Finland women's national football team

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Finland
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s)Helmarit (the Boreal Owls)[1]
AssociationFootball Association
of Finland

(Suomen Palloliitto)
ConfederationUEFA (Europe)
Head coachMarko Saloranta
CaptainTinja-Riikka Korpela
Most capsAnna Westerlund (145)
Top scorerLinda Sällström (59)
FIFA codeFIN
First colours
Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current 27 Steady (15 March 2024)[2]
Highest14 (September 2005)
Lowest32 (March 2019)
First international
 Finland 0–0 Sweden 
(Mariehamn, Finland; 25 August 1973)
Biggest win
 Bulgaria 0–8 Finland 
(Lovech, Bulgaria; 21 August 2014)
 Finland 8–0 Hungary 
(Larnaca, Cyprus; 19 February 2023)
Biggest defeat
 Denmark 9–0 Finland 
(Vejen, Denmark; 26 July 1975)
European Championship
Appearances4 (first in 2005)
Best resultSemi-finals (2005)

The Finland women's national football team (Finnish: Suomen naisten jalkapallomaajoukkue, Swedish: Finlands damlandslag i fotboll), also known as nickname The Boreal Owls (Finnish: Helmarit),[1] represents Finland in international women's football. The team, controlled by the Football Association of Finland (SPL/FBF), reached the semi-finals of the 2005 European Championship, surprising the female football world having drawn with Sweden and beaten Denmark. Finland hosted the 2009 EC finals.[3]

The Finnish team has had a few players that are considered to be among the best in women's football, such as Laura Österberg Kalmari, Sanna Valkonen and Anne Mäkinen.

As of December 2023, the team is ranked 27th in the FIFA world ranking.[4]

History[edit]

The beginning[edit]

The Finland women's national football team played its first international match in 1973 against Sweden. The game was played in Mariehamn, Åland.

Team image[edit]

Nicknames[edit]

The Finland women's national football team has been known or nicknamed as the "Helmarit (the Boreal Owls)".[1]

Results and fixtures[edit]

The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

  Win   Draw   Loss   Fixture

2023[edit]

7 April Friendly Slovakia  0–1  Finland
10 April Friendly Slovakia  0–2  Finland
14 July Friendly Iceland  1–2  Finland
18 July Friendly Finland  1–2  Scotland
23 September 2023–24 UEFA Nations League Finland  4–0  Slovakia Turku
17:30 (18:30 EEST) Sällström 5'
Rantala 23'
Kosola 45', 75'
Report Stadium: Veritas Stadion
Attendance: 5,062
Referee: Michèle Schmölzer (Switzerland)
27 October 2023–24 UEFA Nations League Finland  3–0  Croatia Helsinki
17:45
Report Stadium: Bolt Arena
Referee: Désirée Grundbacher (Switzerland)

2024[edit]

February 27 2024 Pinatar Cup Final Scotland  1–1
(4–5 p)
 Finland San Pedro del Pinatar
Stadium: Pinatar Arena

Coaching staff[edit]

Current coaching staff[edit]

As of August 2022

Manager history[edit]

As of 21 February 2024
Tenure Coach Record
G W D L Win %
1973–77 Finland Juhani Nirkkonen 12 1 1 10 008.33
1978 Finland Simo Syrjävaara 3 1 1 1