Brentford's Valdimarsson Opens Up About His Childhood in Iceland and Early Goalkeeping Journey at 14

The Iceland star embarked on his goalkeeping journey shortly after his 14th birthday, having taken a break from football two years prior to pursue interests in handball and chess.

He spoke to the club website about his childhood and how he was never in goal when he was younger despite turning out to be a professional now. 

Valdimarsson said, “I started playing chess in the first grade. I remember I won a tournament in the first or second grade, in primary school. 

“It started just from being in school; we would finish our studies and go and play chess. The pressure of chess isn’t the same as the pressure of a football game - I never got nervous when I played chess! 

“I was playing football and handball alongside chess when I was very young. I quit football when I was 13 - I wasn’t a goalkeeper at that point - and played handball.It’s a lot of contact - and a lot of fighting! It’s completely different to football. 

“I played in a midfield position so it’s not really similar to being a goalkeeper, to be honest. But some of the skills I used then I also use now. 

“Throwing, for example: sometimes when I throw the ball in football, I throw it like I used to in handball, where you use your shoulder, rather than bowling it out.” 

The 22-year-old spoke on growing up in Iceland and how he knew nothing about goalkeeping until he met his first goalkeeping coach. 

“I’m from a very small place in Iceland and there weren’t many players in the football team, so I just joined them, played a bit, and it was fun. 

“I went in goal a few times, I enjoyed that - and I was quite good! The first team asked if I wanted to be their second goalkeeper, so I had to make a decision: do I quit handball to play football? 

“It was a bit of a crossroads for me. But getting the opportunity to play for a first team, compared to the under-18s team in handball was what, ultimately, made my mind up. 

“I could have been a professional handball player - but I’m glad I decided to become a footballer! I was playing outfield until I was 15, which was quite late to start in goal - but it worked out, somehow! 

“At first, I knew nothing about goalkeeping. My stepdad and the coach of the team called round for goalkeeping coaches, because there were none working for the team I played for. 

“So, I went to meet some coaches alone, trained, worked really hard on the basic goalkeeping stuff, and then I just continued to do that to develop.Before training, maybe three times a week, I would go and meet the goalkeeping coach to train.”