But there can be little doubt that Iceland's qualification for the 2018 World Cup finals

但毫無疑問的是，冰島的2018年世界盃決賽資格

in Russia was exactly that.

在俄羅斯正是如此。

The Icelandic national team's 2-0 victory versus Kosovo in the Laugardalsvöllur [LAY-GER-DAL-SVOL-IER]

冰島國家隊在Laugardalsvöllur[LAY-GER-DAL-SVOL-IER]比賽中2-0戰勝科索沃。

in Reykjavik last October saw them reach their first World Cup finals.

去年10月在雷克雅未克，他們首次進入世界盃決賽。

But, most impressively, Iceland became the smallest country to ever reach the finals,

但是，最令人印象深刻的是，冰島成為有史以來進入決賽的最小國家。

a record that is unlikely to ever be broken.

一個不太可能被打破的記錄。

Iceland has a population of just 335,000, about the same as Coventry.

冰島的人口只有33.5萬，和考文垂差不多。

If Iceland were a city in the US (a country who, remember, failed to qualify for Russia)

如果冰島是美國的一個城市(記得，這個國家沒能參加俄羅斯的比賽)

it would only by the 57th largest in the country.

它將只由全國57大。

For once the term “historic” barely does their achievement justice.

這一次，用 "歷史性 "一詞勉強為他們的成就正名。

So how did one of the smallest nations on earth, with a domestic league that is semi-pro,

那麼，世界上最小的國家之一，國內的聯賽怎麼會是半職業的。

do it?

做？

As ever, that story begins long before their campaign started in 2016 and involves a Swede,

和以往一樣，這個故事早在2016年他們的競選活動開始之前就開始了，並且涉及到一個瑞典人。

a dentist, government investment, the Eurovision song contest and Motherwell.

牙醫、政府投資、歐洲電視歌唱比賽和馬瑟韋爾。

For decades, and as you might expect from a country with such a small population, Iceland

幾十年來，正如你對一個人口如此之少的國家所期望的那樣，冰島

was one of the lowest ranked nations in Europe.

是歐洲排名最低的國家之一。

The national team hadn't even won a World Cup qualification match until 1977's 1-0 victory

在1977年1-0戰勝之前，國家隊甚至沒有贏得過世界盃資格賽的勝利

against Northern Ireland.

對北愛爾蘭。

[Tweet, Icelandic 1977 front page https://twitter.com/footballiceland/status/990881025764020225]

[Tweet，冰島語1977年頭版https://twitter.com/footballiceland/status/990881025764020225]

In fact, when they began qualification for Brazil 2014, they were ranked in Pot 6, alongside

事實上，當他們開始參加2014年巴西世界盃的資格賽時，他們的排名是在6號鍋，與之並列。

San Marino and Andorra.

聖馬力諾和安道爾。

But that doesn't mean they had no history.

但這並不意味著他們沒有歷史。

Albert Guðmundsson was Iceland's first professional player, turning out for both Arsenal and AC

阿爾伯特-古蒙德松是冰島的第一位職業球員，曾效力於阿森納和AC。

Milan in the 1940s.

20世紀40年代的米蘭。

And there was, of course, the evergreen former Chelsea and Barcelona striker Eiður Guðjohnsen

當然，還有常青樹前切爾西和巴塞羅那前鋒Eiður Guðjohnsen。

– Iceland's record goalscorer – who famously made his debut for Iceland in 1996 by replacing

- 冰島的進球紀錄--他在1996年取代了冰島隊的首秀，成為冰島隊的著名射手。

his father Arnór during a match against Estonia.

他的父親Arnór在與愛沙尼亞的比賽中。

[YouTube video of the moment Eidur makes his debut... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6CqIeJtrtY]

[YouTube視頻中Eidur首次亮相的那一刻... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6CqIeJtrtY]

Iceland's plan for World Cup qualification began at the turn of the century.

冰島的世界盃資格計劃始於本世紀初。

It's no surprise to hear that Iceland is pretty cold in the winter.

