Before the start of the derby against FC Nantes, he had offered a 360-degree glance to look at the whole stadium, like a child in an amusement park. Without being impressed, but rather to savor. “The stadium was full, it was incredible,” he says soberly. Ninety minutes later, Birger Meling literally exploded with joy when Stade Rennais won 1-0 in a Western derby that the Norwegian was discovering. Arrived at the end of July in Brittany after a season in Nîmes, the left side did not take long to be appreciated by the supporters of Stade Rennais. Impressive by his slaughter on the field, the former player of Rosenborg will find his former club this Thursday (kick-off at 7 p.m.) on the occasion of the return barrage of the new Europa League Conference. In Trondheim, where he played three seasons, like all the clubs he has been to, Birger Meling left the same mark: the image of a respectful, hardworking player who gives everything he has for his team. His atypical career is undoubtedly no stranger to it. Explanations.
“When he played for the Stavanger Vikings, he was 1.40 m tall and weighed 36 kg.” Thommas Husevik went back to old press clippings retracing the youth of the Stavanger player. It was in this coastal town in southwestern Norway that Birger Meling was born and raised. Finally, grown up, the word is perhaps poorly chosen. If he now displays an honorable 1m73, Birger Meling has long been handicapped by his size. To the point of seeing his dreams of becoming a pro fly away. “His training club did not want to keep it because he found it too small”, says the journalist of Jaerbladet. Words confirmed by his colleague Johannes Strand, who follows the Rosenborg club for the newspaper Address. “He was clearly told that he was too weak physically to turn pro. But he developed a lot when he played at Stabæk ”.
To report:
Birger Meling is the only Stade Rennais FC player to systematically go around Roazhon Park at the end of the matches to greet supporters from all stands.
– Shabani ROUGEmémoire 🏆1965 🏆1971 🏆2019 (@mattcharp) August 22, 2021
Aged 26, Birger Meling was finally slow to “hatch”, taking refuge in work to compensate. “When I was 18, I wasn’t ready for the top level, but that’s life. This is what made me want to do more, to always surpass myself, ”explains the player. At 19, he will go to Middlesbrough for a year in order to improve his physique. “He worked a lot with his father to compensate for his small size. He had to transform, ”continues Thommas Husevik.
“He gives his life in the field”
When he arrives at Rosenborg in 2017, Norway’s most successful club are back and were crowned champions in 2015 and 2016. It was here in Trondheim that Meling saw his career take off. He continues the matches and becomes indisputable on his left flank, taking the opportunity to glean experience in the Europa League and in the Champions League play-offs. Spotted, Meling left Norway in the summer of 2020 to join Nîmes Olympique. His first match against Brest remained in the memory of Romain Collet-Gaudin, former player and lover of the Crocos. “He had a goal and given a dice pass. I had rarely seen that from a player who had just arrived, ”recalls the official commentator of Nîmes Olympique for France Bleu.
“The coach often said that he would like to have 10 or 15 guys like Meling or Ripart in his squad. He is a player who does not count his round trips. He gives his life in the field ”.
This first season outside Norway ended with a descent in Ligue 2, paradoxically marked by a defeat against Rennes, one evening in May on the lawn of Roazhon Park. The Norwegian returned there very quickly but under the colors of Stade Rennais. Recruited this summer for three million euros, he was able to win in a left lane yet well stocked with Faitout Maouassa and Adrien Truffert. In four games, the one nicknamed “Biggie” has already delivered an assist. But above all, it capsized the hearts of the supporters. “He’s honest, he works hard. It’s easy to love him and he easily becomes a fan’s favorite, ”continues Thommas Husevik. “In Norway, many are surprised to have seen him progress so quickly in France. But he’s a player who has always been able to raise his level quickly, ”said Johannes Strand. Asked about this flash adaptation, the Rennes side responds with a broad smile. “When you play with players like here, it’s easy. There are only good guys in the locker room ”.
Be careful behind his back
Used to climbing very often, the new SRFC piston will have to learn to be wary of its future opponents, who could not miss its performance at the start of the season. “We saw some teams throw balloons behind him. It’s one of his faults, but he makes up for it with his physique. He is safe, ”says Romain Collet-Gaudin.
In just four games played with Stade Rennais, the Norwegian has already put the public in the pocket with a simple recipe, faithful to the slogan of his new club: give everything. For his return to Rosenborg this Thursday, he should also receive. Very appreciated by the public, the one who rubs shoulders with Haaland and Odegaard in the Norwegian selection will undoubtedly be all smiles when he is acclaimed by the 7,000 spectators present. The pleasure of giving, the joy of receiving.