# Sara Björk Gunnarsdóttir

Sara Björk Gunnarsdóttir (born 29 September 1990) is an Icelandic professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Saudi Women's Premier League club Al Qadsiah.
Sara Björk was part of the Iceland women's national football team from 2007 to 2022 and represented her country at the 2009, 2013, 2017, and 2022 editions of the UEFA Women's Championship. She is the only woman to have been named the Icelandic Sportsperson of the Year twice, in 2018 and 2020. In August 2020, she became the first Icelander to win the UEFA Women's Champions League.

## Club career

Sara Björk joined local team Haukar at the age of six and remained until she was 18.

### FC Malmö

After three subsequent seasons with Breiðablik, she left Iceland in 2011, to sign a three-year professional contract with Swedish club LdB FC Malmö. She was an immediate success in Sweden, contributing 12 goals as Malmö won the Damallsvenskan title. In August 2013 she announced the extension of her Malmö contract for another two and a half seasons via Twitter.

### VfL Wolfsburg

In May 2016, Sara Björk announced that she would not extend her contract with Malmö (now known as FC Rosengård) and planned to leave Sweden after winning four Damallsvenskan titles in five years. At that stage she did not confirm speculation that she was heading for German club VfL Wolfsburg. Shortly afterwards the transfer to Wolfsburg was made official, ahead of their 2016–17 season. In her four seasons with Wolfsburg, the club won the Frauen-Bundesliga and the German Cup each year.

### Olympique Lyonnais

On 1 July 2020, she joined Olympique Lyonnais. On 9 August, she won her first title with the club when it defeated Paris Saint-Germain in the Coupe de France after penalties. On 30 August, she scored one goal in Olympique Lyonnais' 3–1 win against her former club, Wolfsburg, in the UEFA Women's Champions League final.
In December 2020, Sara was named the Icelandic Sportsperson of the Year, becoming the first woman to win it twice. In April 2021, she announced that she was pregnant with her first child. She returned to the pitch in March 2022. In May the same year, she confirmed that she would leave Lyon at the end of the season.

### Juventus FC

On 1 July 2022, Sara joined Juventus.

### Al Qadsiah FC

On 3 August 2024, Sara signed for Saudi Pro League women's side, Al Qadsiah.

## International career

Sara Björk was included in Iceland's senior national squad in August 2007, aged 16. She had recovered from an anterior cruciate ligament injury after having to delay surgery because she was too young and her bones were not yet fused.
Still a month short of her 17th birthday, she made her national team debut in a UEFA Women's Euro 2009 qualifying match versus Slovenia in Dravograd. Sara Björk substituted in for Katrín Ómarsdóttir on 87 minutes.
Sara Björk scored twice in Iceland's 3–1 win over Norway at the 2009 Algarve Cup and was selected in the squad for the UEFA Women's Euro 2009 finals in Finland. She played in all three group matches as Iceland were eliminated in the first round.
Women's national team coach Siggi Eyjólfsson selected Sara Björk in the Iceland squad for UEFA Women's Euro 2013, where she played in all four matches including the 4–0 quarter-final defeat to hosts Sweden.
With Margrét Lára Viðarsdóttir on maternity leave, incoming national coach Freyr Alexandersson appointed Sara Björk as Iceland's new team captain in 2014.
Sara Björk limped out of the 2018 UEFA Women's Champions League Final with an injury. She was ruled out of Iceland's match with Slovenia in June 2018, which was the first national team fixture she had missed since 2009.
On 13 January 2023, she announced her retirement from the Icelandic national team.

