Kjetil Knutsen
Bodø/Glimt, 2018-
Tottenham Hotspur, Juventus and Manchester City are among the teams that Bodø/Glimt and their head coach, Kjetil Knutsen, will face in the 2025/26 Champions League. It is their reward for reaching the UEFA Champions League league phase for the first time. But Knutsen and his team already have pedigree on the European stage, having got to the the Europa League semi finals in the previous campaign – the first time a Norwegian club had appeared in the last four of a men’s UEFA club competition.
To those outside Norway, Knutsen is an overnight success story built on 30 years of hard work. Born in Bergen in 1968, Norwegian Knutsen began his coaching career in 1995, working his way up to manager of Bodø/Glimt by 2018. Since then, he has won four national Eliteserien league titles with the club, including their first ever championship in 2020.
Below, our UEFA-licensed coaches have analysed the tactics he has used to achieve such success.
Build-up play
Knutsen led Bodø/Glimt to four Eliteserien titles between 2020 and 2024 by playing almost exclusively a 4-3-3. During those five campaigns, his side never dropped below 60 per cent average possession for a season, dominating games with lots of short passes.
They also spent a considerable amount of time attacking compact blocks. Even when opponents were slightly less organised, his team often faced significant defensive numbers. In four of the last five Eliteserien campaigns, Bodø/Glimt had the highest PPDA recorded against them, with most opponents sitting off in a block inside their own half.
But even when beginning the attack against higher pressure, Knutsen used a traditional 4-3-3 shape. Here, the back line has widened, with the full-backs particularly happy to receive across their body and connect close to the touchline with their winger teammate. And, as their expansive back-line created bigger distances between themselves, so it increased pressing distances.
Knutsen’s full-backs have demonstrated the ability to take the ball and play back inside. Touches back across have then helped connect with the central midfield three, or find the opposite central defender. The likes of Fredrik Sjøvold, Fredrik Bjørkan (below) and Brice Wembangomo have all performed this role.
The single pivot has moved subtly but frequently within Knutsen’s build up. They have provided connecting passes between the back line and number eights, but also helped play around corners when the opponent pressed from in to out – often as a consequence of Bodø/Glimt’s widening full-backs.
The two number-eights ahead have had licence to roam and provide varied movements, depending on the situation. The most common movement has been from a higher starting position – the number-eight closest to the ball dropping down to help support the spaces inside of the wide full-back. This has helped create a brief second pivot when required.
Bodø/Glimt’s build has often then relied on quick passes across the pitch, searching for the opposite centre-back when a single number nine tries to lock the play one way. Bodø/Glimt’s dropping number eight then helps find the spare centre-back, who can step forward with the ball. In recent seasons, Håkon Evjen, Ulrik Saltnes, Albert Grønbæk, Hugo Vetlesen and Sondre Brunstad Fet have filled this eight role, dropping down and linking the play across the pitch, working around single pivot, Patrick Berg.
The opposite number eight, further away from the ball, has tended to provide forward runs during build up. From these they have been able to work off any direct passes into the front line. However, as Bodø/Glimt have used passes across the pitch so well, forward movements have also been found by the centre-back (such as Odin Lurås Bjørtuft into Albert Grønbæk, below). This has meant midfielders receiving on the half-turn, often on their safe side to connect into the wingers and break forward from there.
Attacking play
Against a more withdrawn block, Knutsen’s Bodø/Glimt have focused on breaking through, around or over a compact structure. It has not been uncommon to see them commit numbers to the attack once they break into the final third, with all of them positioned within the width of the six-yard box.
It is worth noting that Bodø/Glimt have ranked in the top three for most dribbles and 1v1 moments in each of the last five, full Eliteserien seasons. Knutsen’s wingers have been key contributors to this part of the attack; Jens Petter Hauge, Tobias Gulliksen, Joel Mvuka and Ola Solbakken have driven with the ball, attacking full-backs 1v1, before combining with those supporting closely around them.
However, with many of these dribbles Knutsen’s attackers weren’t looking to beat their opponent. Not least because, more often than not, the space hasn’t been there to do so. Instead, they have often enticed individual defenders out of the block via slightly slower dribbles, as opposed to attempting to knock the ball past them. Once an individual opponent is enticed towards the ball, a quick release pass into a teammate making a run – ideally facing forward and the opposition goal – into this newly created space has penetrated the opposing block. There have been games where Bodø/Glimt players have done this successfully on multiple occasions, demonstrating purposeful and penetrative attacking combinations built around driving, luring and releasing.
