Appearances: 0
Best finish: 0
Manager: Heimir Hallgrimsson
Star player: Gylfi Sigurdsson
Russia 2018 will be their first finals after coming close to reaching Brazil 2014, losing to Croatia in the play-offs.
Iceland too had their own share of challenges to qualify from a tough group alongside Croatia, Turkey and Ukraine. They had to overcome the loss of their main striker Kolbeinn Sigthorsson to injury and Swedish manager Lars Lagerback’s departure.
By topping the group, the new in-charge Heimir Hallgrimsson has shown to be more of a shrewd tactician than Lagerback. Hallgrimsson began his coaching career in his home town of Vestmannaeyjar. When Lagerback came to Iceland in 2011, he chose Hallgrimsson as his assistant. For three years Hallgrimsson worked as an assistant coach and in 2014 he became Lagerback’s co-manager.
Spearheading the teams challenge upfront will be midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson, who plays for English Premier League team Everton after a big-money move from Swansea. He featured in all their World Cup qualifying games and scored four goals and also involved in three assists. He also scored the winning goal against Kosovo which booked Iceland’s ticket to Russia.
More importantly they also have players playing in the Russian Premier league.
Gylfi’s namesake Ragnar Sigurdsson is an experienced centre-back for Rostov and the latter too has figured in all the entire qualifying campaign. He has been a former Krasnodar and Rubin Kazan player and also had a stint with London club Fulham. Also central defender Sverrir Ingi Ingason plays for Rostov and will be joining force with Sigurdsson in middle of defence. Iceland captain and central midfielder Aron Gunnarsson is also a fierce competitor and can control the game well.
Iceland mainly opt for a 4-4-2 combination but Hallgrimsson also has been very effective with 4-5-1 in certain games.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Hannes Halldorsson, Runar Runarsson, Frederik Schram
Defenders: Kari Arnason, Holmar Eyjolfsson, Rurik Gislason, Sverrir Ingason, Hordur Magnusson, Birkir Saevarsson, Ragnar Sigurdsson, Ari Skulason
Midfielders: Birkir Bjarnason, Samuel Fridjonsson, Johann Gudmundsson, Aron Gunnarsson, Emil Hallfredsson, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Olafur Skulason, Arnor Traustason
Forwards: Jon Bodvarsson, Alfred Finnbogason, Albert Gudmundsson, Bjorn Sigurdarson.
