ABSTRACT
The culture of the former national teams of Iceland could in many ways be described as unprofessional, and organization and training were haphazard compared to today. The new generation was facilitated by the improved infrastructure and greater expertise in Icelandic sports, and hence came to possess better technical skills, and show a more professional attitude towards sports, than had their seniors. The fresh, and more professional, approach of the younger generations of Icelandic players – who were bound neither by past defeats and experiences nor by the amateur culture attached to the national teams – helped them establish new ideocultures. One of the key elements of the transformation of Iceland’s national teams has been the change in their self-confidence. It can be argued that for Iceland to break through to the international scene in sport, it was necessary to have younger players who shook things up with their attitude and professionalism.
