England v Iceland background

England's future at UEFA EURO 2016 hinges on their ability to break down surprise package Iceland, a team with plenty of English league experience in their ranks.
 
 Previous meetings
• England first met Iceland in a warm-up game for the 1982 FIFA World Cup, drawing 1-1 in Reykjavik, with Paul Goddard scoring for the visitors and Arnór Gudjohnsen for the hosts.

• The only other encounter took place at the City of Manchester Stadium in a pre-UEFA EURO 2004 friendly, with England running out 6-1 victors as Wayne Rooney and Darius Vassell both hit doubles.

EURO facts: England
• England have not lost over 90 or 120 minutes in 25 EURO fixtures, going back to a 3-2 qualifying defeat by Croatia in 2007 that ended their hopes of reaching UEFA EURO 2008. Since then, their record is W18 D7, although they were beaten on penalties by Italy in the UEFA EURO 2012 quarter-finals.

• Unbeaten in six matches coming into this game (W4 D2 including friendlies), Roy Hodgson's side won all ten UEFA EURO 2016 qualifiers – just the sixth team to achieve the feat after France (1992, 2004), Czech Republic (2000), Germany and Spain (both 2012).

• England failed to qualify for the final tournament in 2008, the only time they have missed out since 1984.

• This is England's first competitive fixture in Nice. The only previous English side to play in the city was the national team that competed at the 1951 Under-18 youth tournament, who won 3-1 against Switzerland in the city.

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EURO facts: Iceland
• This is Iceland's first time at a major championship. They are one of two countries making their major finals debut at UEFA EURO 2016, along with Albania.

• With a population of 330,000, Iceland is the smallest nation to have appeared at any big final tournament.

• Icelandic clubs have played five matches in France in UEFA competition, losing all five by an aggregate score of 17-2.

Coach and player links
• Gylfi Sigurdsson, Iceland's six-goal top scorer in UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying, plays his club football in the English Premier League with Swansea City AFC.

• Former team-mates: Sigurdsson with Kyle Walker, Danny Rose and Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur FC 2012–14)

• Aron Gunnarsson (Cardiff City FC) and Johann Gudmundsson (Charlton Athletic FC) are both playing in the English leagues.

• Eidur Gudjohnsen was a Tottenham player in 2010 while Walker and Rose were also registered with the club, though both were on loan elsewhere during that time. Gudjohnsen also played for Bolton Wanderers FC (1998–2000, 2014–15), Chelsea FC (2000–06) and Fulham FC (2011) in England.

• England manager Roy Hodgson was Birkir Bjarnason's boss when he was in charge of Norwegian club Viking FK in 2005, though the teenager did not make a senior appearance during his time in charge.