Elfar Freyr Helgason

Elfar Freyr Helgason
Personal information
Date of birth	27 July 1989 (age 35)
Place of birth	Reykjavík, Iceland
Height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Position(s)	Center back
Team information
Current team	Valur
Number	4
Senior career*
Years	Team
2009–2011	Breiðablik
2011–2012	AEK Athens
2012	Stabæk
2013	Randers FC
2013–2022	Breiðablik
2017	→ AC Horsens (loan)
2023–	Valur
International career‡
2009–2011	Iceland U21
2011–	Iceland
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 5 August 2024; ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 8 January 2023

Elfar Freyr Helgason (born 27 July 1989) is an Icelandic professional footballer who plays for Valur in the Icelandic Premier League as a central defender. Having spent most of his career playing for Breiðablik, he has also had stints abroad for AEK Athens, Stabæk, Randers FC and AC Horsens. Helgason has gained one cap for Iceland and has also represented his country at junior level.

Club career

Breiðablik

Elfar made his senior debut for Breiðablik in 2009. He went on to play 20 games in league and cup and was a starter in the Final against Fram as Breiðablik won the Icelandic Cup for the first time in its history.^[1] In 2010, Elfar was a key player for Breiðablik as the team went on to win the Icelandic League for the first time in their history.

Stints abroad

In 2011, Elfar signed for Greek club AEK Athens. He made his debut against Lokomotiv Moscow in the UEFA Europa League on 30 October 2011.^[2] His second appearance made against Anderlecht in the Europa League on 1 December 2011, but he never had an opportunity in a Superleague Greece match.

On 23 July 2012 Elfar signed a short-term contract with Stabæk for a free transfer until the end of the year.

On 31 January 2013, Elfar signed a new short-term contract, this time with Randers FC from Denmark for the spring season of 2013.^[3] He became a free agent on 1 July 2013.

Return to Breiðablik

Elfar signed a two-year contract with Breiðablik on 31 July 2013.^[4]

On 6 January 2017, it was confirmed, that AC Horsens had signed Helgason on a loan deal for the rest of the season with a buying option.^[5] Helgason played his first game for Horsens on 5 March 2017 against F.C. Copenhagen, that ended with a 5–0 defeat. In April 2017, Breiðablik tried to get him home a bit earlier, if AC Horsens did not to intend to sign him permanently. In May 2017 in an interview after scoring in a game against Odense Boldklub Helgason revealed, that he suffered from homesickness and wanted to return to Iceland.^[6] Later the same day AC Horsens announced, that they would not exercise the buying option. However, after the season Bo Henriksen stated the club would have a discussion with Helgason if he wanted to remain.^[7]

Valur

In December 2022, Helgason signed a two-year contract with Valur.^[8]

International career

Elfar was part of the Icelandic U21 team in the EURO 2011 in Denmark.

On 10 August 2011, Elfar made his senior debut for Iceland against Hungary.

Honours

Breiðablik

Valur

Icelandic League Cup: 2023

References

^ "Leikskýrsla Bikarkeppni - VISA-bikar karla Laugardalsvöllur (Áhorfendur: 4766) 3.10.2009 14:00 Fram Fram 2 - 2 VÍTAKEPPNI 4 - 5" (in Icelandic). Football Association of Iceland. 3 October 2009.
^ "Χέλγκασον: Ήμουν νευρικός…" [Helgason: I was nervous]. aek365 (in Greek). 4 November 2011. Archived from the original on 8 January 2023. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
^ "Randers skriver med islænding" (in Danish). indkast.dk. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
^ "Elfar Freyr aftur til Breiðabliks" [Elfar Freyr returns to Breiðablik]. mbl.is (in Icelandic). Morgunblaðið. 31 July 2013. Archived from the original on 8 January 2023. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
^ Officielt: Horsens henter Helgason, bold.dk, 6 January 2017
^ Horsens-målscorer har hjemve, bold.dk, 1 May 2017
^ AC Horsens på jagt efter et nyt midterforsvar , vafo.dk, 7 June 2017
^ "Elfar orðinn leikmaður Vals" [Elfar has become a Valur player] (in Icelandic). Morgunblaðið. 2 December 2022. Archived from the original on 8 December 2022. Retrieved 8 January 2023.

External links

Elfar Freyr Helgason at National-Football-Teams.com
Elfar Freyr Helgason at Soccerway
Elfar Freyr Helgason at the Football Association of Iceland (in Icelandic)

[1] "Leikskýrsla Bikarkeppni - VISA-bikar karla Laugardalsvöllur (Áhorfendur: 4766) 3.10.2009 14:00 Fram Fram 2 - 2 VÍTAKEPPNI 4 - 5" (in Icelandic). Football Association of Iceland. 3 October 2009.

[2] "Χέλγκασον: Ήμουν νευρικός…" [Helgason: I was nervous]. aek365 (in Greek). 4 November 2011. Archived from the original on 8 January 2023. Retrieved 8 January 2023.

[3] "Randers skriver med islænding" (in Danish). indkast.dk. Retrieved 15 April 2014.

[4] "Elfar Freyr aftur til Breiðabliks" [Elfar Freyr returns to Breiðablik]. mbl.is (in Icelandic). Morgunblaðið. 31 July 2013. Archived from the original on 8 January 2023. Retrieved 8 January 2023.

[5] Officielt: Horsens henter Helgason, bold.dk, 6 January 2017

[6] Horsens-målscorer har hjemve, bold.dk, 1 May 2017

[7] AC Horsens på jagt efter et nyt midterforsvar , vafo.dk, 7 June 2017

[8] "Elfar orðinn leikmaður Vals" [Elfar has become a Valur player] (in Icelandic). Morgunblaðið. 2 December 2022. Archived from the original on 8 December 2022. Retrieved 8 January 2023.

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