Football Association of Singapore had earlier said that the matches had been postponed by the AFC due to the “ongoing situation in the region and logistical concerns” raised by several participating member associations.

Qualifiers for the competition will begin elsewhere in the region on Monday, with the draw for the finals to be held on July 29. The 12-team tournament will be played in Australia next March.

Israel began attacking Iran last Friday, saying it aimed to prevent its longtime enemy from developing nuclear weapons.

Iran retaliated with missile and drone strikes on Israel. It says its nuclear program is peaceful.


Record participation as UAE students compete in annual contest at Yas Island

Updated 20 June 2025
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Record participation as UAE students compete in annual contest at Yas Island

  • The ADNOC Yas in Schools National Finals 2025 will bring together 1,400 students, 310 teams, and 113 schools with contests in F1 in Schools, Formula Ethara, and 4x4 in Schools

ABU DHABI: The 15th edition of the ADNOC Yas in Schools National Finals kicked off at Yas Marina Circuit, featuring a record-breaking number of participants from across the country. This year, 1,400 students representing 113 schools and 310 teams are competing in a series of STEM-focused competitions that run until June 22.

The event, a flagship initiative in the UAE’s youth and education landscape, aims to foster skills in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics through hands-on projects and competitive challenges. The finals include contests in F1 in Schools, Formula Ethara, and 4x4 in Schools, which emphasize engineering, design, sustainability, and teamwork.

Throughout the week, students will demonstrate their abilities by engineering miniature race cars, developing branding and sponsorship strategies, and presenting their projects to judges. The winners of the F1 in Schools category will represent the UAE at the global finals later this year.

Ali Al-Beshr, general manager of Yas Marina Circuit, said: “This year’s finals showcase the ambition, creativity, and skill that define the ADNOC Yas in Schools program. We are proud to support ADNOC’s commitment to youth empowerment, sustainability, and STEM development, and to watch the UAE’s next generation rise to the challenge.”

The competition aligns with national priorities to nurture a knowledge-based economy and promote sustainable innovation. Notably, many participating teams include students from underrepresented groups, with sustainability integrated into their engineering designs and presentations.

Since its inception, the program has contributed over 1 million hours of student engagement across more than 1,100 schools nationwide. The event supports ADNOC’s corporate social responsibility efforts and aligns with the UAE’s broader goals in education, sustainability, and economic development.

The winners will be announced during an online awards ceremony scheduled for June 24.

 


No. 1 tennis player Jannik Sinner featured on Andrea Bocelli’s new single

Updated 20 June 2025
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No. 1 tennis player Jannik Sinner featured on Andrea Bocelli’s new single

  • Top-ranked tennis player Jannik Sinner is featured on Andrea Bocelli’s new single “Dust and Glory”
  • The song blends Italian and English and mixes Bocelli’s vocals with spoken verses from Sinner

ROME: Top-ranked tennis player Jannik Sinner is featured on Andrea Bocelli’s new single, “Dust and Glory” that was released Friday.
The song, which blends Italian and English, mixes Bocelli’s vocals with spoken verses from Sinner.
It’s a tribute to the struggle and beauty of life’s journey, and “the fine line that turns dust into glory.”
There’s also an accompanying four-minute music video featuring private footage from the childhoods of both Italian stars, with current scenes filmed at Bocelli’s home in Tuscany.
“Talent doesn’t exist; it has to be earned,” Sinner says in the recording.
“Sharing this journey with Jannik was fascinating,” Bocelli said. “We’re from different worlds but close in commitment and discipline in the constant search for authenticity and beauty. I have always been his fan, fascinated not only by his talent, but also by his humility and his inner strength.”
Sinner added: “I am very honored and happy to be part of this project with Andrea, who for 30 years has been a unique and extraordinary voice, a flag of our country in the world. I could never have imagined hearing my voice in one of his songs, all this is a strong emotion.”


England chooses to bowl first against India in test series opener at Headingley

Updated 20 June 2025
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England chooses to bowl first against India in test series opener at Headingley

  • The pitch has a green tinge and the weather is sunny and humid, the temperature topping out at 29 degrees on days one and two

LEEDS: England chose to bowl first against India in the test series opener at Headingley on Friday.
Both teams would have picked to field first. The last six test winners in Leeds bowled first.
The pitch has a green tinge and the weather is sunny and humid, the temperature topping out at 29 degrees on days one and two.
India, under new skipper Shubman Gill, has chosen to debut top-order batter Sai Sudharsan, give middle-order bat Karun Nair his first test in eight years. Shardul Thakur, who hasn’t played a test since December 2023, was preferred to Nitish Kumar Reddy as the fast bowling allrounder and Prasidh Krishna headed off uncapped Arshdeep Singh as the third seamer.
England named its team on Thursday, choosing at No. 3 in the batting order vice captain Ollie Pope over Jacob Bethell.
Lineups:
England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (captain), Jamie Smith, Chris Woakes, Bryson Carse, Josh Tongue, Shoaib Bashir.
India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Lokesh Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (captain), Rishabh Pant, Karun Nair, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Prasidh Krishna, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.