In 1995 Baardsen was spotted by English team Tottenham Hotspur while he was playing for the San Francisco United All Blacks of the USISL.
Despite good performances, including a 0–0 draw away to rivals Arsenal,[3] he was unable to become the team's first-choice keeper, but finished his time at the North London club with a League Cup winners medal from 1999.
Although he returned to the side under new manager Gianluca Vialli in 2001–02, and saved a Mark Robins penalty to help his team beat Rotherham United 3–2 in an early season game,[6] he was again displaced by Chamberlain.
[8] At international level, Baardsen played more than 20 matches for the Norwegian under-21 team, and also won four caps for the senior side.
Baardsen won a bronze medal in the 1998 UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Romania, during which he received the "Best Goalkeeper of the Tournament" award.