Aron Gunnarsson is a typical Icelandic footballer with character. At the age of 23, he became captain of the national team of his country. How did he do it? Due to the nature of the Viking and incredible leadership qualities that manifest both on the field and beyond.
Aron Gunnarsson: biography (youth)
Pride of Icelandic football was born on April 22, 1989 in the city of Akureyri. In childhood, he already showed athletic abilities. His brother (also a football player) in his interviews repeatedly spoke about his ongoing competitions with his brother in childhood. They competed in football, handball, other game sports, boxing and even eating porridge for speed.
Aron Gunnarsson received a very tough Viking upbringing. The parents of the footballer understood that they should invest in the character and soul of their son precisely those qualities that will help him achieve in his life everything he wants. Overcome the path to the dream can only be a strong and persistent man.
Aron at the age of 6 went to school and at the same time engaged in sports sections in handball and football. It was difficult to combine all this, time was often not enough, but the person set a goal in life, which he had already achieved, in principle, now.
Icelandic career footprint
Gunnarsson's start at a serious level was at home. Although this stage of the player’s career was insignificant, it was here that he was noticed, and later invited to a more serious club. The first club Aron Gunnarsson played in was Tor Akureyri, a team from his hometown. At the youth level, he spent the season 2004/2005 for this club. In the first team, the captain of the Icelandic national team also played one season - 2005/2006. In that championship, Aron managed to spend 11 matches. The goals against rivals football player Aron Gunnarsson (biography in this article) did not score. It is not worth evaluating the absence of goals scored as a negative indicator, because players in their role rarely score, performing mainly the functions of destroyers of opponents' attacks.
Iceland national team
Speaking for the national teams of their country of various ages should also be attributed to the Icelandic footprint. For example, for a team under 17 years old, Aron played 7 meetings and even managed to score the ball twice into the opponents' goal. In the youth team under 19, Gunnarsson played 19 matches (scored only 1 time). And in the “oldest” youth team he managed to conduct 11 fights and score 1 goal into the gates of his rivals.
The top player’s career at the international level is a challenge to the national team and regular participation in fights for the country's main team. Aron Gunnarsson (photo above) has already played 57 matches in the Vikings, having scored 2 goals.
Not every footballer can become a captain of a national team in 23 years. The team coach saw all the leadership qualities of Aron and was not mistaken. At a successful Euro 2016 country in France, it was he who led the team and was a real captain. In purely football terms, this player also surprised the whole of Europe with his long throw-ins from behind the sideline right into the penalty area. After such standard provisions, the Vikings scored goals for the Portuguese and the British.
Legionnaire club career
About the period 2006-2008, the player’s career is not worth talking about. His contract belonged to the Dutch AZ Alkmaar, but Gunnarsson played only one game in the main team.
Then the Icelander moves to Coventry City. He made his debut in the Championship in a match against Norwich, who won his Coventry 2-0. For 123 matches in this club (2008-2011), the Icelander scored 6 goals. The debut goal took place in the match for the FA Cup on February 14, 2009 against the Blackburn Rovers. Aron Gunnarsson scored the first home goal for Coventry in 2010 against Preston. Despite all his toughness in the fight on the field, he received his first red card at the end of 2010 in a match with Norwich.
In the summer of 2011, Gunnarsson transferred to the Welsh Cardiff City as a free agent. For this team, Aron Gunnarsson (photo in the article) stands to this day. On his account - 185 fights and 20 goals scored. The team coach notes that Gunnarsson is a very important player for the team. The first goal of “Cardiff” in the Premier League in the season 2013-2014 in the match with “Manchester City” was scored by an Icelander. The importance of the player for the team is also confirmed by the fact that in 2015 he signed a new contract with the club, calculated until the end of 2018. It is very important for a football player to find exactly “his” team, and it seems that “Cardiff City” suits Gunnarsson perfectly.
Personal life
A great football player must have a wonderful wife. Kristborg Jonnasdottir belongs to this category. She is 2 years older than her husband, goes in for sports. Repeatedly became the champion of Iceland and Wales in bikini fitness. At one time, Gunnarsson's wife was engaged in bodybuilding. Chris also does business. She produces a cosmetic line "Brazilian tan", which is very popular among women.
The most important event in their family life happened in 2015. The birth of a son was a confirmation of family happiness.
Aron Gunnarsson is a good family man and a great football player. The whole country is proud of such a captain!