Albert Guðmundsson
Encyclopedia
Albert Sigurður Guðmundsson (5 October 1923 – 7 April 1994) was the first Iceland
ic professional football player and played for, amongst others, Rangers
, Arsenal
, FC Nancy
and AC Milan. After retiring from his sporting career he became a politician and was a member of Alþingi for 15 years, serving as Minister of Finance and Minister of Industry. He ran for president in 1980 but lost to Vigdís Finnbogadóttir
.
. In 1944 he made his way to Scotland
to study business at Skerry's College, Glasgow. He began his abroad footballing career with Rangers
. After a short stint there he went to England where he played for Arsenal
as an amateur; he played several friendly matches and two First Division
matches in October 1946. He was Arsenal's second player from outside the British Isles
, after Gerard Keyser.
In a match against Racing Club de Paris in 1946 he caught the eye of the French side, who wanted to sign him. Albert was unable to gain a work permit
in England, and thus could not turn professional, so he started to look to play elsewhere. In the end he did sign for a French club, but it was Nancy
who captured him instead. Albert finished his first season with Nancy as the top scorer and scored two goals in each cup game, which were all won 2–1.
In 1948 Albert signed for AC Milan. He broke his knee in a match against Lazio
and appeared to be beyond repair. However the team doctor for Milan's rivals Internazionale wanted to perform a surgery on the knee, a risk that Milan was not willing to agree to. Albert then bought out his contract and had the operation, which was a success.
After recovering he returned to France where he played for several clubs before retiring in 1954.
In 1967 he was awarded the Silver badge of the Football Association of Iceland
(KSÍ) for his work in football.
In 1968 he was elected the chairman of KSÍ, a post he held until 1973, he was awarded the Gold badge for his work that same year as he stepped down.
r, selling French women's clothing. His business soon expanded and imported several other types of goods, mostly from France.
He joined the Independence Party
and in 1970 was elected councilman for Reykjavík
, holding this office until 1986.
In 1974 he was elected to the Alþingi (the Icelandic parliament), representing Reykjavík. In 1983 he became Minister of Finance. In 1985 he was appointed Minister of Industry
, a position he held until 1987, when a tax scandal forced his resignation.
Feeling that the Independence Party's leadership had failed to support him, he left the party soon after his resignation and only a few weeks before a general election. He immediately formed his own political party, the Citizen's Party (Borgaraflokkurinn) and served as its chairman until 1989. The party was right of centre with a populist streak and received 10.9 percent of the general vote in the 1987 elections, thus gaining seven members of parliament, including Alberts son, Ingi Björn Albertsson, who also played as a striker for Iceland National Team in the seventies. The Independence Party on the other hand suffered its worst result in history, only receiving 27.2 percent of the vote.
He was appointed resident ambassador to France in 1989 and held that position until 1993. Previously he had been France's consul in Iceland between 1962 and 1989.
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
ic professional football player and played for, amongst others, Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
, Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
, FC Nancy
FC Nancy
Football club de Nancy was a French association football team playing in the city of Nancy, Meurthe-et-Moselle.The team was founded in 1901 and disappeared in 1965, due to financial problems.Two years after the demise of this team, Nancy's current top team, AS Nancy were founded.-Honours:* Coupe de...
and AC Milan. After retiring from his sporting career he became a politician and was a member of Alþingi for 15 years, serving as Minister of Finance and Minister of Industry. He ran for president in 1980 but lost to Vigdís Finnbogadóttir
Vigdís Finnbogadóttir
Vigdís Finnbogadóttir is an Icelandic politician who served as the fourth President of Iceland from 1980 to 1996. In addition to being both Iceland's and Europe's first female president, she was the world's first democratically elected female head of state...
.
Sporting career
Albert played football from a young age with local club ValurValur
Knattspyrnufélagið Valur is an Icelandic athletic club based in Reykjavík, Iceland. One of Iceland's most prolific clubs it celebrates its 100th birthday in 2011. The club is situated close to the city centre, in the traditional east side of town, at the old farmgrounds of Hlíðarendi...