## Personal life

Sara Björk is married to fellow footballer Árni Vilhjálmsson; the couple have a son together.
In January 2023, Sara Björk wrote an article in the Player's Tribune publicizing Lyon's neglect of maternal care for her while she was pregnant and postpartum, including failure to properly pay her.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of match played 11 March 2023
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | National cup | National cup | League cup | League cup | Continental | Continental | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Haukar | 2004 | Besta deild kvenna | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 3 | 0 |
| Haukar | 2007 | Besta deild kvenna | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 13 | — | — | — | — | 12 | 13 |
| Haukar | 2008 | Besta deild kvenna | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 5 | — | — | — | — | 8 | 5 |
| Haukar | Total | Total | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 22 | 18 | — | — | — | — | 23 | 18 |
| Breiðablik | 2008 | Besta deild kvenna | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | 5 |
| Breiðablik | 2009 | Besta deild kvenna | 17 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 20 | 7 |
| Breiðablik | 2010 | Besta deild kvenna | 18 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3 | — | — | 24 | 9 |
| Breiðablik | Total | Total | 41 | 17 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3 | — | — | 51 | 21 |
| FC Rosengård | 2011 | Damallsvenskan | 21 | 12 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 30 | 17 |
| FC Rosengård | 2012 | Damallsvenskan | 20 | 4 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 29 | 5 |
| FC Rosengård | 2013 | Damallsvenskan | 20 | 8 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 4 | 1 | — | — | 26 | 10 |
| FC Rosengård | 2014 | Damallsvenskan | 19 | 2 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 6 | 1 | — | — | 28 | 4 |
| FC Rosengård | 2015 | Damallsvenskan | 21 | 7 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 29 | 9 |
| FC Rosengård | 2016 | Damallsvenskan | 10 | 1 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 14 | 3 |
| FC Rosengård | Total | Total | 111 | 34 | 14 | 4 | — | — | 27 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 156 | 48 |
| Vfl Wolfsburg | 2016–17 | Frauen-Bundesliga | 17 | 1 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 6 | 1 | — | — | 27 | 2 |
| Vfl Wolfsburg | 2017–18 | Frauen-Bundesliga | 19 | 4 | 4 | 2 | — | — | 9 | 6 | — | — | 32 | 12 |
| Vfl Wolfsburg | 2018–19 | Frauen-Bundesliga | 16 | 2 | 4 | 2 | — | — | 5 | 0 | — | — | 25 | 4 |
| Vfl Wolfsburg | 2019–20 | Frauen-Bundesliga | 16 | 5 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 3 | 1 | — | — | 22 | 7 |
| Vfl Wolfsburg | Total | Total | 68 | 12 | 15 | 5 | — | — | 23 | 8 | — | — | 106 | 25 |
| Olympique Lyonnais | 2019–20 | D1 Féminine | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 1 | — | — | 3 | 1 |
| Olympique Lyonnais | 2020–21 | D1 Féminine | 12 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 4 | 0 | — | — | 17 | 3 |
| Olympique Lyonnais | 2021–22 | D1 Féminine | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | — | — | 6 | 0 |
| Olympique Lyonnais | Total | Total | 17 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 8 | 1 | — | — | 26 | 4 |
| Juventus | 2022–23 | Serie A | 10 | 1 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 20 | 3 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 247 | 67 | 39 | 11 | 19 | 18 | 69 | 23 | 4 | 0 | 382 | 119 |
* ↑ Includes Icelandic Cup, Svenska Cupen Damer, DFB-Pokal Frauen, Coupe de France Féminine
* ↑ Includes Icelandic League Cup
* ↑ UEFA Women's Champions League
* ↑ Svenska Supercupen
* ↑ Svenska Supercupen
* ↑ Svenska Supercupen
* ↑ Svenska Supercupen
* ↑ 2019-20 UEFA Women's Champions League was postponed due to ongoing COVID 19 pandemic before being restarted in August 2020. Sara Björk Gunnarsdóttir was transferred to Olympique Lyonnais in July 2020.

