(fans chanting and clapping)
(slow dramatic music)
- It's not only about sports.
- [Commentator] Messi, Messi, Messi, goal, goal, goal.
- It's not just about amazing ability.
- [Man] Football is a language in itself,
it surpasses all barriers.
- [Man 2] When I get the ball at my feet I feel absolute love.
- [Man 3] When it gets to the pitch, we're on equal ground.
- Leo was born like this.
- [Woman] The goosebumps and the emotions, phenomenal.
- Football can help bring communities together.
- [Man 4] We could become bigger and greater through football.
Football is not a game, it's emotion.
It comes from the heart.
(slow dramatic music)
- I sometimes run really fast from being the little nation
to like we say a big nation.
Even though we're few, but we're big, strong and powerful,
and Iceland just they know how to fight.
We used to fight to survive.
(fans chanting and clapping)
It's like you are a Viking.
I'm really excited about Iceland playing in the World Cup.
It's like a dream.
The mood is amazing.
Like my boys, they just talk about it everyday.
"When is the World Cup starting?
When is Iceland playing?"
- [Man] Everybody dreams of lifting the World Cup trophy.
That's the dream of every footballer
everywhere in the world.
If you think about the size and the population
you'll always be an underdog.
So we're not bothered about that.
And when we go to the stadiums,
we are on equal grounds with super powers,
and that is why the pride for the people
who is fighting for Iceland is so huge.
The lack of opportunities in a small country,
you have to be unique,
you have to be hardworking to succeed.
In the weather, in the isolation,
that was the only to survive, to be hardworking.
I think it's a value in the Icelandic culture.
That is why every game, every training,
we always say that we have to work harder than anyone else.
This is an amateur football country.
Going to the World Cup with an Icelandic National team
was unthinkable so I never even dreamt of it.
Morning!
Dentistry is my profession,
and that is my university education.
But football has always been my passion
and that is why I have kind of
changed careers into coaching.
I often say that some coaches go play golf
in their spare time, just to take their mind off football,
I do dentistry.
It's a good way of taking your mind off work.
I definitely will do it now and again,
because I like to keep my fingers working.
When I was coaching the youth team,
I thought coaching the senior team
was the biggest thing I could ever imagine.
That's something that, probably nobody
would have said in Iceland.
That they were gonna take
the Iceland National team to the World Cup.
(fans chanting and clapping)
- [Woman] Being the smallest nation ever to qualify, that is so cool.
You know I got a lot of congratulations
from all my foreign friends.
At least those who are following football
because it is really an achievement.
But I think what's gonna happen in the world championship
is not only about sports, it's also about this
pride of being Icelandic.
- [Announcer] The global financial meltdown comes to Iceland.
The government in this tiny island in the North Atlantic,
seizing the country's second largest bank.
- [Announcer 2] The fastest economic collapse of any country in history.
- [Announcer 3] ...exchange rate of its plummeting currency.
- [Katrin] The economic crisis of 2008 wasn't only a
economic crisis in Iceland.
It was also a social and political crisis.
I think we actually adapted quite quickly
after the economic crisis.
I think also we have adapted very quickly
when it comes to our football team.
It has also shown us what we can do,
when we work together and really rise above
being, just to think about ourselves.
I think it's something that we all can learn from.
(fans chanting and clapping)
- [Asgeir] To have a good national team,
playing on a big stage like the World Cup is everything.
Icelandic team, it used to be a big disappointment,
they weren't very good.
Finally, we have good players,
it's a new era now in Iceland.
Now we're good, we must stay good.
- [Heimir] We were playing England, that was fantastic
to be playing the nation that we have been watching
since we were born.
Every Icelander has a favorite club in England.
We've always been dreaming of playing England.
You know, playing our heroes.
- [Commentator] Well that didn't take long.
England in front inside four minutes.
- [Heimir] They scored in the beginning.
The devil on your shoulder said,
maybe we're too small to play England
but the players were fantastic.
- [Commentator] Sigurdsson!
Iceland level after only two minutes of being behind.
Ragnar Sigurdsson.
- [Heimir] To equalize straight after they scored
was a shock for them, you could feel it.
(fans cheering)
They probably thought, it's gonna be a roll over,
but to go 2-1 up in the first half,
that was another shock for them.
