Iceland review - 2016, Síða 95

ICELAND REVIEW 93
With a dramatic 2-1 victory
against Austria in Paris on June
22, Iceland qualified for the 16-team
playoffs in the 2016 UEFA European
Championship in football. Playing at
the Euro Cup is worthy of a celebra-
tion in its own right; never before has
a nation with fewer than one million
inhabitants—Iceland has a population
of 330,000—made it to a major cham-
pionship in men’s football (Iceland’s
national team in women’s football has
been to two). Almost ten percent of
the nation—27,000 people—traveled to
France to support their team.
The game against Austria was
Iceland’s last in the group stage. Tying
against a strong team like Portugal in
the first game felt like a victory but 1-1
against Hungary felt like Iceland had
lost after Hungary scored in the 87th
minute. Those who have followed the
progress of the Icelandic team through
the qualifying round aren’t surprised at
its success. The team plays as one unit,
using fast breaks to counterattack. And
let’s not forget the effort of Iceland’s two
coaches; Lars Lagerbäck, with his great
track record for Sweden, and Heimir
Hannesson, a dentist and local football
coach from Vestmannaeyjar.
As this issue goes to print, Iceland is
set to meet England in the Round of 16.
The Euro 2016 final takes place in
Paris on July 10. *