A Name to Remember: Kolbeinn Sigthorsson

For such a small country, Iceland has gifted the world an impressive number of football players who have taught us all that Icelandic names require a mouth full of water to correctly pronounce. The next great Icelandic player who could be giving football commentators fits in the future is Kolbeinn Sigthorsson, a 16-year-old striker who plays for the domestic club HK Kopavogur.

Sigthorsson is reportedly the infatuation of no less than 20 clubs in Europe including the usual big money suspects. According to those in the know, Arsenal are at the front of the pack with Arsene Wenger having tried to lure him to his club for three years running. West Ham, Everton, Real Madrid, and Ajax have also ventured to the frozen tundra of Iceland to eyeball the kid.

Sigthorsson may not be going anywhere soon, however. His club has said it would like to keep him until he is 18. Sightorsson’s brother Andri signed with Bayern Munich when he was 16 but injuries forced him to retire when he was 25.

Known for his excellent knowledge of the game and strong finishing, Sigthorsson has been a stud for Iceland’s youth teams. He recently scored four goals for Iceland in a U-17 match against Russia and a brace against Ireland. Will he be the next Eidur Gudjohnsen? Time will tell. Sadly, there is no YouTube video of him scoring goal after goal set to the tunes of Björk or Sigur Rós.

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Category: Europe, World Football