Josh Ouellette
By Josh Ouellette
Go Ísland.
With England and its homeland, United Kingdom, dealing with Brexit back home, the Three Lions took what will be considered to be an early exit from the 2016 European Championships and possibly the worst loss in the proud footballing nation’s history.
The only loss that might be ruled as “worse” is when the United States beat England 1-0 in the 1950 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. I tend to believe that loss is the “worse” since the American side that beat the English giants was a hodgepodge group of part-time players. If you have some time watch the movie “The Miracle Match” based on the book “The Game of Their Lives,” which I have not read but is in my Amazon cart.
For the country that created the beautiful game, it has suffered some poignant losses. But I think that’s because we put them on a pedestal. But really it’s not just the media and fans of the game who do, the entire country of England does.
I don’t feel bad for England.
While it had one of the youngest teams at the EURO, it definitely had one of the most talented.
Delli Alli, as much as I hate to admit it as West Ham fan, is a fantastic young player who almost equalized on a fantastic volley in the first half. Joe Hart is regarded as one of the best keepers in the world. Harry Kane, and the underused Jamie Vardy both had fantastic seasons seemingly scoring goals at will. Even the shock selection and repeat inclusions of pacey winger Raheem Sterling would be welcome on many other teams in the tournament.
“Anyone who has a kid trying out for his High School football team needs to read this book. Torosian has taken his 20 some years of reporting on Prep sports, mixed a healthy dose of San Gabriel Valley insider references and created a very readable first effort.”
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Joe Torosian’s high school football novel is available through Amazon.com –click pic–
(Cover by Pat Cherry www.blackheartart.com)
But Iceland looked like the better team on Monday in Nice, France, and truly deserved to win. This has been a long time coming for Iceland. The tiny island country has devoted a ton of resources into building indoor fields so its upcoming players can train year round. The group that the Icelandic people call Stràknir okkar, “Our boys.”
The first time I remember seeing Iceland in the world football picture was watching Eidur Gudjohnsen play and then catching the scoreline for their loss to Croatia in a playoff game one of the final UEFA spots to the 2014 World Cup.
A lot of the faces from that team that almost made history by becoming the smallest nation to qualify for a FIFA World Cup back in 2014 are the ones who honored their fans after beating England to advance to the EURO Quarterfinals.
For more on the rise of the Icelandic, you can read a great article by Davis Harper here: www.theguardian.com/football/2016/jan/30/volcano-iceland-national-football-team
The Iceland side that has shocked the soccer world after failing to qualify for a major tournament in the nation’s first 23 attempts has used a consistent group of players led by captain Aron Gunnarsson and possibly the most well-known player on the squad besides Gudjohnsen, Swansea’s Gylfi Sigurdsson. Good players, but no superstars.
When the Iceland team moves in its 4-4-2 formation all 10 outfield players are moving, something that should be recorded and shown in instructional videos on how to play the game. The way the blue jerseys close down on the opposition and suffocate other teams is inspiring. When they score
There is are a couple American connections to the Iceland team. Kolbeinn Sigthórsson, the game-winning goal scorer in Iceland’s iconic win, plays with USMNT midfielder Alejandro Bedoya for the French team Nantes. Promising, but injured, USMNT striker Aron Johannsson switched over to claim his American citizenship and play in the red, white and blue. Pissing off plenty of the Tólfan, which literally means “12” and represents the Icelandic fans.
Also there’s one of the most fantastic stories of the EURO. ESPN commentator Ian Darke has mentioned a couple times on air that No. 1 goalkeeper Hannes Halldórsson was a film director and editor for Icelandic company SagaFilm as recent as a few years ago and was a part-time player in the national side before going pro. Oh, and he’s leading all keepers at the 2016 EURO with 23 saves. How can you not root for a guy like that?
I could’ve written about the U.S. loss to Columbia in the third place game. But why? Jürgen Klinnsman’s team played decent, really went for it in the second half, and came up short to a good Columbia team. And I need a break from the USMNT and talking about Klinnsman and his future if he made the right calls or played the right players.
I could’ve talked about Lionel Messi retiring from international football after losing four finals with the No. 1 ranked-by-FIFA Argentinian national team. But I don’t see a point in that either. I think he’ll be with the Albiceleste in Russia once his and the overall issues with the Argentine Football Association are settled.
I could’ve written about the slide the LA Galaxy are experiencing without Robbie Keane and Gyasi Zardes. But I think when both get back that all will be well at the StubHub Center again.
No, I chose to write about a team that deserves the attention of the few people in Southern California, and the San Gabriel Valley specifically, that read this column. A team that has captivated a nation and is now taking some of the best in the world by storm.
Beating France in the Quarterfinals in their own backyard will be a tough task. The host nation is leading an impressive run backed by heroic goals from West Ham’s own Dimitri Payet. I want Payet to do well. But I want Iceland to win.
I wish I could claim Icelandic blood, but I don’t think I have any. But for the rest of my life, I will always be a fan and root for Iceland, barring matches against the USMNT. Not because it is the underdog. Not because it is the popular thing to do right now. But because the players deserve it and because the passion they play with his inspired a nation and a 25-year-old lover of the beautiful game watching Stràknir okkar give it their all any given match.
But then again, I’m just joshing around.
Josh Ouellette is a self-proclaimed lover of the Beautiful Game who feverously supports West Ham United (Premier League), the LA Galaxy (MLS) and now Iceland. His thoughts and opinions are his own and if you have any thoughts on his opinions he can be reached via Twitter (@JoshoYouKnow).
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