PARIS: Iceland's players have been likened to an "army" ahead of their European Championship match against England.
Responding to a question about the post-war shipping dispute between the countries from the 1950s to the '70s known as the "Cod Wars," which was over the rights to fish in Icelandic waters, Iceland coach Heimir Hallgrimsson said Sunday "that is the only time Iceland has gone to war. We are too few to have an army."
Referring to the Iceland team, Hallgrimsson added "these guys are the Icelandic army. That is why everyone (in Iceland) is supporting them."
Iceland, a nation of 330,000 people, came out on top regarding the settlements from the "Cod Wars" but are underdogs going into the game in Nice on Monday.