Victor Pálsson Explained

Guðlaugur Victor Pálsson
Fullname:Guðlaugur Victor Pálsson
Height:1.86 m[1]
Birth Date:30 April 1991
Birth Place:Reykjavík, Iceland
Currentclub:Plymouth Argyle
Clubnumber:44
Position:Defensive midfielder
Youthyears1:–2003
Youthclubs1:Fjölnir
Youthyears2:2004–2007
Youthclubs2:Fylkir
Youthyears3:2007–2009
Youthclubs3:AGF
Youthyears4:2009–2010
Youthclubs4:Liverpool
Years1:2010–2011
Caps1:0
Goals1:0
Clubs1:Liverpool
Years2:2010–2011
Caps2:2
Goals2:0
Clubs2:→ Dagenham & Redbridge (loan)
Years3:2011–2012
Caps3:31
Goals3:1
Clubs3:Hibernian
Years4:2012
Caps4:16
Goals4:0
Clubs4:New York Red Bulls
Years5:2012
Caps5:12
Goals5:2
Clubs5:NEC (loan)
Years6:2013–2014
Caps6:38
Goals6:2
Clubs6:NEC
Years7:2014–2015
Caps7:33
Goals7:3
Clubs7:Helsingborgs IF
Years8:2015–2017
Caps8:35
Goals8:3
Clubs8:Esbjerg fB
Years9:2017–2019
Caps9:47
Goals9:1
Clubs9:FC Zürich
Years10:2019–2021
Caps10:67
Goals10:6
Clubs10:Darmstadt 98
Years11:2021–2022
Caps11:28
Goals11:0
Clubs11:Schalke 04
Years12:2022–2023
Caps12:28
Goals12:0
Clubs12:D.C. United
Years13:2023–2024
Caps13:35
Goals13:2
Clubs13:Eupen
Years14:2024–
Caps14:0
Goals14:0
Clubs14:Plymouth Argyle
Nationalyears1:2007
Nationalteam1:Iceland U17
Nationalcaps1:7
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:2008–2009
Nationalteam2:Iceland U19
Nationalcaps2:6
Nationalgoals2:0
Nationalyears3:2009–2012
Nationalteam3:Iceland U21
Nationalcaps3:11
Nationalgoals3:0
Nationalyears4:2014–
Nationalteam4:Iceland
Nationalcaps4:44
Nationalgoals4:1
Club-Update:1 June 2024
Nationalteam-Update:27 March 2024

Guðlaugur Victor Pálsson (born 30 April 1991) is an Icelandic professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for club Plymouth Argyle. He has previously played for Liverpool, Dagenham & Redbridge, Hibernian, New York Red Bulls, NEC, Helsingborgs IF, Esbjerg fB, Zürich, Darmstadt 98, Eupen and Schalke 04.

Club career

Guðlaugur was born in Reykjavík to an Icelandic mother and a Portuguese father. His paternal grandfather was a native of Mozambique. He played for Fjölnir but he decided to move to the neighbouring club Fylkir to get a chance to play on higher level. He then moved to Danish side AGF Aarhus in 2007.

Guðlaugur joined Premier League team Liverpool in 2009. He played for Liverpool reserves and served as team captain but failed to make the breakthrough into the first-team. He went on loan to Dagenham & Redbridge in November 2010,[2] [3] making his debut for the Daggers in the 1st round of the FA Cup in a 1–1 draw with Leyton Orient.[4] He made three appearances for the club, including an FA Cup tie, before returning to Liverpool.

On 28 January 2011, Guðlaugur signed an 18-month contract with Scottish Premier League club Hibernian.[5] [6] Guðlaugur was given squad number 91, since 1991 was his birth-year. He made his debut in a 3–0 defeat against Dundee United two days later.[7] Guðlaugur scored his first goal for the club with a penalty in a 2–1 win against Kilmarnock on 12 February.[8] Guðlaugur played regularly under the management of Colin Calderwood, but featured less regularly after Calderwood was replaced by Pat Fenlon.[9] On 10 January 2012, Hibernian announced that Victor had left the club with immediate effect after an agreement was reached to cancel his contract.[9] [10]

Sky Sports reported on 24 January 2012 that Guðlaugur was close to agreeing to terms with Major League Soccer club New York Red Bulls.[11] The signing was confirmed by New York on 10 February 2012.[12] Guðlagur did not command a regular starting place in the New York starting lineup during the 2012 season.[13]

In August 2012, the club loaned Guðlaugur to Eredivisie club NEC until May 2013, including an option for permanent signing.[14] On 31 December 2012, he was signed by NEC permanently on a free transfer. He signed a contract until the summer of 2016.[15]

After the relegation of NEC, Guðlaugur left the club and signed a contract in August 2014 with Swedish side Helsingborgs IF.[16] He made his league debut for the club on 10 August 2014 in a 0–0 home draw with Norrköping. He was subbed on for Arnór Smárason in the 75th minute.[17]

Guðlaugur signed a four-year contract with Danish side Esbjerg fB on 31 August 2015.[18] He made his league debut for the club on 14 September 2015 in a 4–2 home victory over Odense BK. He scored his first goal for the club in the 30th minute of this match.[19]

In July 2017 he signed a three-year contract with Swiss side FC Zürich.[20] He made his league debut for Zürich in a 2–1 home victory over Thun on 30 July 2017. He was subbed on for Sangoné Sarr in the 85th minute.[21] He was captain of the 2017–18 Swiss Cup winning team.

