The Iceland national football team is the national football team of Iceland and is controlled by the Football Association of Iceland. It has never advanced to the finals of any major international competition.
For the Euro 2004, Iceland were led by Ásgeir Sigurvinsson topping the group table for a while, with 4 wins and even held Germany to a 0–0 draw in Reykjavík, however both Germany and Scotland had a game in hand to them and both used them to their maximum potential, with Scotland beating Lithuania and Germany beat Scotland in Germany's penultimate game. Iceland failed to grind a result in their final game against Germany, and Scotland pipped them to a play-off place. Iceland have failed to match this since, finishing on just 4 points for the 2006 World Cup qualifiers and 8 points from their Euro 2008 qualifying campaign.
Perhaps the most notable match was a friendly against Estonia on 24 April 1996 in Tallinn. During the second half of this match, Eiður Guðjohnsen entered as a substitute for his father Arnór. This marked the first time that a father and son played in the same international match. Another landmark for Icelandic football was the 2–0 upset victory over Italy in a friendly at Laugardalsvöllur, 18 August 2004 with 20,204 fans in attendance, an Icelandic record.
Read more about Iceland National Football Team: World Cup Record, European Championship Record, All–time Record Against All Nations, 2010 FIFA World Cup Qualification, Current Squad, Most Capped Icelandic Players, National Coaches
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“You can’t be a Real Country unless you have A BEER and an airline—it helps if you have some kind of a football team, or some nuclear weapons, but at the very least you need a BEER.”
—Frank Zappa (1940–1993)
“While I do not think it was so intended I have always been of the opinion that this turned out to be much the best for me. I had no national experience. What I have ever been able to do has been the result of first learning how to do it. I am not gifted with intuition. I need not only hard work but experience to be ready to solve problems. The Presidents who have gone to Washington without first having held some national office have been at great disadvantage.”
—Calvin Coolidge (1872–1933)
“In this dream that dogs me I am part
Of a silent crowd walking under a wall,
Leaving a football match, perhaps, or a pit,
All moving the same way.”
—Philip Larkin (1922–1986)
“Is my team ploughing,
That I was used to drive
And hear the harness jingle
When I was man alive?”
—A.E. (Alfred Edward)