The first time, Iceland
In summer 2018 Iceland became the smallest nation ever to participate in the FIFA World Cup. After taking part in the 2016 European Championships – and surprising everyone by making it into the quarter finals – Russia 2018 was another great occasion for the men’s team to shine. Iceland was thrilled. And when we say Iceland, we refer to about 330.000 people, more or less the population of Bari, a city in Southern Italy.
Rather than focusing on the technical sides of the game, we told the Icelandic football story as a cultural phenomenon, with an angle that could appeal to sport fans but also to the general public, in Italy and worldwide.
‘The First Time’ is a reportage conceived and realized by photographer Matteo de Mayda and journalist Cosimo Bizzarri that immortalizes Iceland and its citizens as they prepare to what is perhaps the largest sport event of their history.