Rúnar Alex Rúnarsson (born 18 February 1995) is an Icelandic professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Danish Superliga club Copenhagen and the Iceland national team. He has also previously played for Dijon, Nordsjælland, KR Reykjavik and Arsenal.
Family
Rúnar Alex is the son of Rúnar Kristinsson, a former professional footballer.12
Club career
Rúnar Alex was player of the season for FC Nordsjælland in the 2017–18 Danish Superliga.3 In June 2018, Rúnar Alex joined French side Dijon on a four-year agreement.4
Arsenal
On 21 September 2020, Rúnar Alex signed for Premier League club Arsenal on a four-year deal. He chose the number 13 at the club.5 Rúnar Alex made his debut for the club on 29 October 2020, keeping a clean sheet in a 3–0 UEFA Europa League win over League of Ireland side Dundalk at the Emirates Stadium.6
Arsenal faced Manchester City in the EFL Cup quarter-finals on 22 December. With the score at 1–1, Rúnar Alex let Riyad Mahrez's free kick slip through his arms to put Manchester City back in front. Arsenal lost the tie 4–1.78
After first choice goalkeeper Bernd Leno was sent off against Wolverhampton Wanderers on 2 February 2021, Rúnar Alex made his Premier League debut as a substitute for Thomas Partey in a 2–1 away defeat.9
Loan spells
On 31 August 2021, Rúnar Alex joined Belgian First Division A club OH Leuven on loan until the end of the season.10 On 27 October 2021, Rúnar Alex made his first appearance of the season for OH Leuven in their 2–1 Belgian Cup win over Lierse Kempenzonen,11 with his league debut coming one month later on 26 November 2021 in a 1–3 away win to league leaders Union SG.
On 15 August 2022, Arsenal announced that Rúnar Alex was loaned to Süper Lig side Alanyaspor.12
On 18 August 2023, Rúnar Alex joined Championship side Cardiff City on a season long loan.13 He was recalled on 1 February 2024 to Arsenal, where he was released on a free by mutual termination.14
Copenhagen
Rúnar Alex made the move to Danish side Copenhagen on 1 February 2024 via a free transfer.15
International career
Having previously represented his country at youth level, Rúnar Alex was called up to the senior Iceland squad for the 2017 China Cup, where the team became the silver medalist1617 He earned his first senior cap in a friendly against the Czech Republic on 9 November 2017.
In May 2018, he was named in Iceland's 23-man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.18
Career statistics
Club
As of match played 1 August 202419 Appearances and goals by club, season and competition| Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| KR Reykjavik | 2013 | Úrvalsdeild | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 120 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | ||
| Nordsjælland | 2013–14 | Danish Superliga | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | |||
| 2014–15 | Danish Superliga | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | ||||
| 2015–16 | Danish Superliga | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | ||||
| 2016–17 | Danish Superliga | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 20 | 0 | ||||
| 2017–18 | Danish Superliga | 36 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 36 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 60 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 60 | 0 | |||||
| Dijon | 2018–19 | Ligue 1 | 25 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 121 | 0 | 31 | 0 | |
| 2019–20 | Ligue 1 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 14 | 0 | |||
| Total | 36 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | 45 | 0 | |||
| Arsenal | 2020–21 | Premier League | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 422 | 0 | — | 6 | 0 | |
| 2021–22 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | |||
| 2022–23 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2023–24 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | ||
| OH Leuven (loan) | 2021–22 | Belgian Pro League | 18 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 21 | 0 | |||
| Alanyaspor (loan) | 2022–23 | Süper Lig | 30 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 32 | 0 | |||
| Cardiff City (loan) | 2023–24 | Championship | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 7 | 0 | ||
| Copenhagen | 2024–25 | Danish Superliga | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 123 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 155 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 177 | 0 | ||
