Iceland national under-21 football team

Iceland Under-21

Nickname(s)	Strákarnir okkar
Association	Knattspyrnusamband Íslands
Confederation	UEFA (Europe)
Head coach	Eyjólfur Sverrisson
FIFA code	ISL
First colours Second colours
UEFA U-21 Championship
Appearances	1 (first in 2011)
Best result	Round 1 (2011)

The Iceland national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Iceland and is controlled by the Football Association of Iceland. The team is considered to be the feeder team for the senior Icelandic national football team. Since the establishment of the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship in 1978, the team has reached the Euro Championship finals on one occasion in 2011 where they were knocked out in the group stages.^[1]

The team is for Icelandic players aged under 21 at the start of the calendar year in which a two-year European Under-21 Football Championship campaign begins, so some players can remain with the squad until the age of 23. As long as they are eligible, players can play for Iceland at any level, making it possible to play for the U21s, senior side, and again for the U21s. This has been the case for several senior team players like Aron Gunnarsson, Eiður Guðjohnsen, Heiðar Helguson and Kolbeinn Sigþórsson.

History

From 1978 to 2009 the team never qualified for tournament finals. In late 2010, the team sealed qualification to the championships for the very first team in their history. During the qualification stage they finished second in their group behind the Czech Republic and qualified for the playoffs as a result of being one of the best runners-up in the whole qualification process. Their most notable win came in a 4–1 home win over Germany.^[2] In the next stage they played against Scotland in a two-legged affair in which they won 4–2 on aggregate over the two games.^[3]

Their remarkable qualification campaign saw them qualify for the finals where they were drawn against Belarus, Denmark and Switzerland in Group A. In their first two group games they were comfortably beaten by Belarus and Switzerland. In their final group game they defeated Denmark who were the hosts of the tournament 3–1.^[4] Iceland would finish third in the group, level on points with the second placed and fourth placed teams.^[5] Following the end of the tournament, UEFA announced its Team of the Tournament with striker Kolbeinn Sigþórsson named on the list.^[6]

Competition records

UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship

Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD
1978 to 2009	Did Not Qualify
2011	Group Stage	5th	3	1	0	2	3	5	- 2
2013	Did Not Qualify
2015	Did Not Qualify
Total	0 Titles	0/1	3	1	0	2	3	5	-2

2017 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Macedonia	10	6	3	1	13	7	+6	21	Final tournament
2	France	10	6	2	2	17	8	+9	20
3	Iceland	10	5	3	2	13	9	+4	18
4	Ukraine	10	4	2	4	14	12	+2	14
5	Scotland	10	2	2	6	8	17	−9	8
6	Northern Ireland	10	0	2	8	6	18	−12	2

Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers

Recent results and forthcoming fixtures

Date	Competition	Location	Opponent	Result	Scorers
26 March 2015	Friendly match	Stadionul Trans-Sil, Târgu Mureș, Romania	Romania	0 — 3
11 June 2015	2017 UEFA U-21 qualification	Vodafonevöllurinn, Reykjavík, Iceland	Macedonia	3 — 0	Höskuldur Gunnlaugsson (2) Elías Már Ómarsson
5 September 2015	2017 UEFA U-21 qualification	Kópavogsvöllur, Kópavogur, Iceland	France	3 — 2	Oliver Sigurjónsson (2) Hjörtur Hermannsson
8 September 2015	2017 UEFA U-21 qualification	Fylkisvöllur, Reykjavík, Iceland	Northern Ireland	1 — 1	Aron Elís Þrándarson
8 October 2015	2017 UEFA U-21 qualification	Ukraine	Ukraine	1 — 0	Árni Vilhjálmsson
13 October 2015	2017 UEFA U-21 qualification	Pittodrie Stadium, Aberdeen, Scotland	Scotland	0 — 0
24 March 2016	2017 UEFA U-21 qualification	Philip II Arena, Skopje, Macedonia	Macedonia	0 — 0
2 September 2016	2017 UEFA U-21 qualification	Northern Ireland	Northern Ireland
6 September 2016	2017 UEFA U-21 qualification	France	France
5 October 2016	2017 UEFA U-21 qualification	Iceland	Scotland
11 October 2016	2017 UEFA U-21 qualification	Iceland	Ukraine

Current squad

The following players were named in the squad for the 2017 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification match against Macedonia, played on 24 March 2016.^[7] All caps and goals are correct as of 24 March 2016.

