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Finland’s Top 10 Women Football Players

Finland is not an exception to the global popularity of football, commonly known as soccer. The most skilled female football players in the world have come from Finland throughout the years. These are a special breed of football players that have won both the hearts of supporters and the field itself by unleashing a powerhouse of skill. They have made a lasting impression on the beautiful game. Their elegance, ability, and unwavering tenacity have brought Finnish women’s football to previously unheard-of heights. These sportsmen personify the essence of Finnish football brilliance, from the lightning-quick attacker who glides past defenses with ease to the authoritative goalie who thwarts every challenge.

Unfortunately for them, we will be missing them at the biggest women’s soccer event this year, the 2O23 FIFA Women’s World Cup slated for July and August. Come along as we explore the amazing travels and incredible feats of Finland’s imposing female football heroes. In this article we look at Finland’s Top 10 Women Football Players.

1. Tinja-Riikka Korpela

Tinja-Riikka Korpela. , , via Wikimedia Commons

Finnish goalie Tinja-Riikka Tellervo Korpela, who was born on May 5, 1986, competes for Tottenham Hotspur in the FA WSL. She has previously played for FC Honka of Finland’s Naisten Liiga, LSK Kvinner and Kolbotn of Norway’s Toppserien, Tyresö FF of Sweden’s Damallsvenskan, and Bayern Munich of Germany’s Frauen-Bundesliga.

Korpela competed for Finland in the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Championship in 2006. In March 2007 at the Algarve Cup, she played her first game for the senior women’s national football team of Finland against Sweden. Korpela was the go-to goalkeeper by the time Finland hosted the UEFA Women’s Euro in 2009.

Korpela was named to the Finland team led by national coach Andrée Jeglertz in June 2013 in preparation for the 2013 UEFA Women’s Euro. She had participated in Finland’s opening two games in the competition, but for the final group game, a 1-1 tie with Denmark, longtime foe Minna Meriluoto took her place.

She participated in Finland’s 100th match on October 21, 2021, winning 3-0 against Georgia as part of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifying.

2. Linda Sällström

Linda Sällström. , Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Linda Charlotta Sällström, a football player for Finland’s national team, was born on July 13, 1988. She now competes for the Finland women’s national football team as well as Vittsjö GIK in the Damallsvenskan. On May 31, 2007, she played 17 minutes for Finland’s senior squad against Norway.

Due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury, Sällström was sidelined for the whole 2012 campaign. She had a knee re-injury in March 2013, which eliminated her from consideration for a spot on Finland’s team for the UEFA Women’s Euro 2013. Sällstrom suffered another anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury on January 25, 2014, presumably ending her season.

In her career, Sällström has sustained three ACL injuries in total. After recovering from an injury, he finished as the second-highest goal scorer in the Damallsvenskan in 2017–18.

Sällström surpassed Laura Osterberg Kalmari to become Finland’s all-time leading scorer on October 8, 2019, when she scored four goals against Albania. Sällström competed in her 100th match against Cyprus on November 7, 2019.

3. Katarina Naumanen

Katarina Juli Naumanen, a defender for FC Honka of the Kansallinen Liiga and the Finland women’s national team, was born on July 24, 1995. Naumanen has over 60 caps for the Finnish national team.

4. Adelina Engman

Adelina Viktoria Engman, a forward for Hammarby IF and the Finland national team, was born on October 11, 1994, in Finland.

In NIG 2009, Engman made her club debut with Land United. She relocated to Sweden in 2015 to join Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC of the Damallsvenskan.

After three years at Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC, it was revealed on June 29th, 2018, that Engman will be moving on to Chelsea F.C. Women during the next July transfer window.

Engman and Hammarby IF agreed to a two-year deal on November 25, 2021. Engman made her senior national team debut for Finland in a game against Belgium in May 2012.

5. Tuija Hyyrynen

Tuija Hyyrynen. , , via Wikimedia Commons

Tuija Annika Hyyrynen, a defender for the Finland women’s national football team, was born on March 10, 1988.

