Aage Hareide steps down as Iceland national coach ahead of World Cup qualifiers
- Aage Hareide has resigned from coaching the Iceland national team.
- The decision was announced by the Icelandic soccer federation.
- Hareide expressed satisfaction with his time with the team and emphasized the potential of emerging players.
In Reykjavik, Iceland, Aage Hareide, the veteran coach of the Iceland national football team, announced his resignation ahead of the impending World Cup qualifying series. The announcement was made by the Icelandic soccer federation on a recent Monday. Hareide, who is 71 years old, indicated that he feels this is the appropriate time for him to step back from coaching, stating that he has had a fulfilling experience with the team. He also mentioned that there are promising prospects for the team due to the emergence of young leaders. The new coach will first face Kosovo in a crucial playoff set for March, which is significant for their standing in the Nations League. Currently, Iceland is positioned as a third-seeded team in the upcoming FIFA World Cup qualifying draw, where only the group winners will earn a direct spot in the tournament, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico in 2026. Previously, Iceland made history by being the smallest nation to qualify for a World Cup in 2018 in Russia, which adds to the importance of the upcoming qualifying campaign. Under Hareide, the national team had a near qualification for the Euro 2024 tournament, falling short in a final playoff against Ukraine earlier in March.