Faroese Klakstein family makes history
Thursday, November 29, 2012
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Mother and daugher Bára Skaale and Eydvør Klakstein of the Faroe Islands became the first parent-offspring combination to play together for their country on Wednesday.
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It is fair to say the Klaksteins are a football family and on Wednesday they made a little bit of history.
Bára Skaale Klakstein started for the Faroe Islands in their 6-0 friendly win in Luxembourg and on 61 minutes her daughter Eydvør came on to make the duo the first parent-offspring combination to play together in international football. The nearest anyone had come previously was when Eidur Gudjohnsen replaced father Arnór for Iceland against Estonia in 1996.
Eydvør, 22 years her mother's junior at 17, said before Wednesday's warm-up game for FIFA Women's World Cup qualifying next year: "This is absolutely fantastic. I thought it was special when we got the opportunity to play together for KÍ Klaksvík, but if we can do it for the Faroe Islands as well, it will be absolutely exceptional."
Bára added: "I had never believed this would be possible. A few years ago I hoped that we would be able to play together for KÍ Klaksvík, and that was really enjoyable when that happened."
That is not where the family ties to football end. Eydvør's elder brother Hedin, an Under-17 international, made his KÍ senior debut this year aged 19. He thereby followed in the footsteps of father Eydun, who coincidentally turned 40 on Wednesday, and who has both played for and coached the club's men – indeed both he and Hedin lined up together several times in KÍ's reserve team this season.
Even KÍ themselves are used to making history. They are the only side to appear in all 12 seasons of UEFA women's club competition and this year realised their long-held goal of matching Rosenborg BK's feat in the Norwegian men's league of 13 titles in a row, ensuring another European campaign in 2013/14. They last lost a league game on 4 April 2009.