(foto: Uradni facebook profil kluba)
Viking Stavanger have won their first Norwegian league title in 34 years, ending Bodø/Glimt’s dominance—a team Koper painfully remember from a 12:3 aggregate defeat.
Viking Stavanger have ended one of Norwegian football’s longest waits, securing their first league title in 34 years and finally breaking the dominance that has shaped the Eliteserien over the past decade.
Norwegian football has a history of long-lasting dynasties. Rosenborg famously collected 13 consecutive titles between 1992 and 2004, and in recent years Bodø/Glimt appeared set to build a similar empire, winning four of the last five championships.
But this season, Viking rose above everyone.
The club—one of Norway’s traditional giants—had last lifted the trophy in 1991 before slipping behind Rosenborg, Molde and Bodø/Glimt in the modern era. Their resurgence has been remarkable, and Slovenian fans saw a glimpse of their strength much earlier than most.
Koper felt Viking’s power first
Koper had the misfortune of meeting Viking in the Conference League qualifiers, suffering one of the heaviest defeats by a Slovenian club in recent history. Viking destroyed the Primorska side 7–0 in Stavanger before adding five more goals in Koper for a staggering 12–3 aggregate win.
Stavanger, Norway’s fourth-largest city with around 150,000 inhabitants, erupted in celebration as this same team went on to dominate the league.
The pillars of Viking’s success
A key figure in the title run is Zlatko Tripić, the 32-year-old winger born in Rijeka who moved to Norway as a baby. Tripić is already a club legend, and this season cemented his status with 11 goals and 16 assists.
Viking’s rise also carries the signature of Bjarte Lunde Aarsheim, a Stavanger native who spent most of his playing career at the club. After retirement he coached the academy, served as assistant, and since 2021 has led the first team. Now he stands among the club's iconic figures—his name etched into Viking’s history.
A historic title
Before this season, Viking had won eight championships between 1958 and 1991, but none since. Ending that drought, especially against the backdrop of Bodø/Glimt’s power era, makes this triumph one of the club’s greatest achievements.