Arnar Viðarsson

Arnar Viðarsson (born 15 March 1978) is a retired Icelandic footballer, his playing position is midfielder. He last played for Belgian Pro League side Cercle Brugge, where he was also employed as head coach. Currently he is the manager for the Iceland U-21 team.

This is an Icelandic name. The last name is patronymic, not a family name; this person is referred to by the given name Arnar.
Arnar Viðarsson
Viðarsson at De Graafschap.
Personal information
Full name Arnar Þór Viðarsson
Date of birth (1978-03-15) 15 March 1978
Place of birth Reykjavík, Iceland
Height 1.77 m (5 ft 9 1⁄2 in)
Playing position(s) Midfielder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1996–1997 FH 22 (3)
1997–2006 Lokeren 235 (6)
1997 → Lillestrøm (loan) 6 (0)
1998 → FH (loan) 4 (0)
1998 → Genk (trial) 0 (0)
2006–2008 Twente 11 (0)
2007–2008 → De Graafschap (loan) 32 (1)
2008–2014 Cercle Brugge 157 (0)
Total 467 (10)
National team‡
1998–2007 Iceland 52 (2)
Teams managed
2014 Cercle Brugge (assistant)
2014–2015 Cercle Brugge
2015–2018 Lokeren (assistant and U21)
2018 Lokeren (caretaker)
2018–2019 Lokeren (assistant and U21)
2019– Iceland U-21 (manager)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 2 October 2012
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 14 June 2010

Club career

He started his career in FH, and moved to Belgium to play for Sporting Lokeren early in his career. He returned to FH for a short period, but apart from a loan spell at Lillestrøm SK and a trial at Genk, he has played for Lokeren from October 1998 until 2006. Since then, Lokeren has signed many Icelandic players, for instance midfielder Rúnar Kristinsson who holds the Icelandic record for most international caps.

In 2006, he transferred to FC Twente, where he signed a contract until 2009. For the 2007-08 he was loaned out to newly promoted De Graafschap, before eventually returning to Belgium, playing for Cercle Brugge, where he ended his career as a player in the summer of 2014, becoming assistant under head coach Lorenzo Staelens. Following the sacking of Staelens on October of that same year, Arnar was appointed head coach.

International career

Arnar has been capped 51 times for Iceland, scoring 2 goals,[1] as well as 41 times at youth level. He made his debut for the seniors in a June 1998 friendly match against South Africa.

Personal life
  • Arnar is the brother of fellow Icelandic midfielders Bjarni and Davíð, and the son of Icelandic footballer Viðar Halldorsson.[2]

References
  1. Iceland - Record International Players - RSSSF
  2. "Bjarni Þór Viðarsson samdi við Everton" [Bjarni Thor Vidarsson signed for Everton]. Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 20 May 2004.

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