Euro 2022: A guide to the Iceland team

Euro 2022 is taking place at 10 venues across England between 6-31 July. Iceland are in Group D, along with France, Italy and Belgium. Mist Runarsdottir, founder of women's football podcast Heimavollurinn and a writer for Icelandic sport website fotbolti.net, assesses their chances this summer.

How will Iceland do?

Icelanders are positive going into the Euros and see a great opportunity to qualify from Group D. France are obviously the favourites but we believe we can do well against them, as well as against Belgium and Italy.

Saying we expect to qualify would perhaps be a bit strong but we hope and really believe that we can.

The form of the team has been very good. In the last year, Iceland have only lost two competitive games - against very strong teams in the Netherlands and United States. New and fresh players such as Karolina Lea Vilhjalmsdottir and Sveindis Jane Jonsdottir have made a huge impact.

Who is the manager?

Coach Thorsteinn Halldorsson has been in charge for about 16 months and he has managed to put his touch on the team. Before joining in January 2021, he had coached in men's football and then at Breidablik women's team since 2014, where he won the Icelandic Championship three times and took the side to the last 16 of the Champions League in 2019.

He is very successful and respected in the game. Before he started coaching he was a player, making more than 150 appearances as a defender in the top men's division. Thorsteinn has a fixed playing style and it seems like he is transferring that from Breidablik to the national team. He has had success so far.

Who is the star player?

Sara Bjork Gunnarsdottir was part of Lyon's Champions League-winning squad

We have been missing our captain, Sara Bjork Gunnarsdottir, 31, who has only recently returned for Lyon after maternity leave. We are really hoping that she will be a 100% match fit for the tournament and she is definitely on the right track.

She is our most experienced player, as well as a fantastic leader, so it is very important for Iceland to get her back.

Otherwise, our key player over the past year has been Bayern Munich centre-back Glodis Perla Viggosdottir.

She has been solid as a rock. She is very calm on the pitch, brings security to the defence, reads the game well, can play out of defence and is also a strong leader.

Who is the rising star?

Sveindis Jane Jonsdottir has been making her name in Europe recently with Wolfsburg, reaching the Champions League semi-finals, but this will be her first Euros and she can shine.

She is very fast and strong physically, she is a good dribbler and brave in attack. The 21-year-old has grown so much as a player for the past year and has still not found her ceiling. She won the German Championship in her first season with Wolfsburg and has momentum going into this summer's Euros.

Squad list

Goalkeepers: Telma Ivarsdottir (Breidablik), Cecilia Ran Runarsdottir (Bayern Munich), Sandra Sigurdardottir (Valur).

Defenders: Aslaug Munda Gunnlaugsdottir (Breidablik), Elisa Vidarsdottir (Valur), Glodis Perla Viggosdottir (Bayern Munich), Ingibjorg Sigurdardottir (Valerenga), Gudny Arnadottir (AC Milan), Gudrun Arnardottir (Rosengard), Sif Atladottir (Selfoss), Hallbera Gudny Gisladottir (IFK Kalmar).

Midfielders: Alexandra Johannsdottir (Eintract Frankfurt), Dagny Brynjarsdottir (West Ham), Karolina Lea Vilhjalmsdottir (Bayern Munich), Selma Sol Magnusdottir (Rosenborg), Gunnhildur Yrsa Jonsdottir (Orlando Pride), Sara Bjork Gunnarsdottir (Lyon).

Forwards: Svava Ros Gundmundsdottir (Brann), Berglind Bjorg Thorvaldsdottir (Brann), Agla Maria Albertsdottir (Hacken), Elin Metta Jensen (Valur), Sveindis Jane Jonsdottir (Wolfsburg), Amanda Andradottir (Kristianstads).