- [Commentator] Sigurdsson, and Sigthorsonn
and it's crept in, Iceland lead England.
- [Heimir] And now they had to come from behind
to beat us.
It's hard work, it was discipline,
it was focus the whole time.
- [Commentator] England are in here,
oh great stop by Iceland's keeper.
(fans chanting and clapping)
And Aron Gunnarsson is in on goal.
- [Heimir] The people were smiling because they really felt
that this was going our way.
- Blow the whistle!
It's over. It's over. Referee. It's over!
- It's one of the best memories for a lot of Icelanders.
- Never wake me up! Never wake me from this amazing dream!
Boo all you want England!
Iceland's going to Stade de France on Sunday! France - Iceland
You can go home! You can leave Europe!
You can go wherever you want!
England 1, Iceland 2 is the final score!
- Probably one of the best days in Iceland,
I wish I would have been in Iceland.
And everybody was friends at least for that day.
- [Man] The coat of arms of Iceland,
we see the flag in the middle.
(fans chanting and clapping)
Thor, thunder god.
(fans chanting and clapping)
An old Viking on the left,
and a Viking ship through the middle.
(fans chanting and clapping)
Took a few hours, painful hours
but it was something I did after the Euros.
(fans chanting and clapping)
I was in the moment, I felt like it was
representing me after being this warrior for my country.
- [Man] It's more than what we expected
and what we could have dreamed of.
I think the togetherness of the team is
what makes us special.
We know each other so well.
The majority of the boys have been playing together
since we were 16.
(slow music)
- [Man] It's pretty crazy how things have developed.
I remember I was asked, 2011 that's where I was
starting to climb a little bit as a footballer,
already 27 at the time, I was asked in an interview,
do you think you're a better filmmaker or a goalkeeper?
Then my answer was clear, I'm a better filmmaker.
But, I'm a late bloomer and I started to
pick up as a goalkeeper
and I think I'm having my best years
later than most players, maybe so if you would ask me today
I would maybe answer you differently.
- [Aron] Going into a game, representing your country,
it feels like you are in a war.
- [Heimir] I think be connected to the Vikings
is a good connection because everybody knows
what the Vikings were about.
We're not afraid of going into battle
against someone that others think
are bigger and better than us.
I actually don't fear anything in the World Cup.
If we get the best out of our players
we have a chance against everyone.
When it gets to the pitch, we're on equal ground.
There was a lot of pressure and attention
on how we were going to restart
our next campaign in the World Cup qualifiers.
It was a really tough draw to have.
Croatia, Ukraine, Turkey.
- [Commentator] It's Gylfi Sigurdsson's corner.
The header from Magnusson.
Iceland lead Croatia.
Could that goal help Iceland get to their first World Cup?
- [Heimir] I had one of our best games
against Ukraine at home 2-0.
- [Commentator] The dream keeps going.
- [Heimir] 3-0 for Iceland away against Turkey.
Probably is one of the best result
Iceland's ever done away.
- [Commentator] What a victory for Iceland.
- [Heimir] So Iceland only needs to win Kosovo at home,
to qualify for Russia.
- [Commentator] Gylfi, Gylfi, Gylfi goal!
(speaks foreign language)
- [Heimir] If we play our best, we have a chance against everyone.
- [Commentator] Quite incredible scenes.
Tiny Iceland have qualified for the World Cup
for the first time in their history.
- [Man] When we qualified for World Cup,
we were playing a show and I ran off stage and,
I managed to get the last sort of 20, 25 minutes of the game
and I couldn't sit down.
I was standing up the whole time,
running around the room, feeling really anxious
and biting my nails.
I had goosebumps the whole time.
I almost couldn't believe it.
It is a win on its own, just to be there.
- Most questions I get when I'm abroad,
is like hey, are you excited about World Cup and,
it's a nice change I guess.
It used to be all about the music.
We used to get all the attention.
We were like movie stars but now we don't mean as much
because the football players are taking all the attention.
- I think it's kind of a beautiful thing though as well,
if you think about it, that,
there's obviously a lot of nations that
don't have their team there,
and I think Iceland is the team that everyone supports.
If your team is not there, you just support Iceland.
(soft guitar music)
- The people of Rio love the beach
and we play every Sunday in this amazing setting.
Iceland don't have a track record.
We'd never heard of them but they've arrived.
