In another life, Isak Bergmann Johannesson might have been pulling on an England shirt on Friday evening.
Instead, the young midfielder, 21, will be walking out onto the Wembley turf in an Iceland jersey. Johannesson has been tipped for the top in his homeland – starting his career in Iceland before moving to Denmark and spending last season on loan in Germany.
Johannesson was born in Sutton Coldfield, just outside of Birmingham, meaning he could have played for Gareth Southgate’s stars.
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Johanneson’s dad – Joey Gudjonsson – is a player many English fans will be familiar with. Gudjonsson spent the better part of a decade in England, turning out for Aston Villa, Wolves, Leicester, Burnley and Huddersfield.
The central midfielder, now 44, retired from football in 2017 – with his last stint on British soil coming between 2010 and 2012 at Huddersfield. And it was when he played at Villa Park, he welcomed Johanneson into the world.
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Gifted with a wand of a left-foot, in his early days he was strongly linked to Manchester United and Liverpool.
Speaking of a potential move to these shores, he Expressen: “My dream club is Manchester United, together with IFK Norrkoping. I lived in Manchester when I was a kid, and I watched a lot of games there.”
Johanneson is currently on the books of Danish giants Copenhagen, but he’s spent the past season out on loan with Fortuna Düsseldorf.
(Image: NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Amazingly, Johanneson might not be the only Icelander to play at Wembley who’s eligible for England.
Andri Lucas Gudjohnsen, the middle son of Eidur Gudjohnsen, has also been named in Iceland’s squad – and like Johanneson, he was born on these shores when his dad turned out in the Premier League for Chelsea.
Gudjohnsen is currently on the books of Belgian side Genk – having spent time in both Barcelona and Real Madrid’s academies.