After their dream run to the quarter-finals of Euro 2016, Iceland amazed again in their World Cup debut last night, drawing 1-1 against Argentina. By saving Lionel Messi's penalty, goalkeeper Hannes Halldorsson has become an instant sensation, all the more so because he's only a part-time player who is also a film director. And he's not the only one on the team with a day job as defender Birkir Saevarsson also pays his bills with work off the pitch. Omar Khan has the story.

The island country of about 337,000 people is the least populous nation to ever qualify for the World Cup and boasts only 70 professional football players. For many fans, a defender who works at a salt-packing factory is just one of many reasons to root for Iceland in Russia. 33-year-old Saevarsson works as a salt-packer at a warehouse in an industrial zone of Reykjavik, not simply because he needs the money, but because the hard work in a factory has helped to keep him grounded.

In a sport of excess, that's a refreshing change. The leagues in Iceland are not professional and are strictly divided into four tiers with promotion and relegation, and just 26,000 Iceland citizens are registered players.

With such a small pool of players, Iceland doesn't change its squad as frequently as countries with more abundant talent, where competition for places is fiercer. Two-thirds of Iceland's World Cup squad were part of the side that impressed at Euro 2016 where the team advanced unbeaten from the group stage and beat England 2-1, before succumbing 5-2 to host nation France in the last eight.

BIRKIR SAEVARSSON ICELAND DEFENDER "When the group (Iceland team) meets, it's not like a football team is meeting. It's like a group of friends, you know. Coming together after not seeing each other for 10 years, you know. Every time. So it's a fantastic group. It's like 22 brothers. Or 23."

In everything from lavishing training on kids to making fans feel like they're an integral part of the team's success - Iceland is doing everything right for football. And the small nation is now sharing their big voice with the world through their Thunderclap chant.