STEFAN THORDARSON boasts an extraordinary footballing background.
The Preston midfielder is one of TEN international players in his family.
As the Iceland international prepares to face Premier League giants Aston Villa at Deepdale on Sunday, he shared, “In my family, a ball is practically placed at your feet the moment you are born!
“It feels like almost everyone I am related to has played for Iceland!”
Thordarson, 26, has earned 28 caps for his country, including playing in the 1-0 victory over England at Wembley last June.
His father Thordur, uncle Stefan who played for Stoke, great-uncles Olafur and Teitur, and great-grandfather Thordur have all also represented Iceland.
But the football lineage extends further.
Through his great-great-grandmother, he is related to Petur Petursson, a former Iceland star who played for Feyenoord, Anderlecht, and Royal Antwerp.
Additionally, through his great-grandmother, he is related to Arni Sveinsson, Sveinn Teitsson, and Sigursteinn Gislason, all of whom have been capped by Iceland.
Lastly, his older brother Thordur Thorsteinn Thordarson, while not capped by Iceland, has played professionally in Iceland`s top league, and his cousin Oliver Stefansson currently plays for Swedish team IFK Norrkoping.
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By Justin Allen
Aston Villa should be wary—Preston’s secret weapon is ready for them.
Icelandic midfielder Stefan Thordarson grew up learning how to overcome giants and aims to shock the Premier League team in the FA Cup.
Villa, who are visiting the Championship side tomorrow for the quarter-finals, only need to ask defender Ezri Konsa about underestimating the 26-year-old. When Konsa faced Thordarson last June, England lost 1-0 at Wembley in their final প্রস্তুতি for Euro 2024.
The North End midfielder commented, “It was a perfect day to play and secure a win against a talented England team at the iconic Wembley in front of 81,000 fans.
“I would love to return there for the semi-finals. We want to take this club to Wembley.
“Villa has international players in every position, but we will try to do what we do best—dominate the game in our style.”
If North End, currently 14th in the Championship, manages an upset, it will be the third consecutive year a Championship team reaches the FA Cup semi-finals at Wembley.
Last season, Coventry was controversially defeated by eventual winners Manchester United on penalties after VAR disallowed a potential 120th-minute winner from Haji Wright.
In 2023, Preston boss Paul Heckingbottom led Sheffield United to the same stage, where they lost to Manchester City, who also went on to win the trophy.
Thordarson was part of the team that defeated Fulham in the Carabao Cup earlier this season after an exciting 16-15 penalty shootout victory.
He has always believed that no team is invincible, ever since watching Iceland famously defeat England in the Euro 2016 round of 16—arguably England’s most humiliating defeat in a major tournament.
Thordarson added, “It was the biggest day in Icelandic sports history, so we understand upsets.
“It was a significant moment because we all admire the Premier League and England.
“That Iceland team inspired a whole generation of footballers that anything is possible.
“We know Villa is a top European team, evident in the Champions League.
“But as FA Cup history and our Iceland team have shown—nothing is impossible.”
Collectively, his family has earned 299 caps and scored 42 goals for Iceland, with Thordarson contributing one goal.
Thordarson mentioned, “I am lucky to have a family that understands what I am experiencing as a footballer, and they have been incredibly supportive.
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“The main influence is my dad, who was a goalkeeper in Iceland and also spent two years in Sweden with IFK Norrkoping.
“Then there’s my uncle Stefan—after whom I am named. He was a striker for Stoke from 2000-02.
“My middle name, Teitur, comes from my great-uncle. He played for Lens and Cannes in France.
“He was a prolific scorer, netting 19 goals for Lens in the 1981-82 season, just three behind Les Bleus legend Michel Platini, who played for Saint-Etienne that year.
“Teitur also coached the Estonia national team and managed numerous teams in Norway and Iceland, as well as Vancouver Whitecaps in Canada. I admire him greatly.
“Going further back, my great-grandfather Thordur was in the Iceland team for their first-ever competitive match against France, in the qualifiers for the 1958 World Cup.”
Thordur also scored against an amateur England side in 1956—classified as a B international since Iceland was not professional at the time.
Thordarson added, “I am fortunate to have so many role models. I constantly talk to my dad and my uncle who played for Stoke.
“I also meet my great-uncles once or twice a year. Everyone has always been incredibly helpful in my career.”
Thordarson is the THIRD player in Preston history from Iceland and specifically from Akranes on the west coast.
The town, a 30-minute drive from Reykjavik, also produced former North End midfielder Bjarki Gunnlaugsson (1999-2002) and striker Thordur Gudjonsson (2002).
Akranes, with a population of 8,452, has also produced Joey Gudjonsson, who played for Aston Villa, Wolves, Leicester, Burnley, and Huddersfield, and Bjorn Bergmann Sigurdarson, a former Wolves striker.
Current Iceland head coach Arnar Gunnlaugsson, who played for Bolton, Leicester, and Stoke, is also from Akranes.
Thordarson remarked, “There can`t be many places worldwide that have produced so many professional footballers from such a small population.
“Growing up, football is everything. Our hometown team dominated in the 1980s and early 1990s.”
Unsurprisingly, his role model was Iceland’s most famous player—Eidur Gudjohnsen, formerly of Barcelona, Chelsea, and Bolton.
Thordarson was star-struck when Gudjohnsen became his Under-21s coach.
He said, “Eidur was a massive inspiration. For someone from Iceland to break into that Barcelona team alongside legends like Lionel Messi, Ronaldinho, Xavi, and Deco was incredible.
“It was a great honor to play under him.”
Thordarson is determined to follow in Gudjohnsen’s footsteps and reach the Premier League, saying, “That’s why I moved to England. It has always been my dream.”
As a child, he watched English football and supported Arsenal—idolizing Thierry Henry, Robert Pires, and especially Cesc Fabregas.
The Preston star revealed, “I had an English coach back home named Dean Martin.
“He still lives in Iceland but is from London and is a big Arsenal fan. He turned some of us into Gooners too.
“It was during the Invincibles era. The way that team played under Arsene Wenger—and Cesc? Amazing.
“His style and movement on the field, influenced by his Barcelona upbringing, were captivating.”
After playing for his local club, Thordarson moved to Denmark and spent four seasons with Silkeborg.
In the 2022-23 season, he played against West Ham in the Conference League group stage.
Thordarson joined Preston last July and has quickly become a fan favorite.
He said, “It has been an eventful first season. We lost manager Ryan Lowe, who signed me, after just one game.
“We had a good Carabao Cup run, defeating Fulham 16-15 on penalties, and I had the chance to play against Arsenal.
“Despite the 3-0 defeat, it was a great experience.
“And now we are in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup. Beating Burnley 3-0 in the previous round created one of the best atmospheres I have ever played in.”
