Iceland’s Viking Heroes: Another ‘White Power Freak-Out’ over Nordic Sports Team Embracing Their Heritage
Iceland's World Cup Team Depicted as Vikings in Official Video
An official video promoting Iceland's historic bid to win this year's World Cup has been blasted for its white power imagery and for portraying the players as 'inhuman'.
The video depicts Iceland's squad as Viking warriors in an animated illustration.
Players such as Everton's Gylfi Sigurdsson can be seen holding shields with blood on their shirts whilst others are wearing chain-mail armour.
The video ends with the words FyrirIsland ('For Iceland' in English) across the screen.
Music critic Arnar Egert Thoroddssen has slammed the video for its “Aryan imagery.”
He said: "This is so silly, the Icelandic national team became popular because of fair play and their joy; a holistic attitude to sport and support. Here they are (depicted) as inhuman, blood-thirsty barbarians. They are manslayers, paired with some kind of Aryan undertones. Only a quarter away from 'white power' imagery."
Other critics have reportedly criticised the video for being "chauvinistic" and "distasteful."
However many Icelanders cannot see any problem with the video.
One commenter wrote: "The Icelandic National Team consists of great guys that are hard as steel, and it's just fine to label them as Vikings that are eager to fight."
And another commented: "The nation can be proud of this team and national pride is completely different from chauvinism."
Editor’s note: This fellow from Bangladesh is an unlikely but enthusiastic supporter of Icelandic football:
I love iceland football team from Bangladesh.I made to national flag of iceland.we will won to all match and get to world cup so best of luck iceland football team. pic.twitter.com/wKZ1WGIThV
— Sayeed mojumder (@sayedmojumder2) June 10, 2018
Iceland is the smallest nation ever to qualify for the World Cup; and will be looking to repeat their heroics from the 2016 European Championship where they knocked out England en-route to the quarter-finals.
Okay, the #Iceland team mean serious business.
— Nigerian Team (@naijasteam) June 10, 2018
Shook pic.twitter.com/m88dHLNSKZ
Iceland take on Argentina, Croatia and Nigeria at the group stage of this summer's tournament.
Henrik’s Note: Remember that Iceland's team did so well in the 2016 tournament that they came back home and performed a "Viking War Chant" with thousands of proud Icelanders participating.
