Arnar Gunnlaugsson
Icelandic footballer and coach
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Arnar Bergmann Gunnlaugsson (born 6 March 1973) is an Icelandic football manager and former player who currently manages the Iceland national football team.[3]
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Arnar Bergmann Gunnlaugsson interview October 2025 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Arnar Bergmann Gunnlaugsson[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 6 March 1973 | ||
| Place of birth | Akranes, Iceland | ||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1988 | ÍA | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1989–1992 | ÍA | 56 | (37) |
| 1992–1994 | Feyenoord | 9 | (0) |
| 1994–1995 | 1. FC Nürnberg | 28 | (8) |
| 1995 | ÍA | 7 | (15) |
| 1995–1997 | Sochaux | 25 | (4) |
| 1997 | ÍA | 2 | (1) |
| 1997–1999 | Bolton Wanderers | 42 | (13) |
| 1999–2002 | Leicester City | 30 | (3) |
| 2000 | → Stoke City (loan) | 13 | (2) |
| 2002 | → Stoke City (loan) | 9 | (3) |
| 2002–2003 | Dundee United | 6 | (0) |
| 2003–2005 | KR | 34 | (14) |
| 2006 | ÍA | 15 | (5) |
| 2007–2008 | FH | 24 | (10) |
| 2008–2009 | ÍA | 14 | (8) |
| 2009 | Valur | 4 | (0) |
| 2010 | Haukar | 18 | (8) |
| 2011 | Fram | 14 | (7) |
| Total | 350 | (138) | |
| International career | |||
| 1988 | Iceland U17 | 7 | (4) |
| 1988–1990 | Iceland U19 | 13 | (6) |
| 1992 | Iceland U21 | 6 | (2) |
| 1993–2003 | Iceland | 32 | (3) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2006 | ÍA | ||
| 2008–2009 | ÍA | ||
| 2018–2025 | Vikingur R[2] | ||
| 2025– | Iceland | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
During his playing career, he enjoyed spells at Leicester City, Stoke City, Bolton Wanderers, IA Akranes, 1. FC Nürnberg, Feyenoord and Dundee United, and has been an international player until 2003.[4]
As a manager he has managed Víkingur Reykjavík to 2 Úrvalsdeild titles in 2021, 2023, and 4 Icelandic Cups in 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023 before he became manager of Iceland.
Club career
While at Leicester City he played a key role in their victorious 1999–2000 Football League Cup campaign. He made two appearances during the run,[5] and both times came on as a substitute and scored in a penalty shootout; once against Leeds United[6] and once against Fulham.[7] He was not part of Leicester's squad for the 2000 League Cup Final at Wembley, however days after the final he was loaned out to Stoke where he had a second opportunity to play at the stadium; this time starting as Stoke won the 2000 Football League Trophy Final.[8]
International career
As a young player, Arnar made several appearances for the Icelandic international youth teams.[9] Arnar made his debut for Iceland in an April 1993 friendly match against the United States. He went on to earn 32 caps, scoring three goals between 1993 and 2003.[10] His last international match was an April 2003 friendly match against Finland in which he was substituted with Veigar Páll Gunnarsson.
Personal life
Arnar is the twin brother of Bjarki Gunnlaugsson who was also an Icelandic international, and the older brother of Garðar Gunnlaugsson who played for the national team as well.[11][12]
Career statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| ÍA | 1989 | Úrvalsdeild | 8 | 1 | — | — | — | 8 | 1 | |||
| 1990 | Úrvalsdeild | 12 | 3 | — | — | — | 12 | 3 | ||||
| 1991[15] | 1.deild | 18 | 18 | — | — | — | 18 | 18 | ||||
| 1992 | Úrvalsdeild | 18 | 15 | — | — | — | 18 | 15 | ||||
| Total | 56 | 37 | — | — | — | 56 | 37 | |||||
| Feyenoord | 1992–93 | Eredivisie | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | 4 | 0 | |||
| 1993–94 | Eredivisie | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | 5 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 9 | 0 | — | — | — | 9 | 0 | |||||
| 1. FC Nürnberg | 1994–95 | 2. Bundesliga | 28 | 8 | — | — | — | 28 | 8 | |||
| ÍA | 1995 | Úrvalsdeild | 7 | 15 | — | — | — | 7 | 15 | |||
| Sochaux | 1995–96 | Ligue 2 | 12 | 3 | — | — | — | 12 | 3 | |||
| 1996–97 | Ligue 2 | 13 | 1 | — | — | — | 13 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 25 | 4 | — | — | — | 25 | 4 | |||||
| ÍA | 1997 | Úrvalsdeild | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | |||
| Bolton Wanderers | 1997–98 | Premier League | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | — | 19 | 1 | |
| 1998–99 | First Division | 27 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | — | 34 | 14 | ||
| Total | 42 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 2 | — | 53 | 15 | |||
| Leicester City | 1998–99 | Premier League | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 9 | 0 | |
| 1999–2000 | Premier League | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 7 | 0 | ||
| 2000–01 | Premier League | 17 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 21 | 4 | ||
| 2001–02 | Premier League | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | ||
| Total | 30 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | 39 | 4 | |||
| Stoke City (loan) | 1999–2000 | Second Division | 13 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 18 | 3 |
| 2001–02 | Second Division | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 3 | |
| Total | 22 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 29 | 6 | ||
| Dundee United | 2002–03 | Scottish Premier League | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 7 | 0 | |
| KR | 2003 | Úrvalsdeild | 11 | 7 | — | — | — | 11 | 7 | |||
| 2004 | Úrvalsdeild | 15 | 7 | — | — | — | 15 | 7 | ||||
| 2005 | Úrvalsdeild | 8 | 0 | — | — | — | 8 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 34 | 14 | — | — | — | 25 | 14 | |||||
| ÍA | 2006 | Úrvalsdeild | 15 | 5 | — | — | — | 15 | 5 | |||
| FH | 2007 | Úrvalsdeild | 12 | 6 | — | — | — | 12 | 6 | |||
| 2008 | Úrvalsdeild | 12 | 4 | — | — | — | 12 | 4 | ||||
| Total | 24 | 10 | — | — | — | 24 | 10 | |||||
| ÍA | 2008 | Úrvalsdeild | 6 | 3 | — | — | — | 6 | 3 | |||
| 2009 | 1. deild karla | 8 | 5 | — | — | — | 8 | 5 | ||||
| Total | 14 | 8 | — | — | — | 14 | 8 | |||||
| Valur | 2009 | Úrvalsdeild | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | 4 | 0 | |||
| Haukar | 2010 | Úrvalsdeild | 18 | 8 | — | — | — | 18 | 8 | |||
| Fram | 2011 | Úrvalsdeild | 14 | 7 | — | — | — | 14 | 7 | |||
| Career total | 350 | 138 | 14 | 1 | 13 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 384 | 142 | ||
International
Source:[14]
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iceland | 1993 | 5 | 0 |
| 1994 | 7 | 0 | |
| 1995 | 6 | 2 | |
| 1996 | 2 | 0 | |
| 1997 | 3 | 0 | |
| 1998 | 4 | 0 | |
| 1999 | 3 | 1 | |
| 2002 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2003 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 32 | 3 | |
Honours
Player
ÍA
Stoke City
KR
FH
Individual
- Úrvalsdeild Top Scorer: 1992, 1995
- Úrvalsdeild Most promising player: 1992
Manager
- Úrvalsdeild (2): 2021, 2023
- Icelandic Cup (4): 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023
- Icelandic Super Cup: 2022, 2024
Individual