Finally, finally, finally! It only took reaching the 2014 World Cup qualifying playoffs, beating England to reach the Euro 2016 quarter finals and staying at the top of what is arguably the most difficult European qualifying group for next years World Cup in Russia, for Iceland to become a playable nation in the FIFA games.
Just imagine, it’s the World Cup final in the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow. You receive a free kick by the halfway line, after Aron Einarsson was brtually hacked down by a merciless Sami Khedira tackle. Red card! Only one minute of stoppage time remains with the score locked at 3-3. Gylfi Sigurðsson steps up the the plate. He takes a second to look down at the ball before fixing his eyes on Manuel Neuer. He runs up the ball and floats a superb cross into the box. Mats Hummels loses his footing, above him rises Kári Árnason and heads towards goal. Neuer remains rooted to the spot. GOAL!
The final whistle goes.
Strákarnir okkar have beaten Die Mannschaft, who are strewn across the field in desperate disbelieve. They rush towards the delirious crowd in blue, who don’t know whether to laugh or cry. It happened, you have taken the Icelandic national team to the pinnacle of football. You are a champion and a scholar.
It might only be a game … but then again, so is football.
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