0#0	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
	GK	Rúnar Alex Rúnarsson	18 February 1995	13	0	Nordsjælland
	GK	Frederik Schram	19 January 1995	6	0	Unassigned
	GK	Ólafur Íshólm Ólafsson	30 June 1995	0	0	Fylkir
	DF	Orri Sigurður Ómarsson	18 February 1995	17	0	Valur
	DF	Hjörtur Hermannsson	8 February 1995	14	2	IFK Göteborg
	DF	Adam Örn Arnarson	27 August 1995	7	0	Nordsjælland
	DF	Böðvar Böðvarsson	9 April 1995	7	0	FC Midtjylland
	DF	Daníel Leó Grétarsson	2 October 1995	4	0	Aalesunds FK
	DF	Heiðar Ægisson	10 August 1995	4	0	Stjarnan
	DF	Viðar Ari Jónsson	10 March 1994	3	0	Fjölnir
	DF	Samúel Kári Friðjónsson	22 February 1996	2	0	Reading
	MF	Aron Elís Þrándarson	10 November 1994	10	1	Aalesunds FK
	MF	Höskuldur Gunnlaugsson	26 September 1994	7	2	Breiðablik
	MF	Sindri Björnsson	29 March 1995	5	0	Valur
	MF	Ævar Ingi Jóhannesson	31 January 1995	6	0	Stjarnan
	MF	Ragnar Bragi Sveinsson	18 December 1994	0	0	Fylkir
	FW	Árni Vilhjálmsson	9 May 1994	8	1	Lillestrøm
	FW	Elías Már Ómarsson	18 January 1995	8	1	Vålerenga
	FW	Kristján Flóki Finnbogason	12 January 1995	5	0	FH
	FW	Viktor Jónsson	23 June 1994	3	0	Víkingur R.

Recent call-ups

The following players have also been called up to the under-21 squad since the start of 2015.

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up
GK	Anton Ari Einarsson	25 August 1994	0	0	Valur	v. Scotland; 13 October 2015 (2017 UEFA U-21 qualification)
GK	Fannar Hafsteinsson	30 June 1995	0	0	KA	v. Macedonia; 11 June 2015 (2017 UEFA U-21 qualification)
GK	Sveinn Sigurður Jóhannesson	22 January 1995	1	0	Stjarnan	v. Romania; 26 March 2015 (Friendly match)
DF	Ívar Örn Jónsson	2 February 1994	0	0	Víkingur R.	v. Macedonia; 11 June 2015 (2017 UEFA U-21 qualification)
DF	Aron Rúnarsson Heiðdal	30 January 1995	0	0	Stjarnan	v. Macedonia; 11 June 2015 (2017 UEFA U-21 qualification)
MF	Þorri Geir Rúnarsson	24 April 1995	2	0	Stjarnan	v. Scotland; 13 October 2015 (2017 UEFA U-21 qualification)
MF	Oliver Sigurjónsson	3 March 1995	7	2	Breiðablik	v. Scotland; 13 October 2015 (2017 UEFA U-21 qualification)
MF	Davíð Örn Atlason	18 August 1994	1	0	Víkingur R.	v. Macedonia; 11 June 2015 (2017 UEFA U-21 qualification)
MF	Gunnar Þorsteinsson	1 February 1994	4	0	ÍBV	v. Romania; 26 March 2015 (Friendly match)
FW	Björgvin Stefánsson	20 December 1994	0	0	Haukar	v. Scotland; 13 October 2015 (2017 UEFA U-21 qualification)
FW	Albert Guðmundsson	15 June 1997	1	0	PSV	v. Romania; 26 March 2015 (Friendly match)

Previous squads

• 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship squad

Notable former players

Alfreð Finnbogason Andrés Már Jóhannesson Ari Freyr Skúlason Arnar Darri Pétursson Arnar Grétarsson Árni Gautur Arason Arnór Smárason Arnór Sveinn Aðalsteinsson Aron Gunnarsson Aron Johannsson Birkir Bjarnason

Bjarni Viðarsson Brynjar Gunnarsson Eggert Jónsson Eiður Guðjohnsen Elfar Freyr Helgason Eyjólfur Héðinsson Gylfi Sigurðsson Guðmundur Kristjánsson Heiðar Helguson Hjörtur Logi Valgarðsson

Jóhann Berg Guðmundsson Jón Guðni Fjóluson Kolbeinn Sigþórsson Matthías Vilhjálmsson Ragnar Sigurðsson Rúnar Kristinsson Rúrik Gíslason Skúli Jón Friðgeirsson Sölvi Ottesen Þórarinn Ingi Valdimarsson

See also

• Iceland national football team
• Iceland national under-19 football team
• Iceland national under-17 football team

References

1. "2011: Spain's boys of summer dazzle". UEFA.com. 12 June 2012. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
2. "Euro U21 2011 (Qual.)". ZeroZero. 13 July 2012. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
3. "Euro U21 2011 (Qual.)". ZeroZero. 13 July 2012. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
4. "Iceland 3-1 Denmark". ZeroZero. 13 July 2012. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
5. "Euro U21 2011". ZeroZero. 13 July 2012. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
6. "U21 all-star squad named by UEFA technical team". UEFA.com. 29 June 2011. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
7. http://www.ksi.is/media/landslid/U21karla/U21-Island-15-mars-2016.pdf

External links

• Official Site (Icelandic)
• Official Site under-21 results (Icelandic)
• Profile & squad at UEFA.com