Birkir Bjarnason
Who was Birkir Bjarnason?
Icelandic midfielder who has played for clubs including FC Basel and Al-Arabi and was a regular starter for Iceland during their Euro 2016 campaign. He has earned over 80 caps for his national team.
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Birkir Bjarnason (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Birkir Bjarnason, an Icelandic ex-footballer, played as a central midfielder from 2006 to 2023. Born on May 27, 1988, in Akureyri, Iceland's second-largest city, he is Iceland's most capped player with 115 national team appearances. His professional career took him to several countries and leagues, making him one of Iceland's most seasoned international players during a successful period for the national team.
Bjarnason started his professional journey with the Norwegian club Rosenborg in 2007 after progressing through Icelandic youth systems. He made his mark in Scandinavian football before moving on to FC Copenhagen in Denmark, gaining significant European competition experience. This led to a transfer to Swiss club FC Basel in 2013, where he won several league titles and regularly played in the UEFA Champions League and Europa League.
Bjarnason's international career kicked off in 2010, and he soon became a key player for Iceland. He played a vital role in Iceland's first major tournament qualification, Euro 2016, where they reached the quarter-finals in one of football's most memorable underdog tales. He scored crucial goals during qualifying and the tournament, including against England and France, helping put Iceland on the international football map.
After his time in Switzerland, Bjarnason joined England's Premier League with Aston Villa in 2017, though he spent much of this period on loan to clubs like Leeds United and Al-Arabi in Qatar. He later played with teams in Italy and Denmark before retiring in 2023. Throughout his career, Bjarnason was known for his hard work, aerial skills, and knack for scoring key goals from midfield. His consistent performance at the international level made him a vital part of the Icelandic national team for over ten years, taking part in both Euro 2016 and Euro 2020.
Before Fame
Growing up in Akureyri, a city in northern Iceland with a strong football culture, Bjarnason developed his skills in local youth systems until he caught the attention of scouts from Norwegian football. During his early years, Iceland's football infrastructure and coaching methods were gradually improving, which later helped the national team achieve historic success.
In the mid-2000s, Icelandic players often moved to Scandinavian leagues, where the playing style and conditions were more familiar than in other European places. Bjarnason took this path, joining Rosenborg's youth system and making his senior debut, a path many other Icelandic players followed during the country's football growth.
Key Achievements
- Most capped player in Iceland national team history with 115 appearances
- Scored Iceland's first goal at a major tournament (Euro 2016)
- Won four Swiss Super League titles with FC Basel (2014-2017)
- Key player in Iceland's historic Euro 2016 quarter-final run
- Participated in two European Championships (2016, 2020) for Iceland
Did You Know?
- 01.He scored Iceland's first-ever goal at a major tournament during Euro 2016 against Portugal
- 02.Bjarnason comes from a football family - his father Bjarni Bjarnason was also a professional footballer who represented Iceland
- 03.He was working as a part-time coach at youth level while still playing professionally in his later career
- 04.During his time at FC Basel, he won four consecutive Swiss Super League titles between 2013 and 2017
- 05.He holds the record for most appearances by an Icelandic player in European club competitions