Boston College Athletics
Photo by: John Quackenbos
Iceland Helping Lead BC's International Flavor
August 23, 2019 | Men's Soccer, #ForBoston Files
Three Icelandic players lead an overseas elite feeling to the Eagles.
Soccer is the world's game. Its popularity transcends international borders and unites countries in a global competition unlike any other sport. The teams and clubs that comprise leagues across the planet are certified melting pots comprised of players from different backgrounds, races and cultures.
Children around the world grow up playing soccer, so it's no surprise that the talent pool is incredibly deep. Coaches often find incredibly raw, skilled players hiding in plain sight, and they build championships by harnessing and molding those athletes into cohesive teams. Players might grow up speaking different languages, but on the pitch, they form units that all speak one common tongue in the way that they play.
Boston College men's soccer head coach Ed Kelly always believed in that system method to build success. His teams consistently have international presence and flavor, and his recruiting efforts always search for emerging talent. In 2019, his team will feature players from well-known, "traditional" nations like Italy, Germany and Spain, but this year, the country most represented is the emerging power found in Iceland.Â
"
Three Icelandic players dot the Boston College roster this season: senior Heidar Aegisson, sophomore Kristofer Konradsson and freshman Stefan Sigurdarson. The trio, all from different hometowns, all provide something different for the Eagles, who begin this season looking for their first NCAA Tournament berth since 2016.
"
All three provide the team with something completely different. Aegisson is the team's stalwart capable of playing multiple positions. A two-time captain, he appeared in 26 games for BC over the past two seasons and established himself as one of the ACC's top defenders. He quickly became a fixture in the midfield in 2017 before moving to the backline against No. 11 Virginia, though he flashed offensive skill with six assists.Â
Last season, he rallied after missing time due to an injury and scored his first career goal against Duke, then later added two assists, including one in the ACC Tournament against NC State.
"He's a very good athlete," Kelly said. "He's played at a very high level. His club team (in Iceland) played in the third round of the (UEFA Europa League). Small countries like Iceland are slotted in the first or second round, but they (have some opportunities) to play teams (if they win). He played in the Europa last year as well, but he broke his leg. That kept him out for a long time, but he's doing very well now and hopefully he'll have a good season for us. I like him a lot."
Kelly is drawn to those levels of international experience. Aegisson is part of the Stjarnan football program, a top-tier Icelandic club based in his home town of Gardabaer. He played for the club for its Under-17 and Under-19 programs, winning the U-19 Icelandic Cup and earning Most Promising Player honors in 2012, 2013 and 2014.Â
In 2014-15, he joined the Stjarnan senior team for a UEFA Europa League run that featured wins in the first, second and third qualification rounds. Aggregate victories over clubs from Wales, Scotland and Poland sent the team through to a two-legged home-and-home against Italy's Inter Milan.
It kicked off a run where Stjarnan became an Icelandic powerhouse. It's advanced to UEFA competition almost annually, including the last three Europa League competitions and the 2015-2016 UEFA Champions League. It's included matches against teams like Celtic and Shamrock Rovers, along with representatives from Denmark, Estonia and Spain.
"You can look at a college team and see guys who played for Under-21 teams," Kelly said. "A player like Heidar is currently playing against men who are in their (late-20s). You can never match that, as a coach or anyone. (Those clubs) play at a higher scoring level. All of the tricks that we have and how cutting edge we are can't be replicated."
Aegisson's journey sets the tone for a player like Konradsson. The sophomore is also from Gardabaer and played club soccer for Stjarnan. He earned Most Promising Player honors in 2016 as part of the senior team and was part of the Icelandic championship side in 2014. A five-time club scoring champion, he already is seeing time within the Icelandic national team program.Â
He joined BC last season for his freshman campaign, scoring two goals and four assists with 15 appearances and 13 starts. Those goals, both coming in a game against UConn, tied him for second on the team at the end of the season, while his assist numbers - three in ACC play - led the Eagles.
"He's very gifted," Kelly said. "He just has to figure out what works for him. He was a little bit top heavy, but he lost about 10 pounds since last summer. He's left-footed and has great strength. We're expecting him to score more goals for us than last year. He has a very good shot."
They'll be joined by Sigurdarson, a tall centerpiece from Kopavogur. Unlike the Stjarnan duo, the six foot, three inch forward played for Breidablik in Kopavogur. He has made 14 appearances for the Under-17 national team and has three goals.
"He's a center forward with very good feet," Kelly said. "He has good knowledge of the game. He smacks the ball very well, and he's an excellent student. He's a very responsible young man. I'm very impressed by his character, and I'm looking for some really good things from him. He adds aerial game and adds the presence in front, on set pieces. We're expecting him to become a very, very good player."
