Birkir Bjarnason Icelandic footballer, midfielder Date of Birth: 27.05.1988 Country: Iceland

1. Early Career and Norway
2. Career in Belgium, Italy, and Switzerland
3. Aston Villa and English Career
4. International Career

Early Career and Norway

Born in Iceland, Birkir Bjarnason is an Icelandic footballer who currently plays for English club Aston Villa and captains the Iceland national team. His football journey began in Iceland, where he played for various youth teams. In 2006, Norwegian club Viking FK scouted and signed him, marking his professional debut in the Norwegian Tippeliga.

Career in Belgium, Italy, and Switzerland

After a successful loan stint with Bodø/Glimt in 2008, Bjarnason returned to Viking FK and became a key player. In 2011, he transferred to Belgian club Standard Liège as a free agent. Despite not being a regular starter, he showcased his talent during a loan spell at Italian club Pescara in the 2012-13 season. After impressing with Pescara, they signed him permanently for €900,000. However, Bjarnason briefly played for Sampdoria before returning to Pescara in 2014. In 2015, he joined Swiss club Basel for €1.5 million. During his time with Basel, he helped the team win the Swiss Super League title in 2016.

Aston Villa and English Career

In 2017, Bjarnason moved to Aston Villa in England, signing a three-and-a-half-year contract. He made his debut in the Championship against Brentford and scored his first goal for the club against Bristol City in 2018.

International Career

Bjarnason's international career began with Iceland's youth team at the 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Championship. He debuted with the senior national team in a friendly match against Andorra in 2010. In 2012, he scored his first goal for Iceland against France. Bjarnason was part of the Iceland squad that participated in the 2016 UEFA European Championship, making history by scoring Iceland's first goal in international tournaments against Portugal and also scoring in the quarter-final against France.