Carpenters, electricians, executives, car salesmen: an island team aims to qualify for the World Cup

Rain ran down the men’s faces. The wind howled through the fields. The Faroe Islands were hit by a huge storm, but the players kept their faces dry and continued training.repeating exercise after exercise under the dim light of a spotlight. this Friday They will be playing the game of lifehad the opportunity to make their small archipelago a part of football history.

This is the Faroe Islands men’s national football team. The biggest surprise of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

The population of the Faroe Islands is just 55,000. The weather is extreme. Most players are not full-time professionals and have never come close to glory.

However, for the Faroe Islands team, Carpenter, electrician, CEO, car salesmanhave won three consecutive games (1-0 against Gibraltar, 4-0 against Montenegro, and 2-1 against the Czech Republic), and have achieved an astonishing performance in Group L with 12 points in 7 games against higher-ranked opponents. This Friday, Faroe Islands vs. Faroe Islands will be played at 4:45 p.m. CroatiaIt is an international powerhouse and leader, with 16 members. If they somehow win or even draw, they will maintain their chances of becoming one of the smallest territories to take part in the World Cup.

If you’ve never heard of the Faroe Islands, you’re not alone.

It is an archipelago of 18 mountain islands located between Scotland and Iceland.an autonomous region of the Kingdom of Denmark, located in the North Atlantic Ocean, with greater autonomy than, for example, the relationship between Scotland and the United Kingdom. The Faroe Islands were settled by Vikings centuries ago, and team members say their tenacity comes from there.

“Everything we’ve accomplished has come against all adversity,” he said. aidan klaksteinhead coach. “We’ve been battling bad weather and wind because this is not an ideal place to build a society.”

“Our ancestors lost men at sea and women in childbirth,” the coach continued, and his words quickly became motivational stories off the field.

“But despite all these circumstances, “We have built one of the richest, safest and most enjoyable societies in the world.”said the coach. “Everything we do goes against expectations and it’s not just about football, it’s about the country, it’s about the people, it’s about the next thing. I have to do it, I have to do it”.

It’s not easy to build a competitive football program here. The Faroe Islands are one of the wettest places in Europe. It rains about 270 days a year.

The wind is so strong that few trees grow and the tall grass looks dingy. The other day, wind gusts were blowing at 72km/h, strong enough to shake cars on the road. However, when it was time for practice, everyone gathered together.

Since there is no indoor soccer field of regulation size, In the winter, there is ice and snow, and teams don’t get to play much. Most players have to do other jobs, and it’s often hard work. Ten years ago, one of the most promising young stars was crushed to death by a mass of fish on a dock.

A few days before the important match against Croatia, Rene Xaki Jensen, Faroese midfielder and electricianI was on my knees cutting a hole in the garage. Sometimes, he says, he’ll play an away game in Europe and the next day he’ll be running cables on a roof in the wind and rain.

It’s not ideal, he said, “but I’m not complaining.”

This is in contrast to the eating, sleeping and playing routines of most professional soccer players, many of whom are millionaires. For example, the Croatian national team is full of players who play in Europe’s best leagues, and its captain Luka Modric is considered a living legend and one of the best midfielders of his generation.

How does it feel to go out on the field and play against players like that?

“The first few seconds are great,” he said. Hallur Hansson, carpenter, key member of the Faroe Islands teamHowever, he is currently out due to a knee injury. “But then you realize how good they are and it’s impossible to catch up to them. It’s more frustrating than exciting.”

Faroese players are stars in their own world. Everyone on these islands seems to know each other, and players are instantly recognized when they pass a bakery or lumberyard.

The benefits of living in a small space include: Many members of the World Cup team have been playing together since childhood.. They communicate almost instinctively and support each other. Especially the defense is strong.

“It will be difficult to beat them,” Tomislav Pacak, a spokesman for the Croatian Football Federation, said by telephone from Zagreb about the upcoming match. He had nothing but praise for his rivals, calling them “a tough, organized team that knows how to play together.”

“Let me be clear,” Puck concluded. “The Faroe Islands are not going to win the World Cup, but they are not going to give up either.”

The team’s success coincided with the escalation of debate over Danish independence. The Faroese identity is strongly felt in the port towns and old sheep farms. They have their own language (similar to Icelandic), their own flag, typical costume, and their own cuisine (fermented meat is a specialty).

Additionally, it is geographically much closer to Scotland and Iceland than it is to Denmark. Denmark has struggled to maintain the kingdom’s unity during the US president’s term. donald trump It has set its sights on Greenland, another Danish overseas territory.

The six Faroe players interviewed were more comfortable talking about corners than politics. but, all declared independence. FIFA, world football’s governing body, allows the Faroe Islands to compete under its own flag, along with Palestine, Scotland and England. Faroe Islands players are well aware that qualifying for the World Cup will be a huge boost to their dreams of independence.

Victory against the Czech Republic

However, for that to happen, they will need a series of miracles starting from the next game. Croatia is also considered a small country with a population of 4 million people, but it has one of the best teams in the world.

They finished third in the 2022 World Cup and second in the 2018 World Cup. Miraculously, when the Faroe Islands played Croatia in September, they scored just one goal and lost by a narrow margin.

But the game was played on the field Torshavncapital of the Faroe Islands, It is known for its strong wind gusts and is a popular playground. Now they have to travel to Croatia and play against a strong team at home.

For them to advance, the group’s other entertainer, Czech Republic (13), must lose or draw in their next game against Gibraltar. However, Gibraltar are considered one of the weakest teams in Europe, with the Czech Republic defeating Gibraltar 4-0 earlier this year.

Even if the Faroe Islands team wins and the Czech team loses, the Faroe Islands will need to pull a surprise in an additional qualifying round to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico next summer.

The players know they have a difficult road ahead of them. But the coach’s message is simple. “We have a slim chance,” he said. “But we have a chance.”