He's just won a presidential election -- now he's targeting the European Championship finals.
But anyone thinking that Gudni Johannesson is ready to swap his place in the stands for a suit and Champagne has got Iceland's president-elect all wrong.
While most politicians head for the VIP zone and the rarefied atmosphere of a corporate box, Johannesson says he can't wait to be in the stands to cheer on his countrymen when Iceland meets host nation France in the quarterfinals of Euro 2016 Sunday.
"Why would I go in the VIP room and sip Champagne when I can do that anywhere in the world?" Johannesson told CNN with more than a hint of a smile.
"No, I will be in the stands with the fans and I will wear my Iceland shirt. And with respect to the French team -- it should not underestimate us."
There's little chance of Iceland being underestimated after it pulled off one of the most astonishing results in the history of the tournament by defeating England in Nice Monday.
It was a result which sent shockwaves across the world of sport, costing England coach Roy Hodgson his job and bringing humiliation upon one of the world's most famous footballing nations.
Home of the richest and most watched league in the world, England was embarrassed by an Iceland team playing in its first ever major international tournament, becoming the smallest to ever compete at the competition.
While England's fans went into a period of introspection after losing to a team which is co-managed by a part-time dentist, around 8% of Iceland's 330,000 population was celebrating with its players inside the stadium.
Iceland fans have flocked to France en-masse bringing plenty of color, song and the renowned cacophonous clapping celebration.
"It was fantastic to be in Nice and cheer the team on to such an improbable result -- there were tears of joy," said Johannesson, who will replace Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, who has served as head of state for the past 20 years.
"Of course, for Iceland as a country, this means a lot. It shows that if you set yourself a goal, work towards it, stick together and have discipline then anything can happen."
On Sunday, Iceland will face its stiffest test yet at Euro 2016 as it attempts to pull off another shock result -- this time against a France team dreaming of a third European Championship crown.
Few outside Iceland are giving it a chance but that matters little to those who have been partying in Reykjavik over the past fortnight.
Extracted from: edition.cnn.com
Fuente: edition.cnn.com
