It’s time for that World Cup optimism to seep through and consume your body. Yes, it’s less than a week until the biggest tournament in sport kicks off and we’ll be keeping on top of Reading’s sole representative in Russia throughout his stay.
Should you not support England, for whatever reason (such as not being English. Tut.) then there’s no excuse for not getting behind Jon Dadi Bodvarsson.
The story so far
Having taken six points off Turkey, four off Ukraine and three off Croatia, the Strákarnir Okkar won Group I in qualification and entered their maiden World Cup. However, since then they have gone on a somewhat worrying period of one draw and three defeats.
Bodvarsson started and played an hour as Norway won 3-2 in Reykjavík on June 2, the striker departing with the score at 1-1, while he came off the bench just before Iceland squandered a two-goal lead to draw with Ghana on Thursday night.
Despite the results, it is clear he remains among the first-choice players likely to start in Russia, as is Alfred Finnbogason of Bundesliga team Augsburg with the pair ahead of another former Wolves man, Bjorn Bergmann Sigurdarson.
What’s he up to now?
The Iceland squad jetted off for Russia on Saturday and set up camp at Nadezhda Resort Complex, Gelendjik. The Black Sea coastal town is only a stone’s throw (250km) away from host city Sochi and boasts plenty of sunshine and low humidity.
6️⃣ days until we play at the @FIFAWorldCup
— Knattspyrnusambandið (@footballiceland) June 10, 2018
⚽️ First training at our base camp today.#fyririsland pic.twitter.com/rKbyvD5g55
Training ground Olimp Stadium is a short walk from the hotel and there is also a spa on site. By Sunday, the smallest nation ever to reach a World Cup™ were hard at work under coach Heimir Hallgrimsson.
What’s next?
Argentina. Their Group D opener takes place in Moscow’s Spartak Stadium on Saturday, June 16 at 14:00 UK time. You can watch it on ITV.