Matchday Memories: On This Day 2018 – See ‘Gunnar’ Star In Iceland’s 1st World Cup Finals Game!

‘Gunnar’ in Icelandic Blue

On this day (16th June) just five years ago in 2018 former Sky Blue (and CCFPA member) Aron Gunnarsson played a big part as captain in the plucky defensive performance of his Iceland team against Argentina (Lionel Messi, Sergio Agüero and all) in the Spartak stadium in Moscow in front of 44,190 fans. The game in the 2018 World Cup Finals in Russia was the first game of his country’s first ever appearance in the finals stage of the World Cup.

The result in the Group D match was 1-1 with Iceland‘s players drawn from the smallest nation ever to play in a World Cup finals resisting almost incessant pressure from the South Americans to find a quick 23rd minute equaliser to the Argentine‘s only goal scored by Sergio Agüero after nineteen minutes. Lionel Messi even contrived to have his 64th minute penalty brilliantly saved during a fascinating tactical battle with Argentina, having 72% of possession.  ‘Gunnar’, wearing No.17, was at the centre of things marshalling the Icelandic defence and prompting a fair number of scoring chances of their own (until substituted fourteen minutes from the the end).

Iceland went out of the competition at this group stage losing their other two  matches, 0-2 to Nigeria (also eliminated) and 1-2 to Croatia who finished runners up to Argentina. ‘Gunnar’ captained his country for all three games. In the end France beat Croatia 4-2 in the Final to win the FIFA World Cup (after their opponents had put England out in the Semis 2-1)! Video highlights of the game can be seen by clicking here. Match details (courtesy of 11v11) are below:-

Aron in the Sky Blue

Coventry City gave the young Aron his UK break signing him from Dutch side AZ who first spotted his talent in Icelandic football.  Often influential in the City team Aron ended up playing 133 times in the Sky Blues midfield, scoring seven times in three seasons between 2008-11, before moving to Cardiff City where he played until leaving at the end of the 2018-19 season. It was reported that Aron signed for Qatari club Al-Arabi for the 2019-20 season. He was still playing there in 2022-23. The thirty year old had turned out for the Bluebirds 286 times and scored 25 goals.

With his appearances in Russia, since 2008 Aron has so far clocked up five goals in his more than a century of international appearances for Iceland.

Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young for sourcing the images.