7 facts you didn’t know about the Icelandic national football team
Sports
By staff
|June 28, 2016
The Icelandic national soccer team has become the favorite on the international stage after defeating England at the European Championship and became the smallest nation to advance to the quarter finals. Here is a little information about Iceland’s powerful and efficient team.
1. Goalkeeper of Iceland, Hannes Þór Halldórsson, began his professional career relatively late as he had long battled a shoulder injury. Hannes is also a film director and directed the TV series Atvinnumeninn our, which follows some of Iceland’s professional athletes.
2. The solemn “Viking shout” comes from Scotland. Supporters of Stjörnurn’s soccer team created their chant after being inspired by fans of Scottish team Motherwell in 2014. The Icelandic national team now lead supporters into the Vikings’ “war cry” at the end of the game to show their appreciation to the supporters. ‘ loyalty and support.
3. Kristbjörg Jónasdóttir, Team captain Aron Einar Gunnarsson’s girlfriend is a prolific model fitness competitor.
4. Gylfi Þór Sigurðsson, Iceland’s star player, is currently the highest paid Icelandic soccer player and receives around 40 million ISK a month. Gylfi plays as a midfielder for the Premier League club Swansea City.
5. Former captain of Iceland, Eiður Smári Guðjohnsen, now 37 years old, has had a successful club career across Europe, playing for teams such as Chelsea and Barcelona. He now has the opportunity to end his career with the national team on a high note.
6. Iceland supporters are called “Tólfan” (The Twelve), where they are “the twelfth man on the pitch”. The club was founded in 2007 by a small group of supporters who believed that the Icelandic national team needed to be celebrated by the spectators. The club has since grown and, as has become clear during Iceland’s games, supports its team very much.
7. When Iceland’s new team uniform debuted earlier this year, people either loved it or hated it. The words “for Iceland” or “for Iceland” are printed on the collar.