Rúnar Kristinsson facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 5 September 1969 | ||
| Place of birth | Reykjavík, Iceland | ||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1979–1986 | KR Reykjavík | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1986–1994 | KR Reykjavík | 126 | (21) |
| 1995–1997 | Örgryte IS | 59 | (13) |
| 1997–2000 | Lillestrøm | 71 | (14) |
| 2000–2007 | Lokeren | 189 | (37) |
| 2007 | KR Reykjavík | 14 | (0) |
| Total | 459 | (85) | |
| International career | |||
| 1984–1985 | Iceland U17 | 18 | (9) |
| 1987 | Iceland U19 | 11 | (1) |
| 1987–1991 | Iceland U21 | 10 | (3) |
| 1987–2004 | Iceland | 104 | (3) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2010–2014 | KR Reykjavík | ||
| 2014–2016 | Lillestrøm | ||
| 2016–2017 | Lokeren | ||
| 2017–2023 | KR Reykjavík | ||
| 2023– | Fram Reykjavík | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Rúnar Kristinsson, born on September 5, 1969, is a famous Icelandic former professional footballer. He played as a Midfielder for several teams, including Lokeren, Lillestrøm SK, Örgryte IS, and KR Reykjavík. After his playing career, Rúnar became a successful football manager. He is currently the manager of Fram.
Rúnar's son, Rúnar Alex Rúnarsson, also plays football. He is a goalkeeper for the Danish team F.C. Copenhagen.
Contents
Rúnar's Football Journey: From Player to Manager
Rúnar Kristinsson started his football journey at a small club called Leiknir. He then joined KR Reykjavík, which is Iceland's oldest and most successful football club. He spent his youth years training and playing there.
Playing Career: From Iceland to Europe
Rúnar's great skills on the field caught the attention of clubs outside Iceland. In 1995, he moved to Sweden to play for Örgryte IS. After a few years, in 1997, he moved to Norway to join Lillestrøm SK. He played very well there.
In 2000, Rúnar moved to Belgium to play for Lokeren. He had a very successful time with Lokeren, playing many matches and scoring goals. He became a well-known player in European football.
In May 2007, Rúnar decided to return to his home club, KR Reykjavík, in Iceland. He finished his playing career there, playing his final matches for the club where he started.
Becoming a Manager: Leading KR Reykjavík to Victory
After retiring as a player, Rúnar Kristinsson became a football coach. In 2010, he took over as the head coach for KR Reykjavík. He managed the team for four full seasons and achieved great success.
Under his leadership, KR Reykjavík won the Icelandic league title twice, in 2011 and 2013. They also won the Icelandic Cup three times, in 2011, 2012, and 2014. These were big achievements for the club.
In November 2014, Rúnar left KR to manage his former club, Lillestrøm SK, in Norway. He later managed Lokeren and then returned to KR Reykjavík for another period. Since 2023, he has been the manager of Fram Reykjavík.
Playing for His Country: Iceland National Team
Rúnar Kristinsson played for the Iceland many times. He played in 104 international matches, which is a huge number! In these games, he scored three goals. For a long time, he held the record for the most appearances for Iceland. This record was later broken by Birkir Bjarnason in 2021.
Rúnar was also the captain of the Icelandic team in 11 matches. He stopped playing for the national team in 2004.
Achievements and Awards
Rúnar Kristinsson won many trophies both as a player and as a manager.
As a Player
KR Reykjavík
- Icelandic Cup: 1994
As a Manager
KR Reykjavík
- Úrvalsdeild (Icelandic League): 2011, 2013, 2019
- Icelandic Cup: 2011, 2012, 2014
- League Cup: 2012, 2019
- Icelandic Super Cup: 2012, 2014, 2020
More About Footballers
- List of footballers with 100 or more international matches