- To be in the World Cup you have to be good...
and to play against Argentina, Brazil, Germany...
any country would love to play these teams.
They've reached the World Cup; one of only 32 teams.
To get this far they must be a great team.
- My message to Iceland would be: "Go onto the pitch with heart and soul...
...and play a good game."
- So they have to play like Brazilians.
I'm going to be supporting Iceland for sure.
- [Man] This is the place where we are met before every game.
It's traditional now, to come here
and have chicken, beer before we go to Olver
and drink some more before the games.
- It's goosebumps really, it's awesome.
It's just, you are waiting for several days
before the match comes, and on match day
you're itching inside.
- [Man] Well the plan is basically the same as usual.
Meet here at two o'clock, then we go to Olver,
put up the drums and then people start coming in.
Yeah!
And then the special moment happens
when the national coach comes.
- [Woman] That's awesome, it's unique.
He gives us so much trust.
- [Heimir] The Icelandic fans are different.
My relationship to them is one of the most unique
probably in the world.
We try to give the fans ownership in the team.
I go talk to the fans in a pub
and do the same team talk as I did with the players.
And we always tell them what we are
trying to achieve in a game.
We show them the starting lineup,
we talk about the opponent.
The only rule is that, there is no media,
no recordings and no press, it's only the supporters.
Nothing has leaked out for seven years.
- [Man] And it's awesome, and it's part of this greatness
that we are living.
I mean we are writing our own pages
in the football history.
Iceland, Iceland, went to Euro, now World Cup.
- [Heimir] We're trying to maximize everything that we have
and one of the strengths is togetherness.
It's been a lot of preparation and planning
and it's a relief that we're now in our final preparation.
- [Gylfi] It's good to see the boys.
I think everyone's really excited now for the World Cup.
There's been a few injuries.
Aron is very important for us.
Of course we're all praying
and hoping he'll have a chance of making the World Cup.
- [Aron] I got injured. Went over and my ankle went
as I stood up, I locked my knee, heard something click.
It's been lonely at times,
lonely preparing for World Cup injured and
you don't really know what's gonna happen
even though people around you are trying to help you.
Your mind drifts away to possibility
of not making the World Cup.
- [Heimir] Norway is a strong team.
So it's gonna be a tough game but a really good match for us
to see where we stand.
(slow dramatic music)
I felt really comfortable,
especially when we scored the 2-1 goal.
Then we just gave it away.
It is just that hard to have preparation
but winning is important when you prepare.
You don't wanna make excuses.
We lost the game, we're not happy with it.
(slow music)
- We go here a lot just to relax and
sit here and chat about football and other stuff.
It's really good, good for your mind and soul I think.
I'm not going to Russia like my friend but,
I'm gonna watch the game in the cinema in Patreksfjorour
with full house of people and
and we will try to act like we are at the match.
We will probably take the Viking clap.
The team gives us hope and makes us proud
of being Icelander, even though we're so few,
we're still able to do whatever we want,
and if someone says, "I can't do this," then you can say,
"But Iceland they qualified for the World Cup so,
everything is possible."
(slow funky music)
- [Man] I feel that Iceland in the 21st century
is doing what Brazil did in 1950.
The whole country came together around this World Cup
because people felt inside that
we could become something more important,
bigger and greater through football.
Back then, Brazil in a way in football,
there was this almost an inferiority complex with Europe.
We thought that by winning that World Cup,
we would grow and be accepted in the world
as a more important country.
It didn't happen that way, unfortunately.
I don't feel well, whenever I see
that second Uruguayan goal.
It's like I'm being choked
by some kind of Uruguayan ghosts.
I'm 79 and sometimes, especially when I see this film again,
I'm 11 years old again
because football for me is not big business, it's emotion.
It comes from the heart, from your guts
and that's how you suffer.
I think that because we lost, we gained more
in these aspects, than if we had won.
Okay, we lived through this, we have to be better.
We managed somehow, to get the best out of that.
Iceland for me is living what Brazil lived in the '50s.
This love, this involvement of the whole country.
- We have become quite demanding if I may say so.
I think right now, the Icelandic team
is under a lot of pressure from us, the fans.
I dare not to be too optimistic (laughs)
because it's really tough you know,
there are really tough teams that we are playing against.
