Former Iceland defender Gretar Steinsson has claimed that the country's academy system is the main reason for the national team's success.

Iceland have reached the World Cup for the first time after beating Kosovo 2-0 on Monday, finishing top of Group I, just a year after reaching the quarter-finals of Euro 2016.

Steinsson, who has 46 caps for the Nordic country, suggested that their youth setup is geared to allow their players to fully develop rather than being discarded like in some other countries.

"No player gets released so every player is allowed to go through every step of their development and then it filters out at a senior level," Steinsson told Sky Sports News.

"The physical training in the school system is very high and it all combines in this magical moment that Iceland seem to recreate every once in a while.

"With only 40 nations going to the World Cup from Europe it is an incredible honour for everyone and that so many big nations are missing out it just shows how big of an achievement this is.

"I think we need to enjoy the moment and we have a golden generation there that would need to make the most of it."

Iceland have now become the smallest nation to ever qualify for the World Cup finals.