Greenland at the 2015 Island Games

Greenland made what is their only regular international football appearance at the last Island Games in Jersey and, despite missing out on a medal, were one of only two teams to finish the tournament unbeaten.

Greenland had won a silver medal at the last Island Games in Bermuda two years ago, but that only featured four teams. In Jersey, so many of the Island Games Association's 24 members entered football teams that the organisers had to restrict the field to 16 teams and turn teams away.

Greenland's Ethiopian coach Tekle Ghebrelul (pictured above) was left to rue his team twice giving away a hard secured lead against Menorca in their opening game, which finished 2-2. In their second match at St Clement, Greenland (in white, below) easily dispatched the Finnish island of Aland 2-0 and had a chance to make the semi-finals if they beat the Estonians of Saarema in their final match and results elsewhere went their way.

The impressive Frederick Funch, (below) a children's worker in Nuuk whose opportunities two years ago in Hamilton were restricted by injury, scored for a third consecutive game in a 2-1 win over Saarema but that was not enough. Menorca progressed on goal difference and Greenland were left to contend a play-off with 2011 winners the Island of Wight for fifth place.

Greenland beat the Isle of Wight 2-1 but now have to sit about waiting for a game. The GBU has plans for €10 million indoor arena in Nuuk with an artificial pitch but the Arctic island's strict building regulations and lack of money are major obstacles.

For more on the 2011 Island Games, read my piece in the July 2015 issue of World Soccer magazine and for more on Greenlandic football, my piece for the BBC World Football programme is available for download here.