### International

    As of match played 12 October 2022
Appearances and goals by national team and year :
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
| Iceland | 2007 | 1 | 0 |
| Iceland | 2008 | 12 | 3 |
| Iceland | 2009 | 11 | 3 |
| Iceland | 2010 | 10 | 3 |
| Iceland | 2011 | 9 | 1 |
| Iceland | 2012 | 11 | 2 |
| Iceland | 2013 | 12 | 2 |
| Iceland | 2014 | 12 | 1 |
| Iceland | 2015 | 9 | 0 |
| Iceland | 2016 | 11 | 1 |
| Iceland | 2017 | 14 | 1 |
| Iceland | 2018 | 8 | 0 |
| Iceland | 2019 | 9 | 1 |
| Iceland | 2020 | 7 | 2 |
| Iceland | 2022 | 9 | 2 |
| Total | Total | 145 | 22 |
    Scores and results list Iceland's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Gunnarsdóttir goal.
List of international goals scored by Sara Björk Gunnarsdóttir :
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1 | 7 March 2008 | Municipal Stadium, Lagos, Portugal | Republic of Ireland | 3–0 | 4–1 | 2008 Algarve Cup |
| 2 | 28 May 2008 | Čika Dača Stadium, Kragujevac, Serbia | Serbia | 2–0 | 4–0 | UEFA Women's Euro 2009 qualifying |
| 3 | 26 June 2008 | Laugardalsvöllur, Reykjavík, Iceland | Greece | 1–0 | 7–0 | UEFA Women's Euro 2009 qualifying |
| 4 | 4 March 2009 | Estádio José Arcanjo, Olhão, Portugal | Norway | 1–0 | 3–1 | 2009 Algarve Cup |
| 5 | 4 March 2009 | Estádio José Arcanjo, Olhão, Portugal | Norway | 2–1 | 3–1 | 2009 Algarve Cup |
| 6 | 17 September 2009 | Laugardalsvöllur, Reykjavík, Iceland | Estonia | 9–0 | 12–0 | 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification |
| 7 | 19 June 2010 | Laugardalsvöllur, Reykjavík, Iceland | Northern Ireland | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification |
| 8 | 25 August 2010 | Rakvere Linnastaadion, Rakvere, Estonia | Estonia | 3–0 | 5–0 | 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification |
| 9 | 25 August 2010 | Rakvere Linnastaadion, Rakvere, Estonia | Estonia | 5–0 | 5–0 | 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification |
| 10 | 19 May 2011 | Laugardalsvöllur, Reykjavík, Iceland | Bulgaria | 2–0 | 6–0 | UEFA Women's Euro 2013 qualifying |
| 11 | 21 June 2012 | Lovech Stadium, Lovech, Bulgaria | Bulgaria | 2–0 | 10–0 | UEFA Women's Euro 2013 qualifying |
| 12 | 21 June 2012 | Lovech Stadium, Lovech, Bulgaria | Bulgaria | 10–0 | 10–0 | UEFA Women's Euro 2013 qualifying |
| 13 | 13 March 2013 | Bela Vista Municipal Stadium, Parchal, Portugal | Hungary | 1–0 | 4–1 | 2013 Algarve Cup |
| 14 | 1 June 2013 | Laugardalsvöllur, Reykjavík, Iceland | Scotland | 1–2 | 2–3 | Friendly |
| 15 | 13 September 2014 | Laugardalsvöllur, Reykjavík, Iceland | Israel | 3–0 | 3–0 | 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification |
| 16 | 7 June 2016 | Laugardalsvöllur, Reykjavík, Iceland | North Macedonia | 4–0 | 8–0 | UEFA Women's Euro 2017 qualifying |
| 17 | 18 September 2017 | Laugardalsvöllur, Reykjavík, Iceland | Faroe Islands | 4–0 | 8–0 | 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification |
| 18 | 4 March 2019 | Bela Vista Municipal Stadium, Parchal, Portugal | Scotland | 1–3 | 1–4 | 2019 Algarve Cup |
| 19 | 26 November 2020 | NTC Senec, Senec, Slovakia | Slovakia | 2–1 | 3–1 | UEFA Women's Euro 2022 qualifying |
| 20 | 26 November 2020 | NTC Senec, Senec, Slovakia | Slovakia | 3–1 | 3–1 | UEFA Women's Euro 2022 qualifying |
| 21 | 2 September 2022 | Laugardalsvöllur, Reykjavík, Iceland | Belarus | 1–0 | 6–0 | 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification |
| 22 | 2 September 2022 | Laugardalsvöllur, Reykjavík, Iceland | Belarus | 2–0 | 6–0 | 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification |

## Honours

Rosengård
* Damallsvenskan: 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015
* Svenska Cupen: 2015–16
* Svenska Supercupen: 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016
VfL Wolfsburg
* Bundesliga: 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20
* DFB-Pokal: 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20
Olympique Lyonnais
* Division 1 Féminine: 2021–22
* Coupe de France: 2019–20
* UEFA Women's Champions League: 2019–20, 2021–22
Juventus
* Coppa Italia: 2023
Individual
* Sport Person of the Year in Haukar in 2008
* Icelandic Women's Footballer of the Year: 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
* Icelandic Sportsperson of the Year: 2018, 2020