Nigeria’s Group D opponents at this summer’s 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia; Iceland have released a final list of twenty-three players that will represent them at their inaugural World Cup appearance.
Iceland head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson made the announcement in Reykjavik, the Icelandic capital on Friday afternoon with Everton midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson the star name among the group of twenty-three.
Hallgrimsson has kept faith with the large chunk of the side that achieved an incredible qualification feat last year and will be hoping they live up to their giant-killing credentials when the World Cup gets underway next month.
Apart from Sigurdsson’s creative abilities, Iceland will also be relying on Augsburg center forward Alfred Finnbogasson who has twelve Bundesliga goals to his credit in 2017/18 football season in the German top flight.
Iceland will open their first ever World Cup campaign with a mountainous battle against one of pre-tournament favourites Argentina in Moscow on June 16 before facing Nigeria’s Super Eagles in their second group game in Volgograd six days later. They will then face their fellow Europeans Croatia in their final group game on June 26 in Rostov.
In case of any injuries, Hallgrimsson and the Iceland FA submitted a list of thirty-five players to FIFA from where they can replace any injured player until early June.
FULL LIST
Goalkeepers: Hannes Þór Halldórsson (Randers), Rúnar Alex Rúnarsson (Nordsjælland), Frederik Schram (Roskilde).
Defenders: Ari Freyr Skúlason (Lokeren), Hörður B. Magnússon (Bristol City), Ragnar Sigurðsson (Rostov), Kári Árnason (Aberdeen), Hólmar Örn Eyjólfsson (Levski Sofia), Sverrir Ingi Ingason (Rostov), Birkir Már Sævarsson (Valur), Samúel Kári Friðjónsson (Valerenga).
Midfielders: Gylfi Þór Sigurðsson (Everton), Aron Einar Gunnarsson (Cardiff City), Emil Hallfreðsson (Udinese), Birkir Bjarnason (Aston Villa), Jóhann Berg Guðmundsson (Burnley), Ólafur Ingi Skúlason (Karabukspor), Arnór Ingvi Traustason (Malmö), Rúrik Gíslason (Sandhausen).
Forwards: Alfreð Finnbogason (Augsburg), Björn Bergmann Sigurðarson (Rostov), Jón Daði Böðvarsson (Reading), Albert Guðmundsson (PSV).
