Magnus Devold is a towering figure in Norwegian comedy, quite literally. His giant stature coupled with an endearing, goofy demeanor and a razor-sharp wit has made him something of a national treasure. Devold’s rise to prominence had nothing to do with football, but you can only hide your passion for the world’s greatest sport for so long. Nowadays, his fandom is on full display and we were both absolutely thrilled and completely unsurprised to learn that Magnus is a big Superclub fan.
1) We will have introduced you before this question, but in your own words: who are you and what do you do?
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I am a 37-year-old comedian from Oslo, Norway, who also hosts the podcast "The Football Quiz Championship," where two well-known people compete against each other in a football quiz in a knockout format.
2) Describe your relationship with football. When did it start, did you play yourself and and how intense is the passion now?
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It started with watching it on TV. I was a child, 6-7 years old, when Norway, for the first time in ages, had a good national team that beat both England and the Netherlands on their way to their first World Cup in 60 years in the early 90s. Additionally, I started watching the Premier League and the Norwegian Eliteserien early on. I also started playing myself on my local team Lyn as a kid, but I never became a great player myself.
3) What makes football the greatest sport in the world?
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The way it brings people together, you always have something to talk about if you meet someone who is interested in football. The supporter culture and how the clubs and the life around the clubs are influenced by the local community, politics, economy, the culture where they are, and the world in general. I don't think any other sport does that in the same way.
4) Who’s your all-time favorite footballer and who’s your favourite active player?
As a child, my idols were Robbie Fowler and Jamie Redknapp from Liverpool, the Flo brothers from Norway, and Jo Tessem and Steven Lustü from Lyn. Andrea Pirlo has been a big favorite, and in recent years I have most enjoyed watching Mohamed Salah play football.
If I have to choose 3: Robbie Fowler, Steven Lustü, and Tore Andre Flo.
5) You are president of FIFA for a day. What’s the one thing about football you would like to change?
Even out the economic differences between clubs, work against financial doping, cheating, and corruption, remove VAR until there is a better system, and give more power to the supporters who attend matches rather than the market.
6) Which football game have you spent the most time on in your life?
(Photo: Private)The matches I had on VHS when I was younger: Liverpool-Newcastle 4-3 from 1996, highlights from the 1998 World Cup, and the Oslo derbies between Lyn and Vålerenga in the 2000s.
7) When and where did you first discover Superclub?
Through a friend who had bought it, I think he had read about it on the internet. I got hooked right away, so I wished for and received the game for my birthday.
8) What made you want to try it out, and why did you keep playing?
It's a kind of perfect blend of Football Manager, Monopoly, and Risk. There are also ways built into the game to level the playing field, so if you start with a poor squad or have a bad season, you always have the chance to come back next season.
9) Do you have a favourite club in the game, and why were you attracted to that club?
I've played a lot with Purple Plain Athletic. "Purple reign" is the best slogan a purple club can have.
10) Finally, what exciting things do you have in the pipeline and where can people find your work?
(Photo: Private)For football fans, there's my podcast, The Football Quiz Championship, which I think anyone interested in football (and who speaks Norwegian) will enjoy listening to. It's available everywhere you find podcasts!
The Football Quiz Championship (Spotify)