Iceland’s National Football Coach Steps Down

Heimir Hallgrímsson, coach of the Icelandic national football team, has left his post. This was confirmed by the Icelandic Football Association today. Heimir has coached the team since 2011, first as assistant to coach Lars Lag­er­bäck, then coaching alongside Lag­er­bäck, and finally as the team’s main coach since 2016.

Heimir coached the team alongside Lag­er­bäck to its first UEFA Euro, held in France in 2016, where Iceland made it to the quarter finals, and then to its first ever FIFA World Cup in Russia this summer.

Guðni Bergsson, head of the Icelandic Football Association, remarked, “Of course, Heimir was our first choice for the job, for he has done a remarkable job during his years with the team. Icelandic football has never done as well and never before received as much attention, nationally and abroad. We had high hopes that Heimir would stay on, but the result is that Heimir leaves the team, at his own request, and on behalf of the Icelandic Football Association, I wish to thank him very much for the collaboration and wish him all the best for the future. The Icelandic Football Association will now take steps to hire a new coach for the national team.”

Heimir declared that he leaves the team with deep gratitude for having been part of its strong unity. “For having been part of a group which has cleared the way for generations to come and accomplished countless achievements for the first time in history. It is a privilege to be able to leave the project at such a moment in time.” He continued, “Success has ensured us a place among the best in coming years. The success and performance [of the team] has created respect for Icelandic football.” He thanked the team and staff for the collaboration and wished them all well.