But hopefully, hopefully, I'm always you know,
maybe we're always just full of hope here
that everything will happen.
(slow folk music)
- [Georg] We play as a team, and I think
a lot of countries forget that.
And I think our team is the best team
even if we lose. (laughs)
- [Heimir] This is the World Cup.
To lead a country to the World Cup finals
is of course for every coach
is a huge achievement in his career
but for me, coming from an amateur environment,
coaching kids for 15 years, women, and amateur men's team
before I started with the national team.
It's gonna be even a bigger moment
leading Iceland as a nation to this big stage in football.
There's nothing you can compare the World Cup to.
We have all players available, all players fit
and that will be a good headache,
to pick the starting 11.
- [Aron] Now we're coming towards the game time.
You sure get the feeling of the tingling inside,
preparing for something special.
- [Heimir] The first game is against Argentina
and I hope we can have a good performance against them.
Nobody will expect us to win and that is good for us.
I think Iceland will probably never play
as big game as this one.
- [Hannes] Every game we play, the better we do
is always the biggest game in the Icelandic football history
and I didn't think it was gonna get any bigger.
- [Gylfi] This is the game we've been looking forward to,
since the draw was made.
We've gone through the Argentinian squad and how they play.
- [Hannes] I think it's a bit impossible to
try to study Messi and what's his goals
because he can do everything.
- [Commentator] Lionel Messi incredible.
Lionel Messi unstoppable.
The best player in the world right now.
- [Hannes] Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think
I was gonna be playing in the World Cup
against the best player in the world, no way.
This is unbelievable, all you can do is
be as fit as possible, expect anything
and try your best when the day comes.
- [Heimir] Of course people is nervous
and there should be a butterfly in your stomach
when you play a game like this, it only helps.
I'm not gonna deny it, there's always a...
a devil on your shoulder that's saying
"Yeah, this might go really bad."
But, these guys they have something in them that,
there's no challenge too big
and they have shown again and again
that when they need to deliver they do it.
Now it's this game.
That's why it's so hugely popular.
In most other sports, Argentina,
with all its history and all its players
should never lose against a team like Iceland
but that is the beauty of football.
It is difficult to score a goal
and if we can avoid the opponent to score a goal,
then we always have a chance.
(slow samba music)
- We Brazilians have a big rivalry with Argentina.
For Brazilians, Iceland is our second team for sure.
When Argentina play Iceland,
I may as well have been born in Iceland.
I will be cheering on Iceland a lot.
- It's usually these types of team
that cause a surprise in the World Cup.
- That would be great, imagine Iceland winning...
what a party; everyone would be clapping.
-It would be amazing, I think. -It will be.
- [Commentator] This is it, the greatest stage
in the world of sport.
32 nations, split into eight groups.
The teams in each group play each other once
and only the top two will make it through
to the second round.
So do Iceland have any hope at all
of making it through.
They've been drawn in one of the hardest groups.
Argentina, giants of the world game,
so many outstanding attacking players
that many weren't even picked for the tournament.
- [Aron] I actually didn't think I was gonna make it.
I know that the surgeon and the doctor
and the physios in Cardiff did say to me that,
I've got a chance but it's not a big one.
It was tough, I'll tell you that.
- [Commentator] They could not be more different.
Argentina, twice world champions,
for Iceland, it's their first kick of a ball
at the World Cup.
- [Heimir] It's difficult against
a team like Argentina with these individual skills,
to defend for 90 minutes.
(fans chanting and clapping)
- [Commentator] Rojo, thought he was winding up the shot
but it's come to Aguero, super take, brilliant turn
and that is rifled past a helpless Halldorsson.
Sergio Aguero, has fired Argentina into the lead.
- [Heimir] It was early in the game,
too early in my opinion
and it was kind of goal that, you can't do nothing about.
- [Aron] That's when we need to stick together and not panic,
you can't panic, if you panic
then we're gonna concede another one.
- Come on Iceland, let's equalize, yay!
I'm from Iceland.
- [Gylfi] Of course you're always disappointed conceding.
As long as they're only one goal ahead
we know that we're still in the game.
- The Argnentinians are better footballers than us.
We are not bad footballers but they have better players
let's face it.
We just gave it everything.
- [Heimir] When needed, these guys step up,
they've always done it.
- [Commentator] Where's Caballero going?
