STORY OF THE SEASON – ICELAND: Home to many Icelandic professional players over the years, UMF Selfoss from the south of Iceland finally became domestic champions
Iceland’s home of handball gets first title
It is not out of the blue that the town of Selfoss is the home of handball in Iceland. Even though it only has around 6,000 inhabitants, the handball culture is magnificent and it would not be a surprise if each and every one of the locals wore burgundy like the team’s coloured shirts throughout the semi-finals and all the way to the end.
The atmosphere in the town after the 10-goal win (35:25) in the fourth match of the finals against Haukar, one of the most successful team in Iceland’s handball history, was indescribable.
What makes UMF Selfoss so special is their youth system, famous for producing great players. In the title-winning team were only three players which were not from the academy. Five players in the team were also playing when Selfoss qualified for the top division only three years ago.
One of them is Elvar Örn Jónsson, who has already signed for Skjern in Denmark. He follows his coach Patrekur Jóhannesson, who takes over at Skjern this summer after leading Selfoss to the first title. Johannesson has brought the professionalism needed to take the step further during his two years at the club. Now the future is back in the hands of the locals, hoping to continue the success.
Even though Elvar Jonsson, voted the MVP of the finals, is leaving for Denmark, there is plenty of talent left at the Selfoss. One of them is the 18 year old playmaker Haukur Þrastarson, who is on the radar of almost every big club in Europe.
Both Jonsson and Þrastarson were with the Iceland’s national squad before the games against Greece and Turkey in the Men’s EHF EURO 2020 Qualifiers in June.
In the 19-man squad picked for the matches, seven of them are originally from Selfoss: Atli Ævar Ingólfsson (Selfoss), Teitur Örn Einarsson (IFK Kristianstad, Sweden), Bjarki Már Elísson (Füchse Berlin, Germany), Janus Daði Smárason and Ómar Ingi Magnússon (Aalborg Håndbold, Denmark).
TEXT:
Andri Yrkill Valsson / ew