Veigar Páll Gunnarsson Explained

Veigar Páll Gunnarsson
Birth Date:21 March 1980
Birth Place:Reykjavík, Iceland
Height:5 ft 9 in
Position:Forward
Years1:1996–2000
Clubs1:Stjarnan
Caps1:58
Goals1:14
Years2:2001
Clubs2:Strømsgodset
Caps2:15
Goals2:2
Years3:2002–2003
Clubs3:KR Reykjavík
Caps3:30
Goals3:14
Years4:2004–2008
Clubs4:Stabæk
Caps4:120
Goals4:60
Years5:2009
Clubs5:Nancy
Caps5:5
Goals5:0
Years6:2009–2011
Clubs6:Stabæk
Caps6:40
Goals6:19
Years7:2011–2012
Clubs7:Vålerenga
Caps7:20
Goals7:3
Years8:2012
Clubs8:Stabæk
Caps8:10
Goals8:2
Years9:2013–2016
Clubs9:Stjarnan
Caps9:70
Goals9:16
Years10:2017
Clubs10:FH Hafnarfjörður
Caps10:1
Goals10:0
Years11:2017
Clubs11:Víkingur Reykjavík (loan)
Caps11:7
Goals11:0
Years12:2018–2019
Clubs12:KFG Garðabær
Caps12:19
Goals12:8
Nationalyears1:1998
Nationalteam1:Iceland U-19
Nationalcaps1:7
Nationalgoals1:3
Nationalyears2:2000–2001
Nationalteam2:Iceland U-21
Nationalcaps2:11
Nationalgoals2:3
Nationalyears3:2001–2011
Nationalteam3:Iceland
Nationalcaps3:34
Nationalgoals3:6

Veigar Páll Gunnarsson (born 21 March 1980) is an Icelandic former professional footballer who played as a forward.

His transfer in 2011 led to football clubs Stabæk and Vålerenga being nominated for fines of Norwegian kroner 500,000 and 350,000 respectively, by a committee (påtalenemd) of Football Association of Norway — and a police investigation that saw two persons arrested.[1]

Club career

Early years

Veigar Páll made his debut for Stjarnan in the 1996 season, in which he only managed one=1 game as a substitute. He established himself as a regular in the side and started scoring goals, catching the eye of foreign teams. He then went abroad to Norway, where he played for Strømsgodset. He failed to establish himself in the first team so he returned to Iceland to play for KR Reykjavík. He quickly became popular with the fans and was the star player of the KR team that won the Icelandic Premier League in 2002 and 2003. In September 2003, he had a trial with Bolton Wanderers of the English Premier League.[2]

Stabæk

Veigar joined Stabæk in 2004 in the season they got relegated, after being placed third in the league the previous year. He flourished under new coach Jan Jönsson in 2005, alongside new signing Daniel Nannskog. Veigar was leading the attack with Nannskog, a partnership which was the most feared duo in the league, according to statistics (goals and assist). In the 2006 season, Nannskog became top scorer with 19 goals in Tippeligaen, the Norwegian top division, with Veigar finishing one goal behind.

In 2007, Stabæk finished second, just behind winners Brann. Veigar played well, and was the seasons assist leader with 17, and fourth on the scoring chart with 15.[3]

The following season he made another big contribution to the club, helping them winning the league. Again, he was the season's assist leader with 14, in addition to ten goals.

Nancy

In December 2008, he signed a contract with the French club Nancy of Ligue 1.

Return to Stabæk

On 30 November 2009, Stabæk confirmed that Veigar had signed a contract with his former club. Veigar himself stated that he felt that Nancy had destroyed his career by not letting him play, but that he was looking forward to returning "home" to Stabæk.

Vålerenga

On 30 July 2011, Stabæk and Vålerenga reached an agreement, which later led to controversies. Veigar signed a contract with Vålerenga until the end of 2014.

After another spell at Stabæk, Veigar returned to his youth-club Stjarnan in 2013, and signed a four-year contract with the club.[4]

International career

Veigar made his debut for Iceland in a January 2001 friendly match against Uruguay at the Millennium Super Soccer Cup in India. He has been capped 33 times since and has scored six goals.

Career statistics

[5]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
SeasonClubLeagueCupContinentalOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Stjarnan1996Úrvalsdeild102030
199710020120
19981. deild karla14420164
1999177442111
2000Úrvalsdeild16321184
Total581412500007019
Strømsgodset2001Tippeligaen1522100173
KR Reykjavík2002Úrvalsdeild1772031228
20031373220832612
20042323
Total301452201375023
Stabæk2004Tippeligaen1624221225
20051. divisjon281354003317
2006Tippeligaen251832002820
2007251554003019
2008261277203519
Total120602419410014880
Nancy2008–09Ligue 15000001060
Stabæk2010Tippeligaen241022002612
20111693000199
Total40195200004521
Vålerenga2011Tippeligaen1330000133
2012703000100
Total203300000233
Stabæk2012Tippeligaen1020000102
Stjarnan2013Úrvalsdeild1944271307
20141762061763213
2015171202060271
20161752053248
Total701610281251011329
FH2017Úrvalsdeild10100020
Víkingur Reykjavík (loan)2017Úrvalsdeild7070
KFG Garðabær20183. deild karla1381031179
20192. deild karla60001070
Total198100041249
Career total39513863311414318515188

Honours

KR

2002, 2003

Stabæk

2008

2005

Stjarnan

2014

See also

Veigar Páll Gunnarsson transfer 2011

Notes and References

  1. News: Strømnes . Svein . Bøter til Stabæk og Vålerenga . 7 May 2020 . NRK . 27 October 2011 . no.
  2. Web site: Warhurst back at Bolton . . 11 September 2003 . 27 September 2012.
  3. http://fotball.vg.no/bors/assist.php?sesong_id=383
  4. Web site: Veigar: Stjarnan eina félagið sem hafði samband . is . visir.is . 6 December 2012 . 28 April 2013.
  5. Web site: Leikmaður - Veigar Páll Gunnarsson.