Birkir Már Sævarsson facts for kids
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Sævarsson with Iceland at the 2018 FIFA World Cup
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Birkir Már Sævarsson | ||
| Date of birth | 11 November 1984 | ||
| Place of birth | Reykjavík, Iceland | ||
| Height | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||
| Team information | |||
|
Current team
|
Nacka | ||
| Number | 2 | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2003–2008 | Valur | 67 | (2) |
| 2008–2014 | Brann | 168 | (15) |
| 2015–2017 | Hammarby IF | 84 | (3) |
| 2018–2024 | Valur | 157 | (16) |
| 2025– | Nacka | 0 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2006 | Iceland U21 | 3 | (0) |
| 2007–2021 | Iceland | 103 | (3) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2019 | KH (assistant) | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 27 April ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 14 November 2021 |
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Birkir Már Sævarsson (born on November 11, 1984) is a professional football player from Iceland. He plays as a defender for Nacka.
Contents
Birkir's Club Career
Birkir Már Sævarsson has played for several football clubs throughout his career. He is known for being a strong defender who can also help his team score goals.
Starting at Valur
Birkir began his football journey with his hometown team, Valur, in Iceland's top league, the Úrvalsdeild. He first played for the senior team in 2003. Over five seasons, he played 66 league games and scored two goals. In 2007, he helped Valur win the Úrvalsdeild league title.
Playing for Brann in Norway
In 2008, when he was 23, Birkir moved to Norway to join SK Brann in their top league, Tippeligaen. He was a flexible defender who could play on both the right and left sides. Birkir was often praised for his great energy, speed, and ability to join in attacks from his position. He also became known for scoring goals.
In 2011, Brann reached the final of the Norwegian Cup. Birkir played the entire game, but Brann lost 1–2 to Aalesunds FK. For the 2012 and 2013 seasons, Birkir played every minute of every game as a right-back.
Later, a new coach at Brann started playing a younger player instead of Birkir. In 2014, Brann had a tough season and was moved down to a lower league. This meant Birkir's 6.5 years with Brann came to an end. He then moved to a Swedish team called Hammarby IF in December 2014.
Time at Hammarby in Sweden
When Birkir joined Hammarby for the 2015 season, he first played as a central defender. Later, he moved back to his usual position on the right side of the field. He played very well in both roles. Because of his impressive performances, fans voted him the "newcomer of the year." Birkir played 28 league games for Hammarby that season, scoring two goals.
In 2016, he played 27 games and scored one goal. Birkir remained a key player for Hammarby in 2017, helping the team finish 9th in the league and providing five assists. At the end of 2017, Birkir decided to leave Hammarby to find a new club before the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Returning to Valur
Before the 2018 season, Birkir moved back to Iceland and rejoined his first professional club, Valur. He signed a three-year contract with the team, who were the reigning champions of Iceland. Birkir even got to play alongside his younger brother, Aron Elí Sævarsson, who was born in 1997. After the 2024 Besta deild karla season ended, Birkir retired from professional football.
Playing for Nacka
On March 3, 2025, Birkir signed to play for Nacka.
Birkir's International Career
Birkir made his first appearance for the Iceland national team on August 2, 2007. This was in a game against Liechtenstein that ended in a 1–1 draw. Nine years later, on June 6, 2016, he scored his first goal for Iceland, also against Liechtenstein. He scored with a powerful shot from far away, and Iceland won the friendly game 4–0.
He played in his first major tournament at age 31, when he was chosen for the UEFA Euro 2016 in France. In a group stage game against Hungary, he accidentally scored an own goal, which led to a 1–1 draw. However, Birkir was praised for his strong defense against famous players like Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo and England's Raheem Sterling. Iceland famously beat England 2–1 in the round of 16. Birkir played every minute for Iceland during the tournament. His team was eventually knocked out in the quarter-final after losing 5–2 to France.
In May 2018, Birkir was selected to be part of Iceland's 23-player squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. He played his last game for the national team against North Macedonia on November 14, 2021.
International Goals
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 June 2016 | Laugardalsvöllur, Reykjavík, Iceland | 57 |  Liechtenstein |
2–0 | 4–0 | Friendly |
| 2 | 14 October 2020 | Laugardalsvöllur, Reykjavík, Iceland | 93 |  Belgium |
1–1 | 1–2 | 2020–21 UEFA Nations League A |
| 3 | 31 March 2021 | Rheinpark Stadion, Vaduz, Liechtenstein | 97 | Liechtenstein |
1–0 | 4–1 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
Coaching Career
On April 15, 2019, Birkir was named an assistant coach for the football club Knattspyrnufélagið Hlíðarendi.
Honours and Achievements
Birkir has won several titles during his career, especially with Valur:
Valur
- Úrvalsdeild (Icelandic Top League): 2007
- Icelandic Cup: 2005
- League Cup: 2008
See also
In Spanish: Birkir Már Sævarsson para niños
