Gunnhildur Yrsa Jónsdóttir
Gunnhildur Yrsa Jónsdóttir | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 28, 1988 Garðabær, Iceland |
| Occupation | Professional footballer |
| Years active | 2003–present |
| Known for | Midfielder for Halifax Tides FC and Icelandic national team (2011–2023) |
Gunnhildur Yrsa Jónsdóttir (born 28 September 1988) is a professional footballer from Iceland who plays as a midfielder for Halifax Tides FC in the Northern Super League. She was a member of the Icelandic national squad from 2011 until 2023.
Early life
Gunnhildur was born in Garðabær, Iceland, and spent part of her childhood between 1996 and 2002 living in Hartford, Connecticut and Philadelphia while her mother pursued studies in paediatrics. In 2001, an unexpected meeting with Philadelphia Charge player and fellow Icelander Margrét Rannveig Ólafsdóttir resulted in her receiving tickets to a WUSA match, which sparked her ambition to follow a career in football.
Stjarnan
Upon returning to Iceland, Gunnhildur signed with Úrvalsdeild club Stjarnan, making her senior team debut on 20 May 2003 at the age of 14 years and 234 days as a substitute during a 4–0 league defeat against ÍBV. She captained Stjarnan to their inaugural Úrvalsdeild championship in 2011, contributing seven goals across 18 matches. The next year, she guided the club to its first-ever Icelandic Cup triumph, netting the decisive goal in a 1–0 victory over Valur in the final. In addition, Stjarnan secured the Icelandic Super Cup in 2012 and made their UEFA Women's Champions League debut facing Russian side Zorky Krasnogorsk. Gunnhildur started that fixture but was sent off in the 37th minute; Stjarnan drew the home leg 0–0 but lost the return leg 3–1 while she served a suspension.
Pepperdine Waves semester
In 2010, Gunnhildur spent a semester at Pepperdine University, transferring from Reykjavík University, where she competed for the Pepperdine Waves women's soccer team. During that period, she appeared in 19 games and received an honorable mention on the All-WCC team as a freshman before returning to Iceland.
Move to Norway
Gunnhildur moved to Norway's Toppserien in January 2013 by joining Arna-Bjørnar, filling the vacancy left by Maren Mjelde's transfer to Turbine Potsdam. She scored her first goal for Arna-Bjørnar on 5 June 2013 during a 2–0 Norwegian Cup victory over Åsane. Across an 18-month tenure, she featured in 16 matches and scored twice in cup competitions.
Midway through the 2014 season, she transferred to IK Grand Bodø, registering one goal despite a 5–2 league defeat to Stabæk on 30 August.
Before the start of the 2015 campaign, Gunnhildur signed with Stabæk, where she played every league fixture and scored three goals as the team finished fourth. The following year, she achieved a personal best of six goals in all but one match, helping Stabæk secure third place in the league standings.
Leading into the 2017 season, Gunnhildur was among several experienced internationals recruited by Vålerenga amid their efforts to challenge for both the league title and Champions League qualification. She captained Vålerenga to their first-ever appearance in the Norwegian Cup final, narrowly losing 1–0 to Avaldsnes IL. The club ended the league season in seventh position.
Utah Royals
In January 2018, Gunnhildur signed with newly formed NWSL franchise Utah Royals FC ahead of their debut season. On 24 March 2018, she scored the club’s first-ever goal during a match against Orlando Pride that concluded in a 1–1 draw. Her performances earned her selection to the NWSL team of the month for March. Throughout the entire 2018 season, she played every minute on the field, tallying one goal and two assists. Gunnhildur maintained this consistency into the following year by appearing in all matches again, scoring once and finishing second on the team with four assists.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic leading to cancellation of the regular season in 2020, she participated in four games during the abbreviated NWSL Challenge Cup. In December of that year, Utah Royals ceased operations and relocated to Kansas City, transferring all player contracts accordingly. Before this transition, Gunnhildur had set a franchise record by making 52 appearances for Utah Royals FC.
Loan Spell at Adelaide United
During the NWSL offseason, Gunnhildur was among six Utah Royals players sent on loan to the W-League for the 2018–19 season. She joined Adelaide United alongside fellow Icelandic player Fanndís Fridriksdóttir. Throughout the campaign, she played every minute and contributed one goal.
Loan Period with Valur
Following the conclusion of the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup, Gunnhildur spent the remainder of the year on loan at Valur, marking her first competitive matches in Iceland since 2012. The Úrvalsdeild was cancelled with two rounds left, with Valur finishing second based on points per game. During her eight league appearances, she scored three goals and recorded her inaugural Champions League goal on 4 November 2020 in a 3–0 victory over HJK in the first round of qualifying.
