Renate Blindheim

Blindheim grew up in Bergen and aspired to be a professional footballer from a young age. She represented Norway three times at youth level, featuring alongside future Norway senior international players such as Guro Reiten and Caroline Graham Hansen.^[2][1] Blindheim struggled with injuries and, at the age of 17, retired from football after a serious foot injury. After this, she decided to focus on coaching her younger sister. Her father was a football manager at the time.^[3]

Blindheim first worked as a youth coach for Gneist and then later for Olsvik. After her spell at Olsvik, she worked as a player development coach at Åsane.^[3] It was during this time that she decided to aspire to be a manager in the Eliteserien, the top tier of Norwegian men's football.^[2]

On 19 June 2020, it was announced that Blindheim would be the manager of 2. divisjon club Sotra, meaning that she would be the first female manager to take charge of a professional Norwegian men's football team.^[4] The news of her appointment led to significant international media coverage of both her and the club.^[5][6] After six league games, Sotra were undefeated and at the top of the league table with five victories.^[7] Following that spell, however, the team's form worsened and they had one draw and seven losses, meaning that they were seventh in the league.^[8]