Iceland setting out to stop ‘incredible’ Rooney

Matt Stead

Gylfi Sigurdsson knows Iceland will have to shackle Wayne Rooney if they are going to cause a Euro 2016 shock against England.

The smallest country to ever play at a major tournament set up a last-16 clash with Roy Hodgson’s men thanks to a last-gasp winner against Austria at the Stade de France.

It is a tough but mouth-watering prospect for the tiny North Atlantic island and one which they go into without any pressure.

Bookmakers make them 8/1 to triumph in Nice and Sigurdsson knows better than most what a tough ask lies in wait, with Iceland’s only current Premier League player pinpointing Rooney as key to stopping the Three Lions.

“He is an incredible player, especially with the amount of goals he has scored for England,” the Swansea man said of striker-cum-midfielder.

“He is England’s all-time top goalscorer so he has been fantastic for his country and Manchester United. I don’t think anyone has got a bad word to say about him.

“He is a very good passer of the ball. He can play in players from 60 or 70 yards with a quick pass over the top.

“He wouldn’t be where he is today if he wasn’t a great player.

“There is an incredible pressure on him to perform for England and he is one of the leaders of their team as one of the experienced players in the squad.

“He is going to have to be one of the players we stop if we are going to stop them from playing.”