. In 1944 he made his way to Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
to study business at Skerry's College, Glasgow. He began his abroad footballing career with Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
. After a short stint there he went to England where he played for Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
as an amateur; he played several friendly matches and two First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
matches in October 1946. He was Arsenal's second player from outside the British Isles
British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles. There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and...
, after Gerard Keyser.
In a match against Racing Club de Paris in 1946 he caught the eye of the French side, who wanted to sign him. Albert was unable to gain a work permit
Work permit
Work permit is a generic term for a legal authorization which allows a person to take employment.It is most often used in reference to instances where a person is given permission to work in a country where one does not hold citizenship, but is also used in reference to minors, who in some...
in England, and thus could not turn professional, so he started to look to play elsewhere. In the end he did sign for a French club, but it was Nancy
FC Nancy
Football club de Nancy was a French association football team playing in the city of Nancy, Meurthe-et-Moselle.The team was founded in 1901 and disappeared in 1965, due to financial problems.Two years after the demise of this team, Nancy's current top team, AS Nancy were founded.-Honours:* Coupe de...
who captured him instead. Albert finished his first season with Nancy as the top scorer and scored two goals in each cup game, which were all won 2–1.
In 1948 Albert signed for AC Milan. He broke his knee in a match against Lazio
S.S. Lazio
Società Sportiva Lazio, commonly referred to as Lazio, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. The team, founded in 1900, play in the Serie A and have spent most of their history in the top tier of Italian football...
and appeared to be beyond repair. However the team doctor for Milan's rivals Internazionale wanted to perform a surgery on the knee, a risk that Milan was not willing to agree to. Albert then bought out his contract and had the operation, which was a success.
After recovering he returned to France where he played for several clubs before retiring in 1954.
In 1967 he was awarded the Silver badge of the Football Association of Iceland
Football Association of Iceland
The Football Association of Iceland is the governing body of football in Iceland. It was founded on 26 March 1947, joined FIFA the same year, and UEFA in 1954. It organizes the football league, Pepsi deild, and the Iceland national football team and Iceland women's national football team...
(KSÍ) for his work in football.
In 1968 he was elected the chairman of KSÍ, a post he held until 1973, he was awarded the Gold badge for his work that same year as he stepped down.
Political career
After returning from France, Albert started a business career in 1956 as a wholesaleWholesale
Wholesaling, jobbing, or distributing is defined as the sale of goods or merchandise to retailers, to industrial, commercial, institutional, or other professional business users, or to other wholesalers and related subordinated services...
r, selling French women's clothing. His business soon expanded and imported several other types of goods, mostly from France.
He joined the Independence Party
Independence Party (Iceland)
The Independence Party is a centre-right political party in Iceland. Liberal conservative and Eurosceptic, it is the second-largest party in the Althing, with sixteen seats. The chairman of the party is Bjarni Benediktsson and vice chairman is Ólöf Nordal....
and in 1970 was elected councilman for Reykjavík
Reykjavík
Reykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...
, holding this office until 1986.
In 1974 he was elected to the Alþingi (the Icelandic parliament), representing Reykjavík. In 1983 he became Minister of Finance. In 1985 he was appointed Minister of Industry
Minister of Industry
The industry minister is a cabinet position in a government.The title may refer to the head of the governmental department that specializes in industry. This position may also be responsible for trade and employment, areas that fall under the ministries of commerce and labour in some governments...
, a position he held until 1987, when a tax scandal forced his resignation.
Feeling that the Independence Party's leadership had failed to support him, he left the party soon after his resignation and only a few weeks before a general election. He immediately formed his own political party, the Citizen's Party (Borgaraflokkurinn) and served as its chairman until 1989. The party was right of centre with a populist streak and received 10.9 percent of the general vote in the 1987 elections, thus gaining seven members of parliament, including Alberts son, Ingi Björn Albertsson, who also played as a striker for Iceland National Team in the seventies. The Independence Party on the other hand suffered its worst result in history, only receiving 27.2 percent of the vote.
He was appointed resident ambassador to France in 1989 and held that position until 1993. Previously he had been France's consul in Iceland between 1962 and 1989.
External links
- Alþingi – Æviágrip: Albert Guðmundsson (in Icelandic)