Odinn Thor Rikhardsson is the current “god of goals” in the EHF European League men. Instead of a hammer in his hands, he combines speed with precision, mainly in counter-attacks. Odinn Thor Rikhardsson is the top scorer, still in the competition, and he left his mark with an overall 22 goals in the Last 16 matches between his Swiss club, Kadetten Schaffhausen, and Swedish side, Ystad. In the general top scorer list, the Icelandic wing sits second with 89 goals, just below Ihor Turchenko (97), who was eliminated with his club HC Motor in the Last 16.
“I really did not expect to score so many goals right in my first season at Schaffhausen,” 25-year-old Rikhardsson told eurohandball.com, adding: “My teammates create so many chances for me, so I simply have to throw the ball into the net. This is it.”
At 18, he went to his first professional club Fram Reykjavik, then joined Hafnarfjördur before he went abroad for the first time. Like many Icelanders, his first stop was Denmark, where he played two years for GOG and one season for Holstebro. In 2021, he returned home to Akureyri, including a one-month contract for German side Gummersbach. In the summer of 2022, Rikhardsson got an offer from Kadetten. “My decision to go to Schaffhausen was made easier, as we have an Icelandic coach, Adalsteinn Eyjolfsson. He helped me a lot in my first weeks and months.”
In general, the integration of the Icelander in Switzerland was relatively straightforward: “This is a nice city, and I play in a great team. I like to play with them and to get the opportunity to be part of this squad.”
