最新杏吧原创

It seems pretty obvious that there are a lot of differences between Iceland and 最新杏吧原创, the simplest of which may be that the hottest day ever in Iceland, the home of midfielder Nokkvi Thorisson, is 86.9 degrees, while the forecast high in 最新杏吧原创, where Thorisson now plays for City SC, is above that for each of the next nine days.

So that will be something different for him.

And while 最新杏吧原创 may not have as much in common with Iceland as Belgium, the previous stop in Thorisson鈥檚 soccer career, it turns out there are a lot of familiar things here.

鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely a different culture here,鈥� Thorisson said Friday as he gets close to what could be his debut in City red on Sunday when the team faces Austin in CityPark. 鈥淢oving from Iceland to Belgium, it was bigger but, like, culture-wise, it wasn鈥檛 that much of a shock. But in Iceland, a lot of things we have are actually from America. So, we know a lot of stuff we see in the stores here, but the culture is different. But I really like the culture here. So, it鈥檚 been a nice kind of different.鈥�

Thorisson is City SC鈥檚 big acquisition of the summer transfer window, a versatile attacking midfielder who has led the Iceland league in goals and now is looking to see how well that translates to North America. He鈥檚 signed through 2025, with an option for 2026.

City SC sporting director Lutz Pfannenstiel thinks Thorisson, who turned 24 on Sunday, can be a player who excels as a goalscorer in Major League Soccer, as well as fitting in with the team鈥檚 high-press system. Thorisson, who once led the Icelandic league in goals, thinks MLS is a place that will help him further his career, which had taken him as high as the Belgian second division and was starting to attract attention elsewhere in Europe.

鈥淚鈥檝e been watching (MLS) from a distance and watching how the league has been growing,鈥� Thorisson said. 鈥淪o when the call came and I had the meeting with Bradley (Carnell) and Lutz, it was almost a no-brainer when I finished the phone call because seeing what鈥檚 happening here and how much growth is going on. Players going back to Europe (to play) in the Big 5 leagues, it鈥檚 an exciting environment to grow as a player. It was an easy decision.鈥�

Another good advertisement for the team: It鈥檚 in first place in the Western Conference.

鈥淥bviously, when I spoke with them, they were first,鈥� Thorisson said, 鈥渟o I saw what they were doing 鈥� it worked. I saw some games. I saw some highlights, and it鈥檚 a team that scores a lot of goals. It鈥檚 a transition team, which suits me very well. It suits my profile very well. So, that excites me a lot. The ideas that Bradley has 鈥� we think about football alike, me and Bradley. So, that helped me a lot with the decision and yeah, it helped, definitely, to see that the team was in first place and doing really well. So, coming into a team that鈥檚 on a good run, doing good, that helped the decision, and I was probably most excited about that.鈥�

Thorisson had never set foot in America before arriving in 最新杏吧原创 last Friday, but he鈥檚 fitting in quickly. His Belgian club, Beerschot, had started training camp, so that got him in shape and even some preseason games. Then when the transfer came through, he went home to Iceland to do the paperwork for his work visa and while he was there, he trained with his former team in Iceland. Carnell said when Thorisson went through baseline testing with City SC鈥檚 performance staff, his numbers were off the charts and being physically ready to play Sunday won鈥檛 be a problem. The next challenge was to get up to speed mentally, and that seems to have happened as well. Thorisson may not be ready to start just yet, but getting in the game seems likely.

Another player who looks ready to make his debut on Sunday is defender Joakim Nilsson, the fifth player signed by the team but only now making his debut after two knee operations in November sidelined him. (The return of injured striker Klauss is targeted for next week.) Nilsson has played two games with City2, getting up to 76 minutes in his last game, though it鈥檚 unclear if that leaves him fit enough to start in an MLS game.

鈥淚鈥檝e been waiting for almost 15 months now, so it鈥檚 been a while,鈥� Nilsson said. 鈥淚鈥檓 just happy every time I鈥檓 able to be out on the field with the guys. It鈥檚 been a long journey and it鈥檚 still going to be a long way to go to finally get back in even better fitness from where I was before, but I鈥檓 on a good way and I鈥檓 starting to feel way better, so I鈥檓 just happy.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been fantastic (watching them). Absolutely. To watch them obviously is frustrating also, to not be able to be to be part of it. But I鈥檓 one of those guys that I鈥檓 just happy for the guys and what they鈥檝e done so far. But I want to be part of that journey. Also, on the field not just outside.鈥�

鈥淣okkvi has come in, he has a good baseline, he鈥檚 very fit, he鈥檚 very aggressive in his actions, just what we like,鈥� Carnell said. 鈥淛oakim鈥檚 been progressing, he鈥檚 had those City2 minutes, which have been very vital for him. Had some really good successful moments, which after a long injury, you need a lot of confidence and I think Joakim has been building on that confidence. He鈥檚 confident around the group, he鈥檚 a great leader and he鈥檚 a great person so to have him around with our group now I think it鈥檚 worth its weight in gold for us. To have his aura, his presence, he鈥檚 a real locker room guy and if we can have him in that roster and be part of the group, game ready, game eligible, I think it only makes us better.鈥