June/July: Finnbogason impresses at the World Cup

As 2018 draws to a close, we look back on some memorable FC Augsburg moments throughout the year. Today in our end of year review: June and July. After announcing the club’s first signings of the summer in May, FCA sporting director Stefan Reuter added two more players to the squad for the 2018/19 season. The club signed young talent Felix Götze from FC Bayern as well as Fredrik Jensen from FC Twente in the Netherlands. Marcel Keller sadly ended his spell in Augsburg and returned to Darmstadt permanently. While most of the FCA players relaxed on holiday after a tough season, three players still had their highlight of the season ahead of them. Alfred Finnbogason, Ja-Cheol Koo and Takashi Usami all travelled to Russia to represent their respective countries at the World Cup. Usami progressed the furthest at the tournament as Japan reached the last 16 of the tournament before falling to Belgium (3-2). Usami made two appearances in the group stage. Finnbogason and Iceland make their World Cup debuts Koo and Finnbogason both exited the tournament at the group stage but still had things to celebrate. The Icelandic striker scored his country’s first ever goal at a World Cup against Lionel Messi and Argentina. Meanwhile, Koo started for South Korea in their 2-0 victory over Germany, a result which knocked out the defending world champions.