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This article is part of the Guardian’s Euro 2025 Experts’ Network, a cooperation between some of the best media organisations from the 16 countries who qualified. theguardian.com is running previews from two teams each day in the run-up to the tournament kicking off on 2 July.
Overview
Iceland were one of the first teams to qualify for the Euros after some convincing performances during qualifying. They may have finished two points behind Germany but they beat Christian Wück’s side 3-0 in Reykjavík. They finished above Austria and Poland by picking up four crucial points in May and June 2024.
The team’s success has been built upon a strong defensive organisation, with the captain Glódís Perla Viggósdóttir a natural leader. Add to that a fast counterattacking style where the pacy Sveindís Jane Jónsdóttir is a constant threat to opposing defences. Jónsdóttir contributes to attacks in other ways too: her long-throw in is a real weapon for this team and they are a huge threat at set pieces.
Bayern Munich’s Viggósdóttir is a key player. She struggled with a knee injury in the final months of the Bundesliga season – and missed Iceland’s two games in April – but returned to action in May.
Other injuries, however, have made the buildup to the tournament difficult for the head coach, Thorsteinn Halldórsson. The midfielder Selma Sól Magnúsdóttir and the striker Bryndís Níelsdóttir as well as Emilía Kiær Ásgeirsdóttir will miss the Euros while there were fitness doubts over two other attacking players – Diljá Zomers and Amanda Andradóttir – but they made the squad.
Iceland’s main concern is trying to find a way to turn tightly contested games into victories. After the successful qualifying campaign and seven wins in 10 games in 2023-24, they have gone 10 matches without a win before the friendly against Switzerland on 27 June. To put that in perspective, there were five draws in those games – including four against Euro 2025 group opponents Norway and Switzerland – and the defeats came against high-calibre opponents in USA (twice), France (twice) and Denmark. But still, draws won’t be enough in Switzerland.
Coach
Thorsteinn Halldórsson, or “Steini” as he is commonly known, took over as national coach in January 2021. Known and appreciated as a man of few words and simple and straightforward messages to his players, Halldórsson has reshaped a team that drew all their matches at the 2022 Euros in England. He shook off media criticism after some mediocre performances by qualifying for the 2025 Euros in style. The 57-year-old is a former defensive midfield workhorse in the Iceland top flight and got the job after a successful period with Breidablik’s women’s team. During his spell in charge (2015-2020) the Kopavogur team won the league title three times and the cup twice.
Star player
Glódís Perla Viggósdóttir, centre-half and captain of Iceland and German champions Bayern Munich, has hardly put a foot wrong or missed a game with the Icelandic team since the 2013 Euros, where she made her debut as a promising 18-year-old. She was voted Iceland’s sportsperson of the year in 2024 by the Icelandic Sports Journalists’ Association and this will be her fourth Euros. In 2024, Viggósdóttir was the first Icelandic football player, male or female, to be nominated for the Ballon d’Or. She finished 22nd, with no other centre-half above her.
Photograph: Hulda Margret/Getty Images
One to watch
Cecilía Rán Rúnarsdóttir is Iceland’s tallest player at the Euros and their No 1 goalkeeper. She will celebrate her 22nd birthday during the tournament, yet already has eight years behind her as a senior goalkeeper. After a year out of football because of injury she was voted Italy’s Serie A best keeper in 2024-25 after a loan spell at Inter and has returned to the national team full of confidence. Her agility and shot-stopping has given the team a big boost before the Euros.
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Probable lineup
Status of domestic top flight
The Icelandic Premier League is a semi-professional league with 10 clubs. The league has been rated between 12th and 15th best in Europe for some time, providing Iceland with two places in the Women’s Champions League qualifying in recent years. Attendances are low, around 150 per match – compared with around 1,000 at men’s top-flight matches – but media coverage is decent with all matches shown on TV and a good presence in print and online. Around half a dozen players in the Euros squad play at home in Iceland with two of the best being Sandra Jessen and Agla María Albertsdóttir. There are quite a lot of Americans playing in the Icelandic Premier League as they see it as a good stepping stone for a future professional career in mainland Europe.
Realistic aim in Switzerland
Iceland will go all out to win their group. Norway will be a tricky opponent but there is a feeling they should finish above the hosts and Finland.
The Iceland team guide was written by Víðir Sigurðsson for Morgunbladid
