Like son, like father: Odegaard's dad runs riot as coach in Norway

Norwegian football has never been too popular globally. Their clubs mostly failed to leave a lasting mark in European competitions, while Rosenborg's Champions League quarter-final run in the 1996/1997 season was the exception that proved the rule.

The Norway national team hasn't participated in a major international competition since the 1998 FIFA World Cup, and, apart from a couple of famous players, this Northern European country is best known for its fantastic results in winter sports and handball rather than football.

Nevertheless, this season changed everything, as Norway suddenly returned to the spotlight.

Haaland and Co. celebrate securing the place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup with Norway (©Image Photo Agency/Getty Images/Gallo Images)

Erling Haaland is having another ruthless Premier League campaign - though his impact hasn't been vital, as his mercilessness is something everyone has got used to - while the popular Lions qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, breaking the curse that lasted for 28 years.

On top of everything, the champions of the Norwegian Eliteserien, Bodo/Glimt, enchanted all of Europe with their stunning wins over Manchester City, Atletico Madrid, and Inter Milan, nearly repeating Rosenborg's success from 29 years ago and reaching the UCL quarter-finals.

Manchester City are about to snatch Odegaard 2.0

All these big things that have happened lately in Norwegian football have prompted the public to keep an eye on it, as there apparently is a lot to see in the North.

That's how Lillestrom appeared. The five-time champions of Norway, who have won their last title back in 1989, have mainly been a stable first-tier side but have always lacked something to take the next step forward and find their way past the country's giants like Rosenborg, Molde, and Bodo/Glimt.

Mr. Glass

Last season, Lillestrom were relegated for only the second time since 1974, and the manager, Dag-Eilev Fagermo, paid the price. The man who succeeded him wrote new chapters in the club's history and may have become the next representative of Norway in top-notch football.

His name is Hans Erik Odegaard, and no, he is not just Martin Odegaard's father, though that's what mostly catches people's eyes at first.

Hans Erik Odegaard (right) in action for Stromsgodset against Aston Villa in the 1998/1999 UEFA Cup (©Gallo Images)

Odegaard Sr was a player himself - a midfielder just like his son - who spent his whole career at two clubs, Stromsgodset and Sandefjord. After retiring at the age of 32, he worked as an assistant manager at Mjondalen, but also with their, Stromsgodset’s, and Real Madrid's youth teams.

In 2021, he became a head coach for the first time, leading Sandefjord for three seasons, before taking over Lillestrom's hot seat on January 1, 2025.

That's when miracles began happening at Arasen Stadion.

The popular Canaries dominated the second flight, won first place with a 25-point advantage over the closest rivals, and instantly returned to the top tier. What makes their achievement even more impressive is that they were unbeaten, recording 25 wins and five draws!

Still, that wasn't the end of Odegaard and his men's "terror".

For the first time since 2017 - and the seventh in the club's history - Lillestrom won the Norwegian NM Cup, extending their unbeaten streak to 40 games across the entire season in which the Canaries did not feel the bitterness of defeat.

This month, they launched a new campaign in the top flight with two triumphs before the giants, Bodo/Glimt, crushed them 4-0 in the Cup three days ago.

Lillestrom players' huddle ahead of the match against Bodo/Glimt (©AFP)

This way, Lillestrom's remarkable run ended after 42 games and 476 days. At the same time, that loss was the first for Odegaard on the Canaries' bench.

However, what the 52-year-old tactician and his men have done deserves much praise and respect, and who knows, perhaps once he finishes his spell in the North, he'll unite with his son Martin at Arsenal, Norway, or somewhere else.

Either way, Odegaard Sr has proved he's ready for a major step forward in his career.