After Euro show, ‘Icemen’ not keen to rest on laurels

PARIS: Gylfi Sigurdsson has promised Iceland will not be content to bask in the glory of their Euro 2016 heroics having had a taste of the highs and lows of tournament

PARIS: Gylfi Sigurdsson has promised Iceland will not be content to bask in the glory of their Euro 2016 heroics having had a taste of the highs and lows of tournament football.

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The smallest nation ever to take part in the European championship with a population of just 330,000 stunned England to reach the last eight. They received a reality check in a 5-2 thrashing by hosts France on Sunday.

But Iceland’s cool blue replica shirts had already sold out before the France defeat. They have made their mark.

“Of course this experience was (an) incredible, fantastic three or four weeks for us and I’m sure all the players want to experience this again,” said Swansea City playmaker Sigurdsson.

“We’ve got the World Cup coming up and hopefully we can qualify again.”

Goalkeeper Hannes Halldorsson had a night to forget at the Stade de France, however he hailed Iceland’s “fantastic journey” from whipping boys to serious contenders on the European stage over the past decade.

“We can be proud of what we did, even though we wanted more.

“We have had great support from all over the world and it is has been a fantastic journey. Sadly it ended tonight.”

Halldorsson, who plays f or NEC Nijmenen in t he Netherlands, believes Iceland now belong among Europe’s best.

“Now we have gotten a taste of being at the big stage, we love it and we belong here.

“It is going to be very tough, but we are going to go all in and give it all we have to qualify (for the World Cup).”