Hyyrynen formerly competed for Ume IK in the Damallsvenskan league of Sweden; HJK Helsinki and Land United in the Naisten Liiga league of Finland. In 2010, Hyyrynen performed in America with the Pali Blues and the Florida State Seminoles. In 2017, she committed to Juventus.

Hyyrynen has played for the Finland women’s national football team ever since making her senior debut against Scotland in September 2007. She participated in the 2009 UEFA Women’s Euro. Hyyrynen was named to the Finland team led by national coach Andrée Jeglertz for the UEFA Women’s Euro 2013 in June of that year.

6. Emma Koivisto

Emma Koivisto. , , via Wikimedia Commons

She formerly played for Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC, with whom she won the 2020 Damallsvenskan, as well as HJK and FC Honka in the Naisten Liiga. After playing at Brighton & Hove Albion for 18 months, she left in July 2022, bringing the number 2 jersey with her.

Koivisto, a seasoned international who earned her degree from Florida State University in the USA, participated for Finland in the Women’s Euro 2022 team.

She is also a terrific one-on-one defender who is technically excellent, agile, swift, and able to go up and down.

7. Sanni Franssi

Sanni Maija Franssi, a forward for Real Sociedad of Spain’s Primera División and the Finland women’s national team, was born in Finland on March 19, 1995.

After scoring 20 goals for her team, PK-35, in the Naisten Liiga in 2016, Franssi was crowned Naisten Liiga Player of the Season. Franssi played for FC Zürich Frauen during the 2016–17 season, when she scored 18 goals and placed second to FC Neunkirch in both the Nationalliga A and Swiss Women’s Cup. After leaving PK-35 again in July 2017, she signed with Juventus, a freshly established Serie A team, in September.

In February 2015, Franssi participated in her first senior international match for Finland’s women’s national team against Sweden. She has previously competed for her nation at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in 2014.

On September 16, 2016, she scored her first goal for her country in a 3-2 loss to Portugal in a UEFA Women’s Euro 2017 qualifying match.

8. Juliette Kemppi

Juliette Kemppi. , , via Wikimedia Commons

A striker with IFK Kalmar in the Damallsvenskan, Juliette Mikaela Kemppi (born 14 May 1994) is a Finnish professional football player. She has formerly played for Bristol City of the FA WSL, LSK Kvinner FK of Norway’s Toppserien, AIK of Sweden’s Damallsvenskan, TPS Turku, and FC United of Finland’s Naisten Liiga.

In September 2013 against Kazakhstan, Kemppi made her international debut for Finland’s women’s national team. She participated in the 2013 UEFA Women’s Under-19 Championship as well as the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Canada as a member of the Finnish team.

Kemppi played floorball in the past and was a part of the 2012 Finland U-19 World Championship winning team.

9. Olga Ahtinen

Olga Ahtinen, a midfielder who plays for the Finland women’s national team, was born in Finland on August 15, 1997. She participated in the team’s 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualification campaign and received a cap for Finland in 2017. At the UEFA Women’s Euro 2022, she participated for Finland and was getting close to 50 appearances for her country. She played for GBK Kokkola in her own country before joining Linköpings FC in Sweden.

10. Anna Tamminen

Anna Tamminen. , , via Wikimedia Commons

Anna Reetta Alisa Tamminen, a goalkeeper for Hammarby IF and the Finland women’s national football team, was born on October 30, 1994, in Finland. Six international contests, including the 2019 and 2020 Cyprus Women’s Cups, saw her represent Finland.

Tamminen took part in both the 2019 and 2020 Cyprus Cups, when she made her senior debut. She played the backup goalkeeper in the first four games of the 2023 World Cup qualifying. On June 9, 2022, she was chosen to compete in the European Championship finals.

As a result of their accomplishments, these women have become role models for aspiring female football players in Finland and throughout the world. They have demonstrated exceptional talent and devotion to the game. We wish them ongoing professional success and anticipate seeing more excellent athletes come out of Finland.