Hannes Halldorsson: From Icelandic film director to World Cup hero

In 2014, at the age of 29, Hannes Halldorsson left his job as a film director to become a professional football player, FIFA.com reports.

And, on Saturday, the goalkeeper for Danish Superliga side Randers delivered the greatest highlight of either career – a Man of the Match performance where he blocked a penalty from Argentine superstar Lionel Messi to give Iceland its first points in World Cup history.

“To save a penalty in the first game of the World Cup is like a dream scenario,” said Halldorsson after the hard-fought draw at Spartak Stadium.

World Cup - Group D - Argentina vs Iceland - Spartak Stadium, Moscow, Russia - Jun 16, 2018 Iceland's Hannes Por Halldorsson saves a penalty from Argentina's Lionel Messi. Reuters

“To experience that, I guess you must concede a penalty. Since that happened, I just decided that now it was my turn. I was determined to save it.”

In May, Halldorsson’s club staved off relegation. Afterwards, he picked up his camera and directed a commercial for Coca-Cola, hoping to unite Iceland and excite the nation for its first ever World Cup. But it was Saturday’s performance that would cement his name in the country’s footballing legacy.

But he had studied for the deciding moment of the match.

“I had prepared. I looked at many penalties converted by Messi. He’s hard to read. He can kick the ball wherever he wants, but I had a strong feeling that he would choose this corner,” Halldorsson said.

And yet the save itself seemed surreal.

World Cup - Group D - Argentina vs Iceland - Spartak Stadium, Moscow, Russia - Jun 16, 2018 Iceland's Hordur Bjorgvin Magnusson and team mates form a wall and defend a free kick taken by Argentina's Lionel Messi. Reuters

“I did not really believe that this was happening. That this had become reality. But you couldn’t be calm until the referee blew the final whistle, because you want those things to count. It was a big relief when the referee blew the final whistle,” he said.

But if Halldorsson had doubts, they were not shared by his teammates.

“I somehow believed that Hannes would save the penalty and got myself into position, if he would get the ball and bang it forward,” Iceland’s star player Gylfi Sigurdsson told FIFA TV.

“But of course, this is fantastic for him, fantastic for us, and came at an important moment. It gave the team the extra boost needed, to find some strength to run a little bit more for the last 20 minutes.”