Orlando Pride
On 30 January 2021, Gunnhildur was traded to Orlando Pride along with rights to Erika Tymrak in exchange for Kristen Edmonds and a natural second-round selection in the 2022 NWSL Draft. On 24 January 2023, Orlando announced that she would be departing to return to Iceland, joining her wife and teammate Erin McLeod following their marriage earlier that month.
Return to Stjarnan
Gunnhildur made a comeback to her hometown club Stjarnan on 25 January 2023, a decade after last serving as team captain.[1] She did not participate in the 2024 season due to pregnancy.[2]
Halifax Tides
In 2025, she signed with Halifax Tides FC competing in the Northern Super League, continuing her professional journey while honoring a family tradition.[3]
International Career
Gunnhildur earned her first cap for Iceland on 26 October 2011, coming on as a late substitute in a 2–0 victory over Northern Ireland during the Euro 2013 qualifiers. She did not appear again in that qualification cycle and was not selected for the final tournament.
Her debut international goal came on 4 April 2015 in a friendly match where Iceland defeated the Netherlands 2–1.[4]
Gunnhildur featured in every game of Euro 2017 qualifying, scoring twice as Iceland topped their group to secure a place at Euro 2017. She started all three group stage matches at the finals, with Iceland finishing last in their group.[5]
She also competed in both the 2016 and 2017 Algarve Cup tournaments.[6]
During the course of 2019 World Cup qualifying, Gunnhildur appeared in all eight matches and scored four goals, including her first international brace in an emphatic 8–0 win against the Faroe Islands. Iceland narrowly missed advancing to play-offs by a single point.[7]
In Euro 2022 qualifying, she started every fixture as Iceland finished second behind Sweden, securing qualification as one of the best runners-up.[8]
After Iceland's triumph over Austria on 18 July 2023, Gunnhildur announced her retirement from international competition.[9]
Personal life
Gunnhildur, often referred to as Gunny, is one of eight children, with siblings named Tindur, Urður, Ilmur, Þórunn, Sigurður, Sæmundur, and Elfur. Her parents are Laufey Sigurðardóttir and Jón Saemundsson.
In October 2020, it was revealed that Gunnhildur began a relationship with Erin McLeod, a player for the Canadian national team. The couple tied the knot in January 2023. Their son was born in October 2024.
Club summary
.
| Club | Season | League | Cup[lower-alpha 1] | Continental[lower-alpha 2] | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Stjarnan | 2003 | Úrvalsdeild | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 13 | 0 | ||
| 2004 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 1 | ||||||
| 2005 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| 2006 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 12 | 3 | ||||||
| 2007 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | ||||||
| 2008 | 17 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 21 | 6 | ||||||
| 2009 | 18 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 20 | 10 | ||||||
| 2010 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 15 | 4 | ||||||
| 2011 | 18 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 20 | 8 | ||||||
| 2012 | 18 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1[lower-alpha 3] | 0 | 24 | 5 | ||
| Total | 119 | 25 | 21 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 142 | 38 | ||
| Arna-Bjørnar | 2013 | Toppserien | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 8 | 1 | ||
| 2014 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 1 | ||||||
| Total | 14 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 2 | ||
| Grand Bodø | 2014 | Toppserien | 11 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 12 | 1 | ||
| Stabæk | 2015 | Toppserien | 22 | 3 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 26 | 3 | ||
| 2016 | 21 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 23 | 7 | ||||||
| Total | 43 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 49 | 10 | ||
| Vålerenga | 2017 | "Toppserien" | "5"| "4"| "1"| —|"25"| "6" | |||||||||
| Utah Royals FC | "2018" | NWSL" | "1"| —|"24"| "1" | |||||||||
| "2019" | "1"| —|"24"| "1" | |||||||||||
| "2020" | —|"4"| "0"| "4"| "0" | |||||||||||
| Total | "48"! "2"! "4"! "0"! "0"! "0"! "0"! "0"! "52"! "2" | |||||||||||
| "Adelaide United (loan)" | "2018–19" | "W-League" | "1"| —|"11"| "1" | |||||||||
| "Valur women's football (loan)" | "2020" | "Úrvalsdeild" | "3"| "1"| "0"| "2"| "1"| —|"11"| "4" | |||||||||
| Orlando Pride" | "2021" | NWSL" | "1"| "2"| "0"| —|"26"| "1" | |||||||||
| "2022" | "2"| "6"| "2"| —|"22"| "4" | |||||||||||
| Total | "40"! "3"! "8"! "2"! "0"! "0"! "0"! "0"! "48"! "5" | |||||||||||
| Career total | "315"! "49"! "47"! "19"! "3"! "1"! "1"! "0"! "366"! "69" | |||||||||||
International Summary
| Iceland | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Appearances | Goals |
| 2011 | 1 | 0 |
| 2012 | 6 | 0 |
| 2013 | 4 | 0 |
| 2014 | 2 | 0 |
| 2015 | 9 | 1 |
| 2016 | 12 | 3 |
| 2017 | 14 | 3 |
| 2018 | 10 | 2 |
| 2019 | 10 | 0 |
| 2020 | 8 | 1 |
| 2021 | 8 | 2 |
| 2022 | 12 | 2 |
| Total | 96 | 14 |
International Goals
- Statistics accurate as of match played 12 April 2022. Iceland's score is shown first; the score column reflects the match score immediately following each goal by Jónsdóttir.
