ABSTRACT
The most obvious way to explain the sporting success of nations is to look at how they play. The style of play is representative of the collective action and the culture that formed the teams in the first place, stamping them with a specific identity and characteristics. “The Icelandic madness” mentality gets “turned on” when the players are playing for the national teams. Icelandic sports have their own particular characteristics and their styles of play have helped develop an Icelandic national identity in regard to sports. The Icelandic team was more likely to play emotionally in terms of successful game efforts, such as celebrating goals and effective defense play, showing more team support and communication on the field, as well as playing harder than their opponents. The Icelandic team showed more heart, emotion and fighting spirit on the field than their opponents at the games.
