Patrick Berg (born 24 November 1997) is a Norwegian professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Eliteserien club Bodø/Glimt and the Norway national team.
Club career
Bodø/Glimt Berg was born in Bodø. He made his senior debut for Bodø/Glimt on 12 July 2014 in a 3–0 loss to Odd.
Berg was appointed captain of the first team during the 2020 season. That year, he took part in his club's historic triumph, with FK Bodø/Glimt winning the Norwegian league championship for the first time in its history.
He was crowned Norwegian champion again in 2021.
Lens On 20 December 2021, Berg officially joined Lens. He signed a contract running until June 2026, and the transfer fee paid to Bodø/Glimt was estimated at €4.5 million. The transfer became effective on 1 January 2022.
He made his debut in a Lens shirt on 4 January 2022, in the Coupe de France derby against Lille, coming on in the 75th minute in place of Kevin Danso. The match ended 2–2, with Lens winning on penalties. He came very close to providing an assist to his teammate Ibrahima Baldé in the 90th minute.
He made his first start on 5 February 2022, against Lorient, following the suspension of Cheick Doucouré, in a 2–0 defeat. He then went on to make a series of substitute appearances. On 16 April 2022, he started against Lille in a 2–1 victory, delivering a highly convincing performance. He finished the season having mostly accumulated brief appearances with the Lens first team, marking a half-season of adaptation, as Franck Haise is known for taking considerable time to integrate players who have never played in Ligue 1.
However, things did not go as planned for Berg, who had been expected to succeed Doucouré following his transfer to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2022. The arrival of Ghanaian midfielder Salis Abdul Samed, newly signed from Clermont to strengthen the midfield, further clouded his future at Lens. Berg therefore began the 2022–2023 season on the bench, continuing to make substitute appearances, but increasingly in the final minutes of matches.
Return to Bodø/Glimt On 29 August 2022, after only six months in France, Berg decided to return to Norway and rejoin his boyhood club, Bodø/Glimt. On 3 September 2023, Berg scored twice in a league match against Hamarkameratene. Despite his brace, neither side was able to secure victory, with the match ending in a 4–4 draw.
Berg won the Norwegian league title for a third time as Bodø/Glimt were once again crowned champions at the end of the 2023 season. He played a key role in Bodø/Glimt's historic European campaigns, contributing to the club's run to the semi-finals of the 2024–25 UEFA Europa League, and helping them reach the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 in the 2025–26 campaign.
International career In August 2020, Berg received his first call-up to the Norway national team for UEFA Nations League matches against Austria and Northern Ireland. However, he remained an unused substitute in both matches. He was called up again in November 2020, but after testing positive for COVID-19 despite being asymptomatic, he was placed in quarantine and was ultimately unable to make his senior international debut during that international break.
On 24 March 2021, Berg made his international debut for the Norway national team in a World Cup qualifier against Gibraltar, making him Norway's first ever third-generation international footballer.
On 21 May 2026, Berg was included in the 26-man squad selected by Norway national team manager Ståle Solbakken for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He started the tournament on the bench, but soon became the preferred choice as a defensive midfielder. He played 4 out of the team’s 6 games as a starter.
Personal life Berg comes from a football family; his father Ørjan Berg, his grandfather Harald Berg, his uncles Arild and Runar Berg, and his great uncle Knut Berg have all played for Bodø/Glimt. Harald, Ørjan, and Runar have also played for the national team. Following his appearances in the 2026 FIFA World Cup he has been jokingly called "Patrick Jane" due to his resemblance to actor Simon Baker who played Jane in the show The Mentalist.
Career statistics Club
+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueNational cupEuropeTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsBodø/Glimt 2014Eliteserien1010—2020154152016181412222017Norwegian First Division170201902018Eliteserien190522422019240102502020284031315202126321133417Total137816416416916Lens2021–22Ligue 114020—1602022–23303Total17020—190Bodø/Glimt2022Eliteserien101070171202330392144539202429920212521120252853180396202619240111343Total1162018361719530Career total27028367771138346
International
+ Appearances and goals by national team and yearNational teamYearAppsGoalsNorway20219020225202382024820259202613Total520
Honours Bodø/Glimt Eliteserien: 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024 Norwegian Cup: 2025–26
Individual Eliteserien Player of the Year: 2021, 2025 UEFA Europa League Team of the Season: 2024–25 Eliteserien Player of the Month: June/July 2025
References