EURO 2016 Preview - Iceland

Team: Iceland

Manager: Lars Lagerbäck and Heimir Hallgrimsson

Group: Group F

Other teams in group: Austria, Portugal and Hungary

THE SQUAD

One of the most significant names in the Iceland squad for EURO 2016 is that of 37-year-old Eidur Gudjohnson. The former Chelsea and Barcelona man will be competing in his first major tournament after Iceland qualified from a tough group including Holland, Turkey and Czech Republic.

Gudjohnson, now playing for Molde in Norway, has won 84 caps for Iceland and is certainly Iceland’s most celebrated player. Co-manager Heimir Hallgrimsson, told uefa.com: “He has taken a step up at Molde. He looks fitter and has shown the desire necessary”

Other big names on show are Gylfi Sigurdsson of Swansea City who will be looking to shake off a shoulder injury in time for June and Alfred Finnbogason who has scored 6 goals in 11 appearances on loan at Augsburg from Real Sociedad.

Also looking to make headlines in France this summer will be Nantes striker Kolbeinn Sigþórsson, who has scored 19 goals in 37 appearances for the national team.

Another worrying name on the injury list is captain Aron Gunnarsson who has been struggling with an ankle injury. The Cardiff City midfielder, who can also play at right back, will be hoping to add to his 57 caps by leading his country into their first major tournament.

The squad in full:

Goalkeepers: Hannes Halldórsson (Bodø/Glimt), Ögmundur Kristinsson (Hammarby), Ingvar Jónsson (Sandefjord).

Defenders: Ari Skúlason (OB), Hordur Magnússon (Cesena), Hjörtur Hermannsson (PSV Eindhoven), Ragnar Sigurdsson (Krasnodar), Kári Árnason (Malmö), Sverrir Ingi Ingason (Lokeren), Birkir Sævarsson (Hammarby), Haukur Heidar Hauksson (AIK).

Midfielders: Emil Hallfredsson (Udinese), Gylfi Sigurdsson (Swansea), Aron Gunnarsson (Cardiff), Theódór Elmar Bjarnason (AGF), Arnór Ingvi Traustason (Norrköping), Birkir Bjarnason (Basel), Johann Gudmundsson (Charlton), Eidur Gudjohnsen (Molde), Rúnar Már Sigurjónsson (Sundsvall).

Forwards: Kolbeinn Sigthórsson (Nantes), Alfred Finnbogason (Augsburg), Jón Dadi Bödvarsson (Kaiserslautern).

Standby: Gunnleifur Gunnleifsson (goalkeeper, Breidablik), Hallgrímur Jónasson (defender, OB), Hólmar Örn Eyjólfsson (midfielder, Rosenborg), Rúrik Gíslason (midfielder, Nürnberg), Ólafur Ingi Skúlason (midfielder, Gençlerbirligi), Vidar Örn Kjartansson (forward, Jiangsu Suning).

HOW THEY GOT HERE

Iceland were the surprise package in a tough group with Czech Republic, Holland and Turkey. Having narrowly missed out on qualification for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, having lost in a play-off to Croatia but this time round they managed to produce quite the upset and qualify automatically, finishing second to Czech Republic.

Three wins from their opening three matches including convincing wins over Turkey and Holland got them off to a great start before being pegged back with a 2-1 loss at the hands of the Czech Republic.

Despite this, victories at home to the Czech Republic and away to Holland were enough to clinch the second automatic qualifying spot after a home draw with Kazakhstan.

KEY PLAYERS TO WATCH OUT FOR

Glfyi Sigurdsson (Swansea City), Aron Gunnarsson (Cardiff) and Kolbeinn Sigþórsson (Nantes)

WHERE THEY ARE PLAYING AND STAYING

St. Etienne: June 14 v Portugal KO 20.00

Marseille: June 18 v Hungary KO 17.00

Saint-Denis: June 22 v Austria KO 17.00

The team will be based in Annecy-le-Vieux in the East of France.  

THREE INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THE TEAM

This is the first time Iceland will have competed at a major tournament.

They are the smallest nation ever to have qualified for the Euro finals with a population of just 329,100.

Iceland are jointly managed by Heimir Hallgrimsson and Lars Lagerbäck, who will be retiring after EURO 2016

THEIR RECENT FORM

Greece 2-3 Iceland

Denmark 2-1 Iceland

Slovakia 3-1 Iceland

First game: St. Etienne: June 14 v Portugal KO 20.00