On 9 January 2019, Guðlaugur Victor signed a three-and-a-half-year deal with 2. Bundesliga side SV Darmstadt 98.[22] [23]

On 25 May 2021, he agreed to join FC Schalke 04, newly relegated from Bundesliga, for the 2021–22 season, signing a two-year contract.[24]

On 27 July 2022, he joined Major League Soccer club D.C. United on a contract until the end of 2024 with an option for a further year.[25]

On 28 July 2023, Guðlaugur Victor returned to Europe when he joined Belgian Pro League club Eupen on a three-year deal,[26] but the Pandas were relegated at the end of his first season there.

On 25 July 2024, Pálsson signed for EFL Championship club Plymouth Argyle.[27]

International career

Guðlaugur has represented Iceland at Under-17, Under-19, Under-21, and full international levels. He helped Iceland qualify to the 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship. He scored his first goal for the senior team in a 4–1 win against Liechtenstein on 31 March 2021.

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueCupEuropeOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Liverpool2010–11Premier League00000000
Dagenham & Redbridge2010–11League One201030
Hibernian2010–11Scottish Premiership161161
2011–12Scottish Premiership1500030180
Total3110030341
New York Red Bulls2012Major League Soccer16010170
NEC Nijmegen2012–13Eredivisie27210282
2013–14Eredivisie2322020272
Total5043020554
Helsingborgs IF2014Allsvenskan12241163
2015Allsvenskan21110221
Total33351384
Esbjerg fB2015–16Danish Superliga511061
2016–17Danish Superliga3022030352
Total3533030413
FC Zürich2017–18Swiss Super League33161392
2018–19Swiss Super League1401051201
Total4717151593
Darmstadt 982018–192. Bundesliga150150
2019–202. Bundesliga31320333
2020–212. Bundesliga21320233
Total67640716
Schalke 042021–222. Bundesliga28020300
D.C. United2022Major League Soccer100100
2023Major League Soccer18000180
Total280280
Eupen2023–24Belgian Pro League35210362
Career total37220272518041223

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Iceland201410
201530
201600
201720
201850
201940
202080
202161
202220
2023110
202420
Total441

Scores and results list Iceland's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Guðlaugur Victor goal.

Honours

FC Zürich

2017–18

Schalke 04

2021–22

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Victor Pálsson . 20 August 2022 . D.C. United.
  2. Web site: Defender seals loan switch. 4 November 2010. Liverpoolfc.tv.
  3. Web site: 4 November 2010 . Dagenham and Redbridge sign Victor Palsson on loan . BBC Sport.
  4. Web site: 6 November 2010 . Dag & Red 1 - 1 Leyton Orient. BBC Sport.
  5. News: Midfielder completes transfer. Liverpool F.C. official website. 28 January 2011. 12 February 2011.
  6. News: Palsson Deal Completed. Hibernian F.C.. hibernianfc.co.uk. 28 January 2011. 28 January 2011.
  7. News: Dundee Utd 3 - 0 Hibernian. BBC . BBC Sport. 1 February 2011. 2 February 2011.
  8. News: Hibernian 2 - 1 Kilmarnock. BBC. BBC Sport. 12 February 2011. 12 February 2011.
  9. News: Victor Palsson has fond Hibs memories as he exits. Edinburgh Evening News. Johnston Press. Alex. Schweitzer-Thompson. 12 January 2012. 11 February 2012.
  10. News: Palsson Leaves Club. Hibernian F.C.. hibernianfc.co.uk. 10 January 2012. 10 January 2012.
  11. News: Palsson set for MLS move. BSkyB. Sky Sports. 24 January 2012. 24 January 2012.
  12. News: Red Bulls Sign Midfielder Victor Palsson. 10 February 2012. 11 February 2012. New York Red Bulls. newyorkredbulls.com.
  13. News: Sources: RBNY close to loaning Palsson to Netherlands. www.mlssoccer.com. Major League Soccer. Franco. Panizo. 27 August 2012. 29 August 2012.
  14. News: Red Bulls Loan Midfielder Victor Palsson to Dutch Club N.E.C. Nijmegen. www.newyorkredbulls.com. New York Red Bulls. 29 August 2012.
  15. News: NEC trekt huurling Pálsson transfervrij aan. www.voetbalprimeur.nl. Voetbalprimeur. 31 December 2012.
  16. Web site: Sport | Het laatste nieuws uit Nederland leest u op Telegraaf.nl.
  17. Web site: Helsingborgs vs. Norrkoping – 10 August 2014 – Soccerway. int.soccerway.com. 5 November 2018.
  18. Web site: Esbjerg skriver fire år med Victor Palsson.
  19. Web site: Esbjerg vs. Odense – 14 September 2015 – Soccerway. int.soccerway.com. 5 November 2018.
  20. News: Der FC Zürich verpflichtet Victor Pálsson. 5 July 2017. fcz.ch. 5 July 2017.
  21. Web site: Zurich vs. Thun – 30 July 2017 – Soccerway. int.soccerway.com. 5 November 2018.
  22. Web site: Lilien verpflichten Nationalspieler Pálsson. sv98.de. 9 January 2019.
  23. News: Palsson: Der erste Isländer in Darmstadt . 11 January 2019 . kicker Online . 9 January 2019 . de.
  24. News: Victor Pálsson joins S04, Florian Flick signs a pro deal. Schalke 04. 25 May 2021.
  25. News: D.C. United Sign Icelandic National Team Midfielder Victor Pálsson from German Bundesliga Club FC Schalke 04 . D.C. United. 27 July 2022.
  26. Web site: La KAS Eupen engage l’international islandais Victor Pálsson. KAS Eupen sign Icelandic international Victor Pálsson. French. www.as-eupen.be/fr. 28 July 2023. 28 July 2023.
  27. Web site: Victor Pálsson signs for Argyle Plymouth Argyle - PAFC . 2024-07-25 . www.pafc.co.uk . en.