While most players in the Champions League enjoy multimillion-euro contracts and dedicate themselves entirely to football, Viking goalkeeper Arild OstbO has two jobs. The experienced shot-stopper leads an unusual double life: alongside playing in Europe's elite competition in the evenings, he also works part-time as an IT consultant.Ostbo works at the IT company Bouvet, whose offices are located right next to Viking's stadium, offering a direct view of the pitch from the windows. “I’m the guy who comes in after lunch and leaves two hours later,” Ostbo said with a smile in an interesting interview with Norwegian outlet TV 2.Olise ruined Bayern’s dream comeback – Vikings snatch draw against giant“The days just fly by. At one point, I realised that I needed something else in my life besides football alone.” The experienced goalkeeper, who is also the father of two young children, explained that his professional commitments away from the pitch actually help him in his football career.“I feel that it helps me on the pitch as well. I spend less energy preparing for matches and thinking about them. In a way, the stadium has become my sanctuary.”His journey to becoming the team's first-choice goalkeeper has been anything but straightforward. Ostbo made his first-team debut for Viking almost 16 years ago, but spent much of his career labelled a perennial backup. Between 2010 and 2025, he averaged fewer than eight appearances per season, while also going out on loan and representing Sandnes Ulf, Start, Strommen, Sarpsborg and Rosenborg.Before the start of this season, few expected the 35-year-old to become Viking's first-choice goalkeeper, especially after the club signed Slovakian shot-stopper Ľubomir Belko, the most expensive goalkeeper in Norwegian football history. Nevertheless, Ostbo earned his place between the posts through dedication and hard work.##EDITORS_CHOICE##“My career has been full of ups and downs, but I had to learn how to endure all of it. This is the best period of my life. What I enjoy most is playing regularly and having peace of mind in my everyday life, but fighting for a place in the team is an integral part of football,” the Norwegian goalkeeper said, adding that his experience and mental stability have helped him reach the best form of his career.After making his Champions League debut against Stuttgart, which he described as “a childhood dream come true,” Ostbo was between the posts for Viking again last night in their spectacular encounter with Bayern Munich. However, one of his idols, Manuel Neuer, was not on the opposite side.##NAJAVA_MECA_10027781##
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