The trio are the embodiment of BC's international flavor. All are from the same country but retain very different playing styles. They are bonded by their status as international players but remain individualized in their skills. They aren't from a traditional soccer powerhouse but are indicative of global football's rising awareness and presence on both the world and NCAA stage.
"We can go back 15 or 18 years," Kelly said. "It's not relatively new (to recruit international players), but what's new is that players in America want to go pro. So you can look at any roster and find numerous countries represented. Virginia is a huge 'American program' that won national championships with players like Claudio Reyna and John Harkes, but they have a great number of countries represented on the roster now. It's become a big part."
The challenge then becomes identifying correct combinations. Players from England, Germany or Italy have less opportunity to play at the top division in their pyramid because the leagues are filled with world superstars. NCAA soccer offers them opportunities to play at a high level while gaining elite educations.Â
It creates a cross-section for emerging football nations like Iceland. The opportunity is the same, but the athlete already has experience at the top of the game because those clubs all qualify for the same competitions. More recently, Iceland qualified for its first-ever World Cup last year by winning its qualification group, then earned a point with a draw against Argentina. It creates an untapped recruiting market, especially considering the players who rose up through those clubs still played in the Europa League and Champions League.
"When you go to Germany and England, world stars (play in those leagues)," Kelly said. "So the average kid can't become a professional in those top tiers. So we have to go out and scout those kids and compete in the recruiting process. For a place like Iceland, it's easier because those kids might already play for international (programs).
"It's also one of the shortest and easiest flights you can have from Boston," he elaborated. "They don't complain about winters here; kids from (warmer climates) are more impacted by the seasons (in New England). Additionally, they are well prepared for the educational rigors, and they're hard-working people. There are a lot of boxes that can tick off, so it becomes easy for (us to look at) that country."
It creates a source of pride in the BC program. Boston College is still very much a product of the American soccer system, and the school will always retain its local, northeast flavor. But there's no denying how the Eagles are blending cultures through the beautiful game.
"It's a great experience for a kid from Massachusetts or New Jersey to have that exposure to other cultures," Kelly said. "Those different personalities, understanding other people, makes you aware of young men that are from other countries. I find it fascinating. The school has (a large number) of countries, with students from China, South Korea and other places. You can go to another school, and it might not be the greatest experience for that. Not that there's anything wrong with those schools, but I think this makes people grow to meet each other, their parents and families. Then they all want to stay, most of the time, (around that feeling)."
BC defeated Quinnipiac in the season opener and improved to 2-0 with a road win at BU on Sunday. The Eagles second home game is on Friday at 7 p.m. against Rhode Island. The game will be televised on ACC Network Extra.
Â
Children around the world grow up playing soccer, so it's no surprise that the talent pool is incredibly deep. Coaches often find incredibly raw, skilled players hiding in plain sight, and they build championships by harnessing and molding those athletes into cohesive teams. Players might grow up speaking different languages, but on the pitch, they form units that all speak one common tongue in the way that they play.
Boston College men's soccer head coach Ed Kelly always believed in that system method to build success. His teams consistently have international presence and flavor, and his recruiting efforts always search for emerging talent. In 2019, his team will feature players from well-known, "traditional" nations like Italy, Germany and Spain, but this year, the country most represented is the emerging power found in Iceland.Â
"
Three Icelandic players dot the Boston College roster this season: senior Heidar Aegisson, sophomore Kristofer Konradsson and freshman Stefan Sigurdarson. The trio, all from different hometowns, all provide something different for the Eagles, who begin this season looking for their first NCAA Tournament berth since 2016.
"
All three provide the team with something completely different. Aegisson is the team's stalwart capable of playing multiple positions. A two-time captain, he appeared in 26 games for BC over the past two seasons and established himself as one of the ACC's top defenders. He quickly became a fixture in the midfield in 2017 before moving to the backline against No. 11 Virginia, though he flashed offensive skill with six assists.Â
Last season, he rallied after missing time due to an injury and scored his first career goal against Duke, then later added two assists, including one in the ACC Tournament against NC State.
"He's a very good athlete," Kelly said. "He's played at a very high level. His club team (in Iceland) played in the third round of the (UEFA Europa League). Small countries like Iceland are slotted in the first or second round, but they (have some opportunities) to play teams (if they win). He played in the Europa last year as well, but he broke his leg. That kept him out for a long time, but he's doing very well now and hopefully he'll have a good season for us. I like him a lot."
Kelly is drawn to those levels of international experience. Aegisson is part of the Stjarnan football program, a top-tier Icelandic club based in his home town of Gardabaer. He played for the club for its Under-17 and Under-19 programs, winning the U-19 Icelandic Cup and earning Most Promising Player honors in 2012, 2013 and 2014.Â
In 2014-15, he joined the Stjarnan senior team for a UEFA Europa League run that featured wins in the first, second and third qualification rounds. Aggregate victories over clubs from Wales, Scotland and Poland sent the team through to a two-legged home-and-home against Italy's Inter Milan.
