Iceland

Iceland forced to run through the options and hope they will click | Nick Ames

04-Sep-2020 12:16:05 | Guardian

Six regular players are not available too Eric Hamren for one reason or another, giving the manager no choice but to check the depth of his reserves against England

Autumn in Reykjavik is far removed from midsummer in Nice. On that sweltering evening in June 2016 the clock had passed 11pm when Iceland’s players, coursing with adrenaline after completing one of the most famous victories in European Championship history, performed the “thunderclap” with their disbelieving mass of supporters in the south-east corner of Allianz Riviera.

It was, whatever your persuasion, a stunning thing to witness and at that point it would have taken a brave onlooker to place a ceiling on the underdogs’ potential. Iceland did fall at the next hurdle, against France, but they went on to reach the 2018 World Cup and dispelled any idea that they were a flash in the pan. Now the task is to extend their longevity at the top through a period of generational change and that is why the rematch with England on Saturday, while unlikely to hit the dramatic heights of four years ago, holds particular significance for Erik Hamren and his side.

Related: When England first played Iceland, with Bobby Robson acting manager