Iceland

The Road to the 2018 FIFA World Cup

After Iceland’s stunning Euro 2016 campaign, which saw them reach the quarter-finals and defeat England along the way, the Icelanders found themselves in a tough World Cup qualifying group alongside Croatia, Turkey and Ukraine. One half of the Iceland management team, Lars Lagerback, also departed after the Euros, leaving Heimir Hallgrimsson to take sole charge of the team.

The 50-year-old did a stellar job, with Iceland topping the group – suffering just two defeats during the campaign, against Finland and Croatia. Russia 2018 will be Iceland’s first appearance at the World Cup finals, and with a population of just 330,000 they are the smallest nation ever to qualify.

Stars

Though Iceland’s strongest aspect is its team ethic, there are several stars in the team who could shine in Russia. First and foremost is midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson, who plays for English Premier League team Everton after a big-money move from Swansea. He featured in all 10 World Cup qualifying games and scored four goals, also providing three assists. It was Sigurdsson who scored the winning goal against Kosovo which secured Iceland a spot at Russia 2018.

Ragnar Sigurdsson, an experienced center-back for Russian team Rostov, is also a key team member. Like his namesake Gylfi Sigurdsson, Ragnar played in every minute of the qualifying campaign. Russian fans also know him as a former Krasnodar and Rubin Kazan player. Before he arrived in Kazan, he spent a year playing for London club Fulham. The 31-year-old said he returned to Russia because he wanted to work under Kurban Berdyev at Rubin, but in January 2018 made the move to Rostov.

Another Russian Premier League player – Rostov central defender Sverrir Ingi Ingason – could join Sigurdsson in the center-back position, though he didn’t see substantial playing time in the qualifiers.

Central midfielder Aron Gunnarsson, Iceland’s captain, is indispensable to the team. A tough and tireless competitor, he featured in every minute of the Euro 2016 campaign. He is aiming for a return to the English Premier League together with his club team, Cardiff City.

Coach

Heimir Hallgrimsson, 50, will not be the most well-known coach at Russia 2018, which is perhaps understandable given that he has never played or worked outside of Iceland. He began his coaching career in his home town of Vestmannaeyjar, working there with the men’s senior team, the youth team, and even the women’s team. When Lars Lagerback came to Iceland in 2011 to revive the national team, he chose Hallgrimsson as his assistant. For three years Hallgrimsson worked as an assistant coach and in 2014 he became Lagerback’s co-manager.

It’s well known that many Icelandic footballers have a second profession, and Hallgrimsson is no exception – he has a dental degree and is still qualified to work as a dentist.

Past Achievements

Iceland are World Cup debutants, and Russia 2018 will be their first finals. They were close to reaching Brazil 2014, but lost to Croatia in the play-offs.

It’s the smallest nation ever to qualify for the footballing showpiece, and the population of this island nation is only around 330,000 people. There are just 100 professional footballers in Iceland, but it did not stop the team from reaching the World Cup.

People the world over will be looking forward to seeing the Iceland fans’ famous Viking handclap in Russia.