International
As of match played 14 October 202324 Appearances and goals by national team and year| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iceland | 2017 | 1 | 0 |
| 2018 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2020 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 7 | 0 | |
| Total | 27 | 0 | |
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rúnar Alex Rúnarsson.- Rúnar Alex Rúnarsson at the Football Association of Iceland (in Icelandic)
- Rúnar Alex Rúnarsson at Soccerway
- Rúnar Alex Rúnarsson on FC Nordsjælland (in Danish) at the Wayback Machine (archived 18 June 2018)
References
"Rúnar Kristinsson: Stefán er góður kostur". Mbl.is. 30 November 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2017. http://www.mbl.is/sport/enski/2013/11/30/runar_kristinsson_stefan_er_godur_kostur/ ↩
"Rúnar Kristinsson". Visir.is. 7 January 2017. Retrieved 1 July 2017. http://www.visir.is/runar-kristinsson/article/2008812487137 ↩
"Rúnar Alex genginn í raðir Dijon". Retrieved 18 June 2018. https://www.mbl.is/sport/hm_fotbolta/2018/06/18/runar_alex_genginn_i_radir_dijon/ ↩
"Rúnar Alex genginn í raðir Dijon". Retrieved 18 June 2018. https://www.mbl.is/sport/hm_fotbolta/2018/06/18/runar_alex_genginn_i_radir_dijon/ ↩
"Pictures: Alex Runarsson in Arsenal colours". www.arsenal.com. Retrieved 21 September 2020. https://www.arsenal.com/news/pictures-alex-runarsson-arsenal-colours ↩
Collings, Simon (30 October 2020). "Arsenal XI v Dundalk: Team news and starting lineup". www.standard.co.uk. https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/arsenal-fc-xi-vs-dundalk-confirmed-team-news-starting-lineup-latest-injuries-europa-league-a4573302.html ↩
James, Josh (22 December 2020). "Match Report: Arsenal 1-4 Man City". Arsenal F.C. Retrieved 12 February 2024. https://www.arsenal.com/fixture/arsenal/2020-Dec-22/arsenal-1-4-manchester-city-match-report ↩
"Holders Man City thrash Arsenal to book EFL Cup semi-final spot". BBC Sport. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55312316 ↩
"Wolves 2-1 Arsenal: David Luiz and Bernd Leno sent off as Gunners lose". 2 February 2021. Retrieved 3 February 2021. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55806209 ↩
"Alex Runarsson joins OH Leuven on loan". www.arsenal.com. Retrieved 2 September 2021. https://www.arsenal.com/news/alex-runarsson-joins-oh-leuven-loan ↩
"Loan Watch: Moller brace and Clarke wondergoal". www.arsenal.com. Retrieved 3 November 2021. https://www.arsenal.com/news/loan-watch-moller-brace-and-clarke-wondergoal ↩
"Alex Runarsson joins Alanyaspor on loan". Arsenal F.C. 15 August 2022. https://www.arsenal.com/news/alex-runarsson-joins-alanyaspor-loan ↩
"Alex Runarsson joins from Arsenal on loan". Cardiff City F.C. 18 August 2023. https://www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk/news/loan-runar-alex-runarsson-joins-arsenal ↩
"Released! Arsenal back-up goalkeeper leaves on free transfer 'by mutual agreement' after making just one Premier League appearance for Gunners". Goal.com. 1 February 2024. https://www.goal.com/en/lists/released-arsenal-goalkeeper-free-transfer-premier-league-appearance-gunners/bltc20d1271ee9f39aa#cs6e03b85dedb06f0d ↩
"Rúnarsson ny FCK-keeper". F.C. København (in Danish). 4 February 2024. https://www.fck.dk/nyhed/runarsson-ny-fck-keeper ↩
"Rúnar Alex Rúnarsson | Félagsmaður | Mótalisti | Mótamál | Knattspyrnusamband Íslands". Ksi.is (in Icelandic). 7 January 2017. Retrieved 1 July 2017. http://www.ksi.is/mot/motalisti/felagsmadur/?pLeikmadurNr=206634&pListi=4 ↩
"Sjö nýliðar með karlalandsliðinu til Kína". Ruv.is. 2 January 2017. Retrieved 1 July 2017. http://www.ruv.is/frett/sjo-nylidar-med-karlalandslidinu-til-kina ↩
Crawford, Stephen (4 June 2018). "Revealed: Every World Cup 2018 squad – Final 23-man lists". Goal. Retrieved 24 March 2022. https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/revealed-every-world-cup-2018-squad-23-man-preliminary-lists/oa0atsduflsv1nsf6oqk576rb ↩
Rúnar Alex Rúnarsson at Soccerway https://int.soccerway.com/players/runar-alex-runarsson/213029/ ↩
Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa League /wiki/UEFA_Europa_League ↩
Appearance(s) in Ligue 1 relegation play-offs /wiki/Ligue_1 ↩
Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa League /wiki/UEFA_Europa_League ↩
Appearances in UEFA Conference League /wiki/UEFA_Conference_League ↩
"Rúnar Alex Rúnarsson". EU-Football.info. 23 June 2018. https://eu-football.info/_player.php?id=30005 ↩