| No. | Date | Cap | Venue | Opponent | Score after goal | Final result | Competition | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2015-04-04 | 18 | Kórinn, Kópavogur, Iceland | Template:Fbw | '1–1' | '2–1' | Friendly | ||||
| 2 | 2016-03-02 | 23 | Lagos Municipal Stadium, Lagos, Portugal | Template:Fbw | '1–0' | '2–1' | 2016 Algarve Cup | ||||
| 3 | 2016-06-03 | 28 | Falkirk Stadium, Falkirk, Scotland | Template:Fbw | '3–0' | '4–0' | UEFA Euro 2017 qualifying | ||||
| 4 | 2016-09-16 | 30 | Laugardalsvöllur, Reykjavík, Iceland | Template:Fbw | '4–0' | '4–0' | |||||
| 5 | 2017-03-01 | 35 | Bela Vista Municipal Stadium, Parchal, Portugal | Template:Fbw | '1–1' | '1–1' | 2017 Algarve Cup | ||||
| 6 | 7 | 2017-09-18 | 46 | Laugardalsvöllur, Reykjavík, Iceland | Template:Fbw | '2–0' | '8–0' | 2019 FIFA World Cup qualification | '5–0' | ||
| 8 | 2018-04-06 | 54 | Laugardalsvöllur, Reykjavík, Iceland | Template:Fbw | '1–0' | '2–0' | |||||
| 9 | 2018-04-10 | 55 | Tórsvøllur, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands | Template:Fbw | '1–0' | '5–0' | |||||
| 10 | 2020-03-10 | 71 | Pinatar Arena, San Pedro del Pinatar, Spain | Template:Fbw | '1–0' | '1–0' | 2020 Pinatar Cup | ||||
| 11 | 2021-06-11 | 79 | Laugardalsvöllur, Reykjavík, Iceland | Template:Fbw | '2–0' | '3–2' | Friendly | ||||
| 12 | 2021-10-22 | 82 | Laugardalsvöllur, Reykjavík, Iceland | Template:Fbw | '4–0' | '4–0' | 2023 FIFA World Cup qualification | ||||
| 13 | 2022-04-07 | 88 | Voždovac Stadium, Belgrade, Serbia | Template:Fbw | '2–0' | '5–0' | |||||
| 14 | 2022-04-12 | 89 | Na Stínadlech, Teplice, Czech Republic | Template:Fbw | '1–0' | '1–0' |
Honors
Stjarnan
- Úrvalsdeild Champion: 2011
- Icelandic Women's Football Cup Winner: 2012
- Icelandic Women's Football Super Cup Titleholder: 2012
External links
Cite error: <ref> tags exist for a group named "lower-alpha", but no corresponding <references group="lower-alpha"/> tag was found
- Pages with script errors
- Articles with short description
- Articles with hCards
- No local image but image on Wikidata
- 1988 births
- Living people
- People from Garðabær
- Icelandic women's footballers
- 21st-century Icelandic sportswomen
- Iceland women's international footballers
- Women's association football midfielders
- Stjarnan women's football players
- Pepperdine Waves women's soccer players
- Arna-Bjørnar players
- IK Grand Bodø players
- Stabæk Fotball Kvinner players
- Vålerenga Fotball Damer players
- Utah Royals players
- Adelaide United FC (women) players
- Valur (women's football) players
- Orlando Pride players
- Besta deild kvenna players
- Toppserien players
- National Women's Soccer League players
- Icelandic expatriate sportspeople in Norway
- Icelandic expatriate sportspeople in Australia
- Icelandic expatriate sportspeople in the United States
- Expatriate women's footballers in Norway
- Expatriate women's soccer players in the United States
- Expatriate women's soccer players in Australia
- Lesbian sportswomen
- Icelandic lesbians
- Icelandic LGBTQ footballers
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- UEFA Women's Euro 2022 players
- UEFA Women's Euro 2017 players
- FIFA Women's Century Club
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- Northern Super League players
- Pages with reference errors