Iceland film maker-turned-goalkeeper Hannes Halldorsson showcased his skill at creating drama in his side’s 1-1 World Cup draw against Argentina, taking centre stage as he saved a penalty from Lionel Messi in front of millions of TV viewers.
To complement the modest wages on offer as he started his career in the domestic league, the 34-year-old net-minder worked in the film business before going fulltime as a professional footballer when he moved to Norway in 2012.
Back home in Iceland, 99.6 percent of the country’s TV viewers saw him stop Messi’s shot as the tiny island nation made their World Cup debut on Saturday.
“Many footballers, when they play in the Icelandic league, they have a job on the side, it’s a semi-professional league,” Haldorsson told reporters ahead of Iceland’s clash with Nigeria on Friday.
“My job just happened to be a film-maker. I always had a passion for it when I was young, and that’s what I got sucked into after high school,” he added.