Aron Gunnarsson facts for kids
Aron playing for Iceland at the 2018 FIFA World Cup
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Aron Einar Malmquist Gunnarsson | ||
| Date of birth | 22 April 1989 | ||
| Place of birth | Akureyri, Iceland | ||
| Height | 1.81 m | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Al-Gharafa | ||
| Number | 24 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2004–2005 | Þór Akureyri | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2005–2006 | Þór Akureyri | 11 | (0) |
| 2006–2008 | AZ | 1 | (0) |
| 2008–2011 | Coventry City | 122 | (6) |
| 2011–2019 | Cardiff City | 271 | (25) |
| 2019–2024 | Al-Arabi | 79 | (7) |
| 2024 | Þór Akureyri | 6 | (1) |
| 2024– | Al-Gharafa | 0 | (0) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2005 | Iceland U17 | 7 | (2) |
| 2006–2008 | Iceland U19 | 16 | (1) |
| 2007–2011 | Iceland U21 | 11 | (1) |
| 2008– | Iceland | 104 | (5) |
† Appearances (Goals). |
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Aron Einar Malmquist Gunnarsson (born 22 April 1989) is a famous Icelandic professional footballer. He plays as a central midfielder, often helping to defend, for the club Al-Gharafa in Qatar. He is also the captain of the Icelandic national team.
Aron started his football journey at Þór Akureyri in Iceland. He later played one match for the Dutch club AZ. In 2008, he moved to England to join Coventry City. After playing 133 matches for them over three seasons, he moved to Cardiff City. With Cardiff, he reached the final of the 2012 Football League Cup final and played in the top league, the 2013–14 Premier League.
Aron has played for Iceland since 2008. He has played over 100 games for his country. Since mid-2012, he has been Iceland's captain. He led his team to the quarter-finals in their first big tournament, UEFA Euro 2016.
Contents
Aron's Football Journey
Starting in Iceland
Aron was born in Akureyri, Iceland. He began playing football on gravel fields. In winter, when snow covered the pitches, he played handball instead. He even played three games in Iceland's handball league when he was just fifteen! He started his football career with his local team, Þór Akureyri, in 2005. Thanks to new indoor pitches in Iceland, he could train all year round.
When he was seventeen, Aron moved to the Netherlands. He joined the youth academy at AZ. He missed home at first, but soon settled in. He played his first game for AZ during the 2007–08 season.
Playing for Coventry City
On 17 June 2008, Aron signed a three-year contract with Coventry City. This team plays in the English Championship league. He played his first game on the opening day of the season against Norwich City, which Coventry won 2–0.
Aron scored his first goal on 14 February 2009 in an FA Cup match. This was against Premier League team Blackburn Rovers. His first league goal came against Crystal Palace. At the end of his first season, Coventry City fans voted him their Player of the Year. He also won the club's Community Award.
The next season, Aron changed his shirt number to 17. This was to match his brother's number, who is a professional handball player. Aron continued to be a key player in Coventry's midfield. He played 42 games and scored one goal against Middlesbrough.
In the 2010–11 season, Coventry City started well. Aron scored his first goal of the season against Millwall. Three days later, he scored his second goal in two matches against Doncaster Rovers. He wanted to stay at Coventry, but he and his agent could not agree on a new contract.
Moving to Cardiff City
On 8 July 2011, Aron joined Cardiff City on a free transfer. He signed a three-year deal with the Championship team. He was the fifth player signed by new manager Malky Mackay.
Aron played his first game for Cardiff on 7 August. He played the full 90 minutes in a 1–0 win against West Ham United. In his second game, he got an ankle injury. This kept him out for a week. On 22 October, Aron scored two goals in a 5–3 win against Barnsley. He was named the best player of that match.
Aron played the whole 2012 Football League Cup final. Cardiff City lost 3–2 on penalties to Premier League club Liverpool at Wembley Stadium.
On 25 August 2013, Aron scored Cardiff's first goal in the Premier League. This was against Manchester City in a 3–2 win. In June 2015, he signed a new contract with Cardiff until 2018.
After playing in Euro 2016, some thought Aron might leave Cardiff. But the manager, Paul Trollope, said he was "a very important player." Aron's good performances earned him the club's Player of the Year award.
The next season, Aron had some injuries. Despite this, Cardiff offered him a new contract, but he turned it down. Aron returned to play in the final games of the season. He scored the winning goal against Nottingham Forest. This helped Cardiff get promoted to the Premier League. In July 2018, Aron signed a new one-year deal.
Playing in Qatar and Back Home
In March 2019, it was announced that Aron would leave Cardiff. He joined Qatar Stars League club Al-Arabi in July 2019. In June 2022, he extended his contract for another year.
On 1 August 2024, Aron returned to his first club, Þór Akureyri. He signed an 18-month deal. However, in September 2024, Aron signed with Al-Gharafa in Qatar.
Playing for Iceland
Aron played his first international game for Iceland on 2 February 2008. He also played for the Iceland Under-21 squad in the 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship. Iceland beat Denmark 3–1 in their first match.
Aron became the permanent captain of the national team in August 2012. He was only 23 years old. Under his leadership, Iceland reached the play-off round of FIFA World Cup qualification for the first time. They lost to Croatia.
On 10 October 2014, Aron scored his first goal for Iceland. This was in a 3–0 win against Latvia during UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying. He scored again on 12 June 2015 against the Czech Republic. On 6 September, he was sent off in a game against Kazakhstan. This draw helped Iceland qualify for their first major international tournament.
Aron captained Iceland at their first big tournament, UEFA Euro 2016 in France. They drew 1–1 with Portugal. Iceland finished second in their group. They beat Austria and drew with Hungary. Then, they surprised everyone by beating England in the round of 16! They were finally defeated by France, 5–2, in the quarter-final. Aron played in all five games.
In May 2018, he was chosen for Iceland's team for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. On 6 November 2022, he played his 100th game for Iceland.
On 26 March 2023, Aron scored his first ever hat-trick (three goals) for Iceland. This was in a 7–0 win against Liechtenstein. He became the oldest player to score a hat-trick for his country.
About Aron's Family
Aron's older brother, Arnór Þór Gunnarsson, is also a professional athlete. He plays handball for the Icelandic national team.
Honours and Awards
Cardiff City
- Football League/EFL Championship:
- Won: 2012–13
- Runner-up: 2017–18
- Football League Cup runner-up: 2011–12
Images for kids
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Aron (left) playing for Iceland in 2014
See Also
In Spanish: Aron Gunnarsson para niños
- List of men's footballers with 100 or more international caps
