FIFA is counting down to the tournament by showcasing 10 of the greatest moments in FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup history.

It still nags at the Gudjohnsens like hiccups. Arnor was just 17 when he first became a father. When he was 23, he revealed “my biggest dream is to play international football alongside my son”.

It seemed more chimera than target. Yet when Eidur was 17, it was set to become reality. The biggest prospect Iceland had ever unearthed, Eidur was called into the national team squad alongside his father for a trip down the Baltic Sea to Estonia.

Arnor started and sizzled, helping Bjarki Gunnlaugsson score an unanswered hat-trick. He was champing at the bit for his offspring to come on and, when he saw Eidur preparing to do so, he was ecstatic. Regrettably for the Gudjohnsens and the footballing romantics, however, lad replaced dad.

Eidur then broke his ankle and, by the time he was back, Arnor was no longer in the Iceland fold. “It remains my biggest regret that we did not get to play together, and I know it is Eidur’s too,” Arnor rued and reiterated.

Switching from a land located on a rift in between tectonic plates, featuring geysers and glaciers, to a tropical paradise in French Polynesia, a father and son did play the international game together – and on their sport’s grandest stage.

The Netherlands, making their FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup™ debut, took Roel and Diego Liefden to Tahiti 2013. “I instinctively scream at him when he’s out of position,” said the elder. “Then I feel bad!”

Neither Liefden was feeling bad after their final group game in Papeete. Not only did they perform, but they helped the Netherlands pull off a seismic upset of Argentina and Roel set a still-standing record for the oldest-ever player in the competition.

“The record means a lot, but playing alongside my son in a World Cup means everything,” said Roel. “How many people get to say they’ve done that? It’s something we’ll remember for the rest of our lives.”