DFB has to face off against scandalous opponents: Iceland keeps a dark secret - until now

Iceland meet Germany in the World Cup qualification.

The small state currently has problems that put the game against the DFB-Elf in the background.

Reykjavik - Iceland thrilled the whole football world at the Euro 2016.

Not only the players on the field gave their last shirt, the fans who traveled with them also became one of the highlights of the tournament.

Five years after the sensational quarter-finals, nothing is left of the euphoria that swept an entire country away.

The sporting success does not materialize, and an abuse scandal involving the national soccer team shakes the whole country.

The image of the Icelandic national team as a worldwide popular figure for the country is destroyed before the duel with the DFB-Elf *.

DFB-Elf must run against ailing Icelanders - resignations due to abuse scandal

KSI President Gundi Bergsson had to resign a few days ago after allegations by two women against a national player for sexual assault.

Shortly thereafter, the board of directors followed the step of the association boss, and last Wednesday the managing director was given leave of absence.

The full extent of the scandal is still unclear.

There is now talk of several sexualized attacks by national players, and the country has been shaken.

The focus is on Iceland's EM * hero and record scorer Kolbeinn Sigthorssson.

The two women accuse Sigthorsson of sexually assaulting and molesting them in 2017.

One of the two also accuses the association of trying to silence them with money.

In the meantime, the association had to admit in a message that it had not behaved correctly.

The association apologized to the victims and Sigthorsson was removed from the squad.

Icelandic football in front of a pile of broken glass

The attacker allegedly grabbed one of the women in the crotch of a nightclub in Reykjavik and grabbed her neck.

Both women filed charges.

Sigthorsson is said to have admitted the assaults, apologized and paid pain and suffering, according to one of the two women.

Later, a lawyer from the association is said to have approached her so that she would agree to a confidentiality clause in exchange for a hush money.

Sigthorsson himself meanwhile also spoke up.

He did not think that he had molested the woman or used violence, but his behavior was not exemplary.

He confirmed the compensation payment and stated that he regretted his behavior.