Midfielder made 195 apps for Leeds United - his son is now a top-flight footballer | OneFootball

Eirik Bakke’s legacy at Elland Road, and in the Norwegian Eliteserien

By the time Eirik Bakke's career at Leeds United drew to a close, he had become a symbol of the club's dramatic rise and precipitous fall - a player whose story was intrinsically linked to one of English football's most famous narratives of ambition and decline.

When he arrived at Elland Road in 1999, Bakke was a 21-year-old rising star, having just featured for the Norwegian Under-21 side that finished third in the European Championships.

Though he grew up an Everton supporter, it was David O’Leary’s vision that captured his imagination. Multiple clubs were interested, but Elland Road was irresistible.

His impact was immediate. By the end of his first season, Bakke was voted the club's Young Player of the Year, helping Leeds finish third in the league and reach the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup.

He was neither a headline-grabbing superstar nor a peripheral figure. Bakke existed in that crucial middle ground - a player whose contributions were felt more deeply than they were celebrated.

While teammates like Rio Ferdinand and Harry Kewell captured imaginations, Bakke was the engine room that allowed such talents to flourish.

Eirik Bakke was the unsung hero of Leeds United's legendary Champions League campaign

Bakke’s finest moments came during Leeds United's remarkable Champions League campaign of 2000-2001 - though he didn’t take to European football smoothly.

"I got sent off in the first [qualifying] game against 1860 Munich at home," he would later recount. "We were close to going out before it had started."

But go on they did. On those European nights, Bakke was crucial. Starting 10 of the 18 games in the competition, he was the man to break up opposition attacks and transition seamlessly into creativity.

The team's youthful swagger was their greatest weapon. "The good thing about that Leeds team was that we didn't fear anyone," Bakke says. "We just played our game."

Their campaign was nothing short of magical, and the UEFA Cup semi-final against Galatasaray 12 months earlier stands as a testament to his capabilities. Scoring twice in the second leg, Bakke showed he could emerge in critical moments, his goals symbolic of a team that dared to dream beyond its perceived limitations.

Leeds United’s dream European nights to financial nightmare

Yet, like the club itself in that era, Bakke's trajectory was defined by unfulfilled potential.

As Leeds’ financial problems began to spiral, his own fortunes became increasingly fragile.

The club's spending strategy was predicated on Champions League qualification - a gamble that would spectacularly backfire.

"We bought a lot of players we didn't need," Bakke reflects critically. "They were good players - Robbie Fowler and many other great players - but we had talented strikers from before. Some of the young boys should have been playing more."

Persistent injuries began to consume his playing time, reducing his presence in the team.

By the time Leeds suffered relegation from the Premier League, Bakke had become a living reminder of how swiftly football's fortunes can change.

Eirik Bakke's footballing legacy lives on through son Johan

Off the pitch, Bakke carried himself with a quiet dignity. His commitment to Leeds was unwavering, even as the club around him descended into chaos.

After leaving England, he found renewed purpose back in Norway. He returned to where he began, SK Brann, winning the Norwegian title in 2007, and later transitioned into coaching - eventually returning to manage his hometown club, Sogndal IL.

Perhaps most poignant is how Bakke's legacy continues through his son, Johan.

Following a similar path, Johan has begun making his mark in Norwegian football as a promising talent at Molde. He too has followed in his father’s academy footsteps, the third generation of the Bakke family to have graduated from Sogndal IL’s academy.

Bakke's Leeds United journey mirrored the club's own trajectory - promising, momentarily brilliant, and ultimately cut short.

An unsung midfielder whose understated skill belied his true value, he embodied the resilience of a generation of footballers navigating an increasingly unpredictable game.