It kicked off a run where Stjarnan became an Icelandic powerhouse. It's advanced to UEFA competition almost annually, including the last three Europa League competitions and the 2015-2016 UEFA Champions League. It's included matches against teams like Celtic and Shamrock Rovers, along with representatives from Denmark, Estonia and Spain.
"You can look at a college team and see guys who played for Under-21 teams," Kelly said. "A player like Heidar is currently playing against men who are in their (late-20s). You can never match that, as a coach or anyone. (Those clubs) play at a higher scoring level. All of the tricks that we have and how cutting edge we are can't be replicated."
Aegisson's journey sets the tone for a player like Konradsson. The sophomore is also from Gardabaer and played club soccer for Stjarnan. He earned Most Promising Player honors in 2016 as part of the senior team and was part of the Icelandic championship side in 2014. A five-time club scoring champion, he already is seeing time within the Icelandic national team program.Â
He joined BC last season for his freshman campaign, scoring two goals and four assists with 15 appearances and 13 starts. Those goals, both coming in a game against UConn, tied him for second on the team at the end of the season, while his assist numbers - three in ACC play - led the Eagles.
"He's very gifted," Kelly said. "He just has to figure out what works for him. He was a little bit top heavy, but he lost about 10 pounds since last summer. He's left-footed and has great strength. We're expecting him to score more goals for us than last year. He has a very good shot."
They'll be joined by Sigurdarson, a tall centerpiece from Kopavogur. Unlike the Stjarnan duo, the six foot, three inch forward played for Breidablik in Kopavogur. He has made 14 appearances for the Under-17 national team and has three goals.
"He's a center forward with very good feet," Kelly said. "He has good knowledge of the game. He smacks the ball very well, and he's an excellent student. He's a very responsible young man. I'm very impressed by his character, and I'm looking for some really good things from him. He adds aerial game and adds the presence in front, on set pieces. We're expecting him to become a very, very good player."
The trio are the embodiment of BC's international flavor. All are from the same country but retain very different playing styles. They are bonded by their status as international players but remain individualized in their skills. They aren't from a traditional soccer powerhouse but are indicative of global football's rising awareness and presence on both the world and NCAA stage.
"We can go back 15 or 18 years," Kelly said. "It's not relatively new (to recruit international players), but what's new is that players in America want to go pro. So you can look at any roster and find numerous countries represented. Virginia is a huge 'American program' that won national championships with players like Claudio Reyna and John Harkes, but they have a great number of countries represented on the roster now. It's become a big part."
The challenge then becomes identifying correct combinations. Players from England, Germany or Italy have less opportunity to play at the top division in their pyramid because the leagues are filled with world superstars. NCAA soccer offers them opportunities to play at a high level while gaining elite educations.Â
It creates a cross-section for emerging football nations like Iceland. The opportunity is the same, but the athlete already has experience at the top of the game because those clubs all qualify for the same competitions. More recently, Iceland qualified for its first-ever World Cup last year by winning its qualification group, then earned a point with a draw against Argentina. It creates an untapped recruiting market, especially considering the players who rose up through those clubs still played in the Europa League and Champions League.
"When you go to Germany and England, world stars (play in those leagues)," Kelly said. "So the average kid can't become a professional in those top tiers. So we have to go out and scout those kids and compete in the recruiting process. For a place like Iceland, it's easier because those kids might already play for international (programs).
"It's also one of the shortest and easiest flights you can have from Boston," he elaborated. "They don't complain about winters here; kids from (warmer climates) are more impacted by the seasons (in New England). Additionally, they are well prepared for the educational rigors, and they're hard-working people. There are a lot of boxes that can tick off, so it becomes easy for (us to look at) that country."
It creates a source of pride in the BC program. Boston College is still very much a product of the American soccer system, and the school will always retain its local, northeast flavor. But there's no denying how the Eagles are blending cultures through the beautiful game.
"It's a great experience for a kid from Massachusetts or New Jersey to have that exposure to other cultures," Kelly said. "Those different personalities, understanding other people, makes you aware of young men that are from other countries. I find it fascinating. The school has (a large number) of countries, with students from China, South Korea and other places. You can go to another school, and it might not be the greatest experience for that. Not that there's anything wrong with those schools, but I think this makes people grow to meet each other, their parents and families. Then they all want to stay, most of the time, (around that feeling)."
BC defeated Quinnipiac in the season opener and improved to 2-0 with a road win at BU on Sunday. The Eagles second home game is on Friday at 7 p.m. against Rhode Island. The game will be televised on ACC Network Extra.
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