聽說冰島的冬天很冷，這並不奇怪。

The league starts in May and by November football is all but impossible outside.

5月開始的聯賽，到了11月，外面的足球就全軍覆沒了。

So, in 2000, an ambitious project began which saw seven indoor, full sized football halls

是以，在2000年，一個雄心勃勃的項目開始了，它有7個室內全尺寸的足球館。

built.

建。

Over the next eight years more than 200 small, all weather pitches, were built in some of

在接下來的8年裡，在部分地區建造了200多個小型全天候球場。

the most remote villages in the country.

全國最偏遠的村莊。

It allowed football to be played by anyone, all year around.

它允許任何人，一年四季都可以踢足球。

Coaching became a profession, rather than staffed by volunteers.

教練成了一種職業，而不是由志願者來擔任。

Coaching badges were heavily subsidised.

教練證得到了大量的補貼。

Iceland now has nearly 500 UEFA B license coaches for children up to 16.

冰島現在有近500名16歲以下兒童的歐足聯B證教練。

The state issued 300 euro vouchers so that any child could get top class coaching.

國家發放300歐元的代金券，讓任何一個孩子都能得到一流的輔導。

At the time, Iceland was awash with cash until the 2008 financial crisis virtually bankrupted

當時，冰島的現金充裕，直到2008年的金融危機才幾乎破產

the island.

該島。

Still, the investment continued and once the best of those children had grown into players

不過，投資還是在繼續，一旦這些孩子中的佼佼者成長為球員後

for teams in Iceland's part time football league, they were quickly moved on to more

在冰島的兼職足球聯賽中，他們很快就被轉移到了更多的地方。

competitive professional leagues in Europe to get better experience.

在歐洲競爭激烈的職業聯賽中獲得更好的經驗。

That generation of players came to the fore during 2014 qualification.

這一代球員在2014年資格賽期間嶄露頭角。

The likes of Gylfi Sigurðsson, Alfreð Finnbogason, Aron Gunnarsson and, from the old guard, Eiður

像Gylfi Sigurðsson, Alfreð Finnbogason, Aron Gunnarsson，以及老將Eiður。

Guðjohnsen.

Guðjohnsen.

The only player in the squad to play in Iceland was goalkeeper Hannes Halldórsson, a part

冰島隊中唯一出場的球員是門將Hannes Halldórsson，他是冰島隊的一員。

time filmmaker who directed the 2012 Icelandic Eurovision Song contest entry “Never Forget”

執導2012年冰島歐洲電視歌曲大賽參賽作品 "永遠不會忘記 "的時任電影製片人。

by Greta Salome and Jonsi, which finished a respectable 20th in the final, well ahead

Greta Salome和Jonsi的作品，在決賽中取得了第20名的好成績，遙遙領先。

of the UK's Engelbert Humperdinck.

的英國恩格爾伯特-漢伯丁克。

[Hannes' Eurovision video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8RS0eulXDo]

[漢內斯的歐洲電視網視頻https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8RS0eulXDo]

But the final piece of the jigsaw was the coaching team.

但最後一塊拼圖是教練組。

Sweden's Lars Lagerbäck took over and appointed Heimir Hallgrímsson, who worked part time

瑞典的Lars Lagerbäck接任，並任命兼職的Heimir Hallgrímsson為公司總經理。

as a dentist, as his assistant.

作為一個牙醫，作為他的助手。

Together they helped to organise a team that was fiendishly hard to beat, as Switzerland

他們共同幫助組織了一支難以戰勝的隊伍，因為瑞士隊

found when, after leading 4-1, drew 4-4 with Iceland thanks to one of best hat tricks you

發現，在4-1領先後，與冰島4-4平局，由於最好的帽子戲法之一，你

will ever see by Jóhann Gudmundsson, now of Burnley.

