"We will be the underdogs, but that is good for us" - Hólmbert Aron Friðjónsson. | OneFootball

Hólmbert Aron Friðjónsson has his eyes on the “biggest achievement” of his club career as he looks to help Gwangju win their first-ever Korea Cup this Saturday.

In early August, Gwangju FC announced the signing of Icelandic international striker Hólmbert Aron Friðjónsson. It wasn’t just his name that stood out. Standing nearly two meters tall, he cuts an imposing figure in the City of Light. Fans were impressed by his résumé — a nomadic journey from Iceland to clubs such as Celtic, Bröndby IF, Brescia, and Holstein Kiel.

He is already making an impact. Friðjónsson, like the rest of his teammates, has a chance to write his name into club history if they beat K League 1 champions Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors at Seoul World Cup Stadium to lift Gwangju’s first major trophy.

“I feel much better than in August,” he said with a smile. “I’m fitter, and the weather is getting cooler, which helps. The heat was tough at the beginning, but now I feel really, really good.”

When he arrived, Gwangju sat seventh in the league. They finished the season in the same position — an improvement on last year’s ninth place and seven points better off than in 2024. The club had aimed for a Final A spot, and since earning promotion in 2022, they have grown used to punching above their weight: a third-place finish, an AFC Champions League quarter-final, and a Korea Cup semi-final.

This year they’ve gone one better: reaching the final against the country’s biggest club. “It’s going to be amazing,” Friðjónsson said. “A cup final is always one of the biggest games you can play. I’m so happy to be part of it and experience it with this team.”

Gwangju FC thank their fans with a message about the final.

Friðjónsson debuted against Pohang Steelers, coming off the bench in a 1–0 loss. His next appearance was also from the bench, in the semi-final first leg against Bucheon FC 1995. He earned his first start in the return leg as Gwangju won 4–1 on aggregate. Early on, the heat and humidity were an issue — but not anymore.

With two goals in his last three games, he is expected to feature at Sangam. Once Gwangju were safe from relegation, their priorities shifted to finishing top of Final B — which they achieved — and sharpening their approach for the cup final.

“The preparation has been normal,” Friðjónsson explained. “Before every game we try to fix what we’re doing wrong and work on new ideas, both in defending and attacking. Since we secured safety early, we used that time to improve.”

Gwangju’s run began with a comfortable 2–0 win over K3 side Gyeongju KHNP. Next came Suwon FC, where they advanced on penalties after a 1–1 draw. Their reward was a vulnerable Ulsan HD — three-time defending league champions but struggling after a poor start and a disappointing FIFA Club World Cup campaign.

Gwangju beat them 1–0 thanks to Cho Sung-gwon’s 75th-minute strike. That same night, Jeonbuk defeated FC Seoul before later seeing off Gangwon FC to set up an intriguing Jeolla Province derby: rags vs. riches; a club owned by the Jeonbuk Motor Company vs. one backed by city hall; 227,000 Instagram followers vs. 47,000; six players in the 2025 Best XI vs. none.

Friðjónsson stayed diplomatic about Jeonbuk’s power. “They’re a really good team. They have strikers who score a lot, and goals come from everywhere,” he said. But he was more eager to show belief in his own team.

Aside from geography, Gwangju and Jeonbuk share little. Gwangju’s trophy cabinet contains two K League 2 titles (2019, 2022). In a city dominated by the baseball powerhouse KIA Tigers, Gwangju struggle to fill their World Cup Stadium, averaging 4,432 fans this year — second-lowest in the league. Their squad is valued at €7.03m.

Jeonbuk, meanwhile, are the giants: a squad worth €16.63m and earlier this month becoming the first Korean club to win 10 domestic league titles. A win on Saturday would give them a sixth Korea Cup, tying Pohang Steelers for the most. Gus Poyet won Manager of the Year, and every midfielder in the Best XI plays for Jeonbuk.

When asked if the final feels like David vs. Goliath, Friðjónsson laughed. “I don’t really see it like that. Sure, on paper most people expect them to win — but we have a lot of heart and grit. We can beat them.”

Manager Lee Jung-hyo.

So how can Gwangju hurt Jeonbuk?

“We’ve been working on many things. We play well as a team. Our defending is good, and we’ve focused on our tactical shape. If we stay compact and take our chances, maybe we can score. It will be difficult — Jeonbuk had a fantastic season — but being underdogs can work in our favor.”

The mastermind behind Gwangju’s rise from yo-yo club to cup finalists is manager Lee Jung-hyo. Praise for him is everywhere. “It’s the passion he brings,” Friðjónsson said after the Bucheon win. “He wants everything in detail. Every tactic comes with a lot of information because he wants perfection. He’s a really promising coach, and he’s always learning.”

Lee said in the summer that beating Vissel Kobe in the ACL Elite was the highlight of his career — something that could change on Saturday. Jeonbuk remain favorites, priced as low as evens, while Gwangju sit around 13/5. But Friðjónsson isn’t fazed.

“We’ll do everything to win. It’s just one game — nothing is impossible in football. Anything can happen. We’ll play at 150%. We believe we can win.”

Friðjónsson previously tasted cup success with Fram Reykjavík over a decade ago. Since then, he has traveled across Europe and now Asia, representing Iceland along the way. Winning the 2025 Korea Cup would rank among the best moments of his club career. “The league is bigger here, the environment is bigger, the football is better. Winning the Korea Cup would be at the top.”

His family will be watching. “Most of them will tune in,” he said. “There’s a nine-hour difference, so it’ll be the middle of the night — but they’ll send support through the TV.”

The man from Reykjavík, with family watching from afar, could become a hero in his adopted city if he helps deliver Gwangju’s first-ever cup win.