With many teams in an organised, deep block against Knutsen’s side, he has also encouraged extra players to attack high up the pitch. This has typically meant Bodø/Glimt attacking with five players, while supporting underneath the ball and defending against counter-attacks with five. In a 4-3-3, the front three and two number eights have been largely responsible for the attack. As well as the wingers’ dribbling, midfielders Grønbæk and Vetlesen have regularly driven with the ball to entice defenders with narrowed runs in the inside channels, often just between the full-back and centre-back. From there they can then connect with the centre-forwards, who tend to add the finish rather than any more passes or dribbles (below).
At times Knutsen is also keen to get further bodies forward, usually the full-backs. These players have contributed more dribbling at opposing players – particularly Bjørkan and Wembangomo, who have lured opponents to the ball, then released into the narrow numbers.
As well as their narrowed combinations, Bodø/Glimt have also worked regular crossing opportunities, taking advantage of significant numbers within the width of the six yard box. Their crossing has often been a byproduct of their dribbling.
They have also worked crosses from inside the penalty area. There, the centre-forward and numbers eights have crashed the box, supported by the winger on the far side. When the full-back has advanced too (below), then the wingers closest to the ball could attack narrow, adding numbers to the width of the six yard box, with six in the attack.
Out of possession
When pressing high up the pitch, Knutsen’s side have used different strategies, depending on whether they want to force the ball wide, or set a central trap. With a more simplistic press they have maintained their 4-3-3 shape and the single centre-forward has locked the play one way. The wingers have then narrowed, encouraging the ball to be played along or towards the touchline. Once the ball has been released wide – usually from an opposing centre-back to full-back – then Knutsen’s wingers have aggressively released to press outwards.
Bodø/Glimt’s full-backs are then ready to jump with their winger teammates – especially if their direct opponent has moved back towards the ball. The central midfielders remain adaptable to cover passes back inside, but also for balls around and over the advancing full-back, while tracking any opposing forward run from midfield.
A more complex press involves both wingers pressing inwards on to the opposing centre-backs. They leave their respective full-back opponents and aggressively cut off any wide passes. Knutsen’s single centre-forward then recovers and retreats before, or just as, this press begins, limiting access into the opposition’s deepest pivot (below). This almost creates a diamond shape in the midfield, allowing Knutsen’s own single pivot to zonally cover the space between the lines, and then pick up anyone who enters this space.
Supporting the inward press from the wingers are two very versatile and hard-working number eights. It is essential that they start narrow and defend either side of the withdrawn centre-forward, picking their moment to aggressively release and press into the wide area, should the wingers’ press be played around. From here the adapted diamond shape slides across, with the zones moving towards the ball. If Knutsen’s side aren’t successful at forcing a central trap, then the ball is typically locked to the touchline.
As Knutsen’s sides have dominated the ball for the majority of the last five domestic campaigns, naturally their defending time has been reduced. This means they have fairly modest PPDA scores. But there have also been plenty of times where Bodø/Glimt have recovered into a block to defend. In these moments various shapes have emerged from their 4-3-3, with the midfield often adapting to the opposition.
When facing two number eights, Knutsen’s side have placed two deeper markers ahead of the centre-backs, with narrowed wingers supporting to zonally protect any inside channel passes (below). This forms a 4-4-1-1 structure, with the centre-forward locking the play one way. Bodø/Glimt have then aimed to shuttle the ball along the line, limiting access to the middle.
Should the opposition build with two deeper pivots, then Knutsen’s original 4-3-3 shape defends in a 4-1-4-1, with the eights now slightly higher, but supporting their narrowed wingers. Again they will look to lock and force away from the centre, with the first line trying to force the ball wide, where possible.
Knutsen’s tactics have been hugely successful domestically, while also yielding historic results in the more challenging environment of UEFA competition. They will face their biggest test yet in the 2025/26 Champions League group phase, and it will be fascinating to see if Knutsen adapts his approach at all.
Want to know more about football tactics and learn how to coach from the very best? Take a look at the Coaches’ Voice Academy here
