Iceland fans praise ‘amazing’ and ‘loudest’ Welsh national anthem

We all know our national anthem is the best in the world, but now we can add to that accolade – the ‘loudest’. Well in Iceland anyway.

A large Wales away support of several thousand descended on the Laugardalsvöllur Stadium in Reykjavik for the Nations League clash against Iceland.

And they certainly made themselves heard from the off. As the teams lined up for the anthems the Welsh fans belted out Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau with the sort of suitable gusto we have come to expect from supporters.

It was certainly impressive enough to make a huge impression on one Iceland fan.

Árni Þór Gunnarsson posted on X, formerly Twitter: ‘Yo Wales fans @FAWales. I go to every Iceland home games. When the Welsh national song was played and everybody sung it was the loudest one that I can remember in this stadium and really amazing to see and hear.

‘Brilliant fans! Welcome anytime. Cheers and hopefully we meet again.’

Yo Wales fans @FAWales

I go to evry Iceland home games

When the welsh national song was played and evrybody sung

It was the loudest one that i can remember in this stadium and really amazing to see and hear

Brilliant fans!

Welcome anytime

Cheers and hopfully we meet again pic.twitter.com/OVpYfV1y3h

— Árni Þór Gunnarsson (@ArniThor8) October 12, 2024

GWLAD, GWLAD! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Yr Anthem Genedlaethol o Reykjavík.

Gwlad yr Iâ v Cymru yn fyw ar @S4C #NationsLeague | https://t.co/bM0VVeV5gE pic.twitter.com/Ac5tjbU1re

— Sgorio ⚽️ (@sgorio) October 11, 2024

Craig Bellamy and his side came away from the Nations League game in Reykjavík with a hard fought point.

It was the archetypal game of two halves with Wales irresistible in attack going into the break 2-0 up thanks to goals from Brennan Johnson and Harry Wilson. However the second-half was completely different with Bellamy’s team under the cosh and lucky to escape with a 2-2 draw.

Wales now welcome Montenegro to Cardiff in the Nations League on Monday night.

However, they must do without in-form Brennan Johnson after the Tottenham winger picked up a second Nations League booking in Reykjavik to receive a one-match ban.

Johnson put Wales ahead in Iceland by scoring in his seventh successive game and was a constant threat before being replaced at half-time due to what manager Craig Bellamy described as a “precaution”.

Wales never carried the same threat in Iceland after Johnson’s withdrawal and Bellamy will be determined there is no repeat against Montenegro.

The same pattern has unfolded in Wales’ three games under Bellamy – blistering starts and impressive first-half performances followed by a drop off in intensity during the second period.

Wales held on to win in Montenegro after scoring twice in the opening three minutes, Iceland were perhaps unlucky not to take all three points after trailing 2-0 at the interval.

The lack of minutes many of the squad are currently having at club level could be a factor in sustaining the energy needed to carry out Bellamy’s all-action front-foot style of football.