All things considered, it has been a sensational season for Jens Petter Hauge. After leading Bodø/Glimt to the UEFA Champions League main draw with four assists in two qualifiers vs. Sturm Graz, Hauge bagged a brace against Tottenham Hotspur before finding the back of the net against Borussia Dortmund and Manchester City. Hauge guided Bodø/Glimt to a historic victory against Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16, scoring in the first leg and providing a goal and an assist in the second, before assisting in their first leg win vs. Sporting.

While he was unable to withstand a second-leg comeback from the Portuguese champions, he has nevertheless established himself as one of the game’s top Scandinavian talents alongside the likes of Jesper Karlström, and after earning a recall to the Norway national team after a year, he could very well be set for a call-up to the upcoming FIFA World Cup. Joy News spoke to Hauge about a number of topics, including:

What was it like growing up above the Arctic Circle in Bodø?

“I always wanted to be a footballer when I got older, that’s always been my dream. The nature here in Bodø is amazing. We have this special thing that in the summer it's not getting dark, and in the winter it's not getting any sun. It's special to live above the Arctic Circle. As a local, having grown up here, for me, it's pretty normal. But I've spoken a lot with people who come from Africa or another part of Europe, and they say, "Hey, when is it getting dark, you know, in the middle of the summer?” And I'm saying it's not getting dark because of the midnight sun. It's a bit strange for people who are not from Bodø, but I enjoy living here.”

You’re one of the few players who have played with both Omar Marmoush and Erling Haaland. Do you think Marmoush has what it takes to push Haaland for City’s starting striker position or potentially start alongside him?

“I don't think any player can live up to the expectations of Haaland. In terms of goal scoring, he is definitely number one. But Marmoush is a bit of a different striker to Haaland: he can do a little bit more on his own, but it will be really exciting to see how he fills the gap. Of course, Marmoush is a quality player, and his Eintracht Frankfurt numbers speak for themselves – City have a good man to rely on.”

Bodø/Glimt have won four of the last six Eliteserien titles, having never won a single title before 2020…what do you think have been the biggest keys behind their success?

“We’re always secure in the way that we want to play. We don't care who we play or where we play: we want to play our game, and we trust ourselves. The coach has a lot of trust in the players, and the players trust a lot in the coach, so we focus more on ourselves. We always want to develop our game, and yeah, I think that's the biggest factor because we always try to develop our own game.”

Lastly, just how proud are you to represent Norway?

“It's the biggest thing that every footballer can do to represent their country, to go out there and fight with the best players from Norway. I was almost 25 years not in the national team, and then after returning to Bodø, I got called back, which was like a big clap on the shoulder for me and the job that I've done in the past year, and I’m back again after a year out.”