Iceland - Lagerback's last project

Iceland

Iceland qualified for the first time to a great competition. That’s due to the fact that they have their best generation of all time and also their great choice of manager with the experienced Lars Lagerback. They were eliminated for the World Cup 2014 in the playoff and now, in a very tough group, they outshone everyone and arrived confident to France.

How they qualified

With Holland in the pole for qualification, the fight for 2nd and 3rd positions seemed open. But the disastrous campaign of the Mechanical Orange made a great opportunity for a minnow to show, and there came in Iceland with their effective football and with Sigurdsson guiding their team to glory with his fantastic right foot.

Squad

Goalkeepers: Hannes Halldorsson (Bodo/Glimt), Ogmundur Kristinsson (Hammarby), Ingvar Jonsson (Sandefjord).

Defenders: Ari Skulason (OB), Hordur Magnusson (Juventus), Hjortur Hermannsson (PSV Eindhoven), Ragnar Sigurdsson (Krasnodar), Kari Arnason (Malmo), Sverrir Ingi Ingason (Lokeren), Birkir Saevarsson (Hammarby), Haukur Heidar Hauksson (AIK).

Midfielders: Emil Hallfredsson (Udinese), Gylfi Sigurdsson (Swansea), Aron Gunnarsson (Cardiff), Theodor Elmar Bjarnason (AGF), Arnor Ingvi Traustason (Norrkoping), Birkir Bjarnason (Basel), Johann Gudmundsson (Charlton), Runar Mar Sigurjonsson (Sundsvall).

Forwards: Kolbeinn Sigthorsson (Nantes), Alfred Finnbogason (Augsburg), Jon Dadi Bodvarsson (Kaiserslautern), Eidur Gudjohnsen (Molde).

Gylfi Sigurðsson

Clube : Swansea (ENG)

Idade : 26 anos

The most talented player of the historic generation. Since early age has been based in the United Kigdom, with a little spell at Hoffenheim. Set piece expert, his right foot has its own brain, and Icelandic hopes will certainly pass through the quality of the Swansea man.

Jón Daði Böðvarsson

Clube : Kaiserslautern (GER)

Idade : 23 anos

Bodvarsson is an atypical player, that is very tall but with a great mobility and technical ability that make him hard to mark. Is normally accompanied by Sigpórsson but he’s much more mobile, and it’s usual to see him in a wing to create disequilibrium’s in the opposition defense. 

Lars Lagerbäck

One of the most charismatic Nordic managers and one of the faces of the Icelandic football change. From a team that was an easy win in qualification stages to a team that beats Holland twice, it took him only 3 years to make this nation evolve. After getting close to Brazil, Lagerback confirmed his quality qualifying Iceland to its 1^st big competition in history.

 The Swedish will retire after the competition making way for his co-manager Heimir Hallgrímsson.

What to expect from them?

With very simple processes, Iceland knows exactly which are their strengths and use them spectacularly. For that to be possible it helps that Sigurdsson is part of their team, as he can do whatever he wants with the ball.

 Is the Swansea man that creates the Icelandic danger, after holding the opposition pressing in their compact and defensive 4-4-2 where Gunnarson is the army ant that protects his team when they have the ball. The duo that plays in Wales are the most experienced players in the group and it’s constant to see them correct their teammates positioning.

 They a very tall and not mobile team, and what leaves them exposed to quick counters, but with Sigporsson and Bodvarsson collecting and holding the ball waiting to leave it for Sigurdson is a formula that works and it might surprise in a very open group. 

FIL's Starting XI prediction