Jóhann Gudmundsson，現在是伯恩利的一員。

[Highlights of the 4-4 draw... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1JJvW0sQk4]

[4-4平局的亮點......https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1JJvW0sQk4]

For Lagerbäck, Iceland's success was about more than investment and tactics: “Besides

對於拉格巴克來說，冰島的成功不僅僅是投資和戰術的問題。"除了

football the character amongst the players and people in general is very, very good.

足球運動員和一般人之間的性格是非常非常好的。

They are not spoilt and they are taking care of themselves.

他們並沒有被寵壞，他們在照顧自己。

I like the country and the society as a whole.”

我喜歡這個國家和整個社會。"

After years of coming nowhere near the World Cup, Iceland drew their final game of 2014

在多年離世界盃遙遙無期後，冰島在2014年的最後一場比賽中抽到了。

qualification against Norway and made it to the play offs, where they faced Croatia.

資格賽對陣挪威，並在決賽中對陣克羅地亞。

After a creditable 0-0 draw in a freezing Reykjavik, Iceland lost 2-0 in Zagreb.

在冰天雪地的雷克雅未克0-0戰平後，冰島在薩格勒布2-0輸掉了比賽。

Guðjohnsen tearfully retired live on TV and Lagerbäck considered quitting, sensing, like

Guðjohnsen淚流滿面地在電視上直播退役，Lagerbäck也考慮過退出，他感覺到，就像

his players, that such an opportunity would never be repeated.

他的球員們，這樣的機會再也不會重演。

But Lagerbäck stayed, making Hallgrímsson joint coach and grooming him for succession.

但拉格貝克留了下來，讓Hallgrímsson成為聯合教練，並培養他接班。

This time, they would make no mistakes and qualified for Euro 2016 out of a tough group

這一次，他們不會犯錯，從一個艱難的小組中獲得了2016年歐洲盃的資格。

including Holland and Turkey, their first ever major finals.

包括荷蘭和土耳其，這是他們有史以來第一次參加重大決賽。

The least said about their knockout stage victory against England, the better.

對於他們在淘汰賽對陣英格蘭的勝利，說得越少越好。

But!

但是！

The Iceland story went global, as did their Thunderclap celebration which, was, in fact

冰島的故事傳遍了全球，就像他們的雷霆萬鈞慶祝活動一樣，事實上，他們的慶祝活動是

borrowed from Motherwell after the Icelandic club side Stjarnan saw it during a trip to

從馬瑟韋爾借來的，因為冰島俱樂部球隊Stjarnan在一次旅行中看到了它。

Scotland for a Europa League qualifier.

蘇格蘭參加歐洲盃預選賽。

The next goal was Russia 2018, and this time Hallgrímsson took full control of the team.

下一個目標是2018年的俄羅斯，這一次Hallgrímsson完全掌控了球隊。

With many of the same players that came so close to Brazil 2014, and with Croatia in

與許多同樣的球員，在2014年巴西世界盃上如此接近，而與克羅地亞在。

the same group, Iceland got to the final round of matches with fate in their hands.

同組的冰島隊在命運的掌握下進入了最後一輪比賽。

They won 2-0 and the players later took to a stage in central Reykjavik and celebrated

他們以2-0獲勝，球員們隨後在雷克雅未克市中心的一個舞臺上慶祝。

with tens of thousands of their country men and women.

與數以萬計的本國男男女女。

In an era when the club game has eroded the pre-eminence and importance of international

在一個俱樂部比賽已經削弱了國際比賽的優越性和重要性的時代裡。

football, Iceland was a timely reminder that the international game still means something.

足球，冰島適時地提醒人們，國際比賽還是有意義的。

That with the right direction and the right investment, everyone has a chance.

只要方向正確，投資得當，人人都有機會。

And that, in a globalised world that at times seems so unsure of itself, pride in a flag

而在這個全球化的世界裡，有時似乎對自己很不自信，對一面旗幟感到自豪。

and a team is nothing to be ashamed of.

和一個團隊沒什麼好羞愧的。