Steffen Hagen

Steffen Hagen (born 8 March 1986) is a retired Norwegian footballer who played as a defender, most famously for Odd, where he played over 500 league games. With 462 top division appearances, Hagen has made the second-highest number of appearances in Eliteserien.

He has been capped several times playing for his country at youth international level, including 20 caps for the Norwegian under-21 team, and in January 2012 Hagen made his debut for Norway national football team.

Club career Early career Hagen was born in Kristiansand but lived in Madagascar, where his parents were missionaries, for five years. He did not start to play organized football before he moved back to Norway as a 15-year-old, and joined the local club Vigør.

Hagen transferred to the then second tier team Mandalskameratene ahead of the 2004-season. A half-year later, he was a first team regular and the 18-year-old became captain when André Herfindal was injured. The next season Hagen scored his four first goals for Mandalskameratene, but the team was relegated and Hagen was sold to the Tippeligaen side Odd.

Odds Ballklubb After joining Odd, coach Arne Sandstø predicted that Hagen in his first season could be one of the best newcomers in Tippeligaen. Hagen made his debut in the opening match of the 2006 season, in Odd's 0–0 draw against Vålerenga.

On 20 March 2007, Odd announced that Hagen would be the team's captain in the 2007 season. Due to injuries, Hagen was replaced as captain by Morten Fevang mid-season, and at the end of the season Odd was relegated after losing 4–2 on aggregate against Bodø/Glimt in the relegation play-offs, but Hagen missed one of the play-off matches due to an injury he got while he was on the toilet.

Hagen played 18 matches when Odd won the 2008 First Division and was promoted to Tippeligaen. and he was the only player, along with Håkon Skogseid, that played every minute of the 30 matches in the 2009 season. In October 2009, Hagen signed a new contract with Odd till the end of the 2012-season. In the 2010 season, he again played every minute in Tippeligaen,

In the 2011 season Hagen played as a full back, and once again he played every league-match during the season. After the season, he was wanted by Lillestrøm, but he rejected their offer and stayed at Odd. On 14 April 2012 Hagen played his 100th consecutive league match for Odd, while playing every minute of each match. Hagen signed a new contract with Odd in July 2012, binding him to the club until the end of the 2015 season. Hagen played every minute of the 30 league-matches in the 2012 season, and in the second match of the 2013-season against Tromsø on 1 April 2013 he played his 122nd full match in a row, beating Fredrik Kjølner's old record for out-field players with 121 matches or 10,890 minutes. For the first time in 124 matches, Hagen had to leave the pitch due to an injury after 20 minutes of the match against Molde on 20 April, and was unable to beat Morten Bakke's record of 139 consecutive matches in the Norwegian top league.

International career Hagen played nine matches for Norway U-19 in 2005 and was also the team's captain. In Norway's next match against South Korea on 21 January 2012, Hagen replaced Vegar Eggen Hedenstad after 57 minutes.

Career statistics

Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals

2004

2005

37!!4!!0!!0!!—!!—!!37!!4

2006

2007

2008 1. divisjon

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025 OBOS-ligaen

23

539!!19!!64!!6!!21!!2!!624!!27