Iceland not going anywhere,
it's come all the way back to Gylfi Sigurdsson.
He's gonna fire another one in
and Caballero's lost it and Alfred Finnbogason
is the history maker.
Finnbogason for Iceland, their first ever World Cup goal.
- All happened so quickly,
I didn't really have time to think.
- [Commentator] And the fairytale continues.
- I didn't really know how to celebrate,
string something I don't even know today what I said,
it was just special to score this goal
and get us back in the game
and then we could go to our game plan again.
It was a relief, really a relief
because I thought we were playing brilliantly
when Argentina scored.
- [Commentator] Messi's on to the ball,
and that could spell trouble, well saved.
- [Heimir] Teams like Argentina
with individuals like Messi or Aguero, di Maria,
they tried to make spaces for them
so they can show their individual skills
but we denied them of space and time with the ball.
- They always wanted to give the ball to Messi.
He's incredibly good, you know.
I just felt like, every time he had the ball
he could make something happen.
- We all know how good he is and we all know how explosive
and how important he is for Argentina.
The thing was we were defending against him all together,
'cause he would have destroyed us
if we just, if we went man to man against him.
- [Commentator] Mascherano, and Messi.
Messi's ball in, and there's a coming together
and the referee's pointed to the spot, Argentina penalty.
- [Hannes] When the penalty was awarded it was mixed emotions.
When you're going to the World Cup,
there are a few possible dream scenarios
and for a goalkeeper saving a penalty
against Messi in the first game is definitely one of them.
You don't think stuff like that is going to happen.
But, then when he blows the whistle,
first there's this moment of "Ah, fuck!"
But on the other side there's also,
"Okay, at least now I got the chance."
(dramatic drum roll)
I'm always confident when it's a penalty,
I always feel that, and I get surprised
that I don't save it.
I try to stare down the ball, really focus on the ball
and I always expect that it's coming my way.
When he starts running to the ball
I was lost in the moment.
If he strikes, perfect strike,
there's no way you're gonna save it.
I had studied before the game, how Messi shoots penalties.
Maybe the last 10, 15 he had taken.
I'd already decided two days before the game
which I way would go if Messi would have a penalty.
- [Commentator] Incredible save.
- This was like calculated luck, let's call it that.
- [Commentator] Iceland has a new hero.
- There was no time to think but
when we had cleared the ball and the dust settled,
I think I said to myself out loud,
"Wow, did that just happen?"
(fans cheering)
After saving the penalty there's still
25 minutes to go or something like that.
Those were tense minutes.
- [Commentator] Argentina keep pressing.
It's Messi with a shot.
- [ Gylfi] I definitely felt, this could actually be
our day or could actually get a result against them.
When Hannes keep it at 1-1 and then
that kinda gave us an extra boost of energy
to kind of hold on to what we had
and finish the game strong.
- [Heimir] I think it was a school book example
of how you should defend a team like Argentina.
- [Commentator] It is one of the most memorable performances
in the history of the World Cup.
- [Hannes] I think we all feel relief after that result because
at least now we have something to be proud of.
I think maybe deep deep down,
everybody had that fear to get crushed,
let's say 5-0 or something, by Argentina.
I'm getting a lot of messages on my phone.
It's warm the whole day.
It's from all over the world, it's unbelievable.
I think now I'm realizing how big the World Cup is.
(slow samba music)
- Everyone's very happy...
It was a good game. I'm sure Iceland are going to get even better.
The biggest strength of the Iceland team is their unity.
They don't have the best players in the world, or any player that stands out.
What stands out in their team is the group, the strength...
the tactical determination. They didn't give up in any part of the match.
- Because the tendency of many teams with more tradition...
that go a goal down is to say "Ah, we are going to lose."
Iceland came up against Argentina knowing that Argentina are far superior.
But no one knows how Iceland are going to deal with Nigeria or Croatia.
(speaking foreign language)
- [Heimir] It's just a one point, but it's a good point
because it was the favorites in our group
and it gives us confidence in our next game
which is Nigeria and we need to fill the batteries
and that's the most important thing now.
(slow music)
A little bit nervous, it's always difficult
to play a team that everybody consider less good,
than the one that we played against last time.
- [Rurik] I think sometimes our second game
has been a little bit less good than our first game.
Everybody is very pumped up before the first game
so I think it's very important now to
to get our feet back on the ground.
- [Heimir] Gonna be a very difficult match for us.
If we win we have a good chance to progress.
A draw is an okay result, at least then still
we'll have everything in our hands
but of course a loss would be a huge disappointment.
- [Commentator] And the Nigerians have started the second period much stronger,
here's Ahmed Musa, who's got past the defender to score.
Musa who's already scored once,
getting through the Iceland defense again
and he scores his second.
Sigurdsson has missed it.
- [Heimir] Probably we expected to lose against Argentina
and maybe draw with Nigeria, it was the opposite.
Obviously we were disappointed, no doubt about that
and it was of course tough to meet the media
after a disappointing day.
There's the question how you react afterwards.
You have to learn from defeats
and you normally take more from defeats than wins
and we know what we could have done better.
There's still a chance.
We're in the worst position of the three teams
fighting for the second spot after Croatia
but still there's a chance and while there is a chance
we make sure that everybody will do everything they can.
- [Man] Today, this is the game,
the biggest game in the tournament
and the last game in the group and we're still in.
Didn't sleep a lot last night.
I'm getting very nervous now.
- [Commentator] A boiling day in Rostov.
Will that favor the Croatians?
- [Heimir] Croatia is a hard nation to beat.
For me is of course a little bit scary to play them now.
- [Woman] How will I feel if we win this game?
My heart is gonna blow.
- I'm always optimistic about the team but
I'm quite nervous about this match.
- We don't get any summer or anything,
we have to have something to look forward to.
- [Hannes] Look at their team.
All their players are playing in Real Madrid,
Barcelona, Juventus, Inter Milan,
the biggest clubs in Europe so,
I think I can say very confidently
that nobody in Iceland wanted to get drawn against Croatia.
- [Commentator] So it all comes down to this.
If Iceland can defeat Croatia, not an easy task,
they could still progress out of their group
but only a win will do.
- [Heimir] Croatia were really on high
and they were playing the best football of their lives.
The game plans was set, there was no confusion
what we needed to do.
- [Commentator] Opportunity for Iceland,
wide from Finnbogason.
So close for the hero against Argentina.
Chance here for Iceland, well saved.
This looks promising, and Croatia take the lead.
The Iceland claim is handball
and the referee agrees, penalty Iceland.
Sigurdsson, missed against Nigeria.
Sigurdsson scores against Croatia.
Iceland equalize.
So just one goal, one goal, could give Iceland
the ticket to the knockout stages.
- [Heimir] We needed to take a chance
in the end of the game and we got punished.
- [Commentator] The ball slipped through
and Croatia have scored.
-(whistle shrills) -There's the final whistle, Iceland have lost 2-1
and that means, regrettably, they're out of the World Cup.
- [Heimir] That was probably one of our best performances
in the three games.
I don't take much pride from losing a game but
in this game I thought we did well enough
to be proud of our performance.
- Disappointed at first, but
we needed to score a goal, we didn't, they did. So...
But they put their heart out there so,
this was just, they couldn't do more.
I think we did our best
and there's nothing more that you can do.
We're proud of those boys
and the joy they have brought to us,
the last weeks in the World Cup.
- [Man] I actually thought that we could do it,
just need one more, just one more.
Yeah, one kick away, one goal away,
but it's like that in football.
(slow music)
- [Heimir] To do something for the first time
is a big thing.
It shows that we are a nation among nations
when we can compete against the biggest
even superpowers and we did better than
many superpowers in the world.
- [Hannes] I think I was experiencing
the highlight of my career, definitely.
Saving a penalty from Messi this is like stuff of dreams.
- [Heimir] He can tell his grandchildren,
I played in the World Cup
and I saved a penalty from Lionel Messi.
That's something that you can brag about
to your grandchildren in the future.
I think it's good to leave on a high,
doing the things that we have done,
achieving the things that we have achieved
and leaving while everything isn't wrong.
I'm tremendously proud, tremendously proud
and I'm humble to have been able to be a part of this,
because we have developed so much.
I think also the Icelandic people
have just grown a little bit,
the togetherness is stronger.
I think that is such a strong message that
even Iceland can go to the World Cup finals
and then what else can we do if we are united?
(slow dramatic music)
(dramatic music)