Against the Elements: The Eruption of Icelandic Football

by Matt McGinn

Against the Elements is an enthralling account of football's most captivating underdog story. With a population of just 350,000, Iceland stunned the sporting world when it went toe-to-toe with the elite at Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup. So how was such a tiny nation, sited on the edge of the Arctic circle, able to take on the giants of world football? Matt McGinn draws on 50 exclusive interviews with the key protagonists to unpick how it happened. Does an Icelandic 'Viking' mentality exist? Can smallness be an advantage? Is there a template for other countries to follow? McGinn experienced Iceland's World Cup campaign in different parts of the country - from five days spent on a fishing trawler, to Iceland's bustling capital of Reykjavík, to the jagged volcanic island of Heimaey. Part travelogue, part thematic investigation, Against the Elements searches for the truth behind the Iceland football team's remarkable, unprecedented rise, bringing to life the people, places and values of the nation that produced this astonishing team.

Genres: Football, Sports, Nonfiction

256 pages, Paperback

Published July 27, 2020

Reviews

[David Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. Very nice read particularly if you are familiar with international football. There are some great characters in the book. Thanks to Kevin Dooney for putting it on my radar. 8.3/10.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is going to make me start a new Football Manager save. And there's no greater compliment for a football book than that!

[Charlotte Patterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really really enjoyed this book. I’ve always had a fascination and infatuation for the “underdog” and Nordic counties in general. The book features various stories, anecdotes, interviews, moments and encapsulates all aspects on Icelandic culture to help the reader understand the Icelandic spirit and mindset. Correlating that back to football and sports. Easy to read, easy to follow, enjoyable, inspiring and I simply couldn’t put it down once I started

[Kevin Burke · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting look at Icelandic football, primarily the reasons behind its explosion onto the world scene in the past decade. There's a variety of reasons explored, none of which is "it", but all of which contribute - improved facilities, the Bosman ruling, national mentality, the efficiencies generated by its small size, and a bit of luck inherent in every golden generation.

There isn't the same depth that there is in other similar books though - Tor on German football, Morbo on Spanish football, Welcome to Hell? on Turkish football - in part because the focus in Against the Elements is so restricted to that past decade. It could maybe do with a little more on the formative history of football in the country; there is a bit of a feel that the second half of the book is stretching things out a little bit farther than is necessary, and the photos - so trumpeted on the cover - could really do with captions by way of context. But overall, an enjoyable read.

[Dan Howarth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not only is this my top football read of the year but it is comfortably in my overall reads of the year.

I caught wind of this project a long time ago and then it slipped off my radar until it's release in July.

Everything about this book ticked my boxes. Football. Far flung outposts. An underdog story. The cold.

Not only that but the writing is superb. The interviews are well planned and the questions thoughtful.

Since football stopped because of Covid, I've found it hard to reconnect with the game. This book has helped. It's a story of friends who love playing matches together and a story of people mostly being able to play for fun well past the age it feels like that stops in the UK.

Overall, this book gripped me. I flew through it and am now frantically waiting for Matt McGinn's next book.

Oh and the photos are incredible.

[Mario · Rating 3 out of 5]

For fans of travelogues and football. There's a brief overview of previous Icelandic trailblazing footballers as well as historic performances but most of the book was focused on Iceland's modern players and teams, which is understandable due to its recent success after years of being a lower ranked side without much success. There's a look at coaching, the Icelandic lifestyle, the changes in methods, the female team as well as a focus on some of the modern players and coaches from the historic Euro 2016 run.

Like another reviewer I was more engrossed in the first half of the book than the 2nd half but it was interesting nevertheless.

[Ben Randall · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating and entertaining insight into both the development of the Icelandic national football team and the psyche of the wider population from a social, cultural and historical perspective. A very worthwhile read for sports fans and wider audiences alike!

[David Macnamara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book that covered much more than just the national team, look at lots of different parts of Icelandic life that I’m intrigued by.

[Timchristopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

This books is amazing and I totally recommend it to any fan of football. Well written and the subject was so interesting.

[Jamie Fletcher · Rating 2 out of 5]

An interesting perspective and insight but a book that I really struggled with. I was really engrossed at the beginning and found the first 100 or so pages easy going but got bogged down with the rest. I thought it was a shame the book didn't delve more into club football in Iceland but the heavy international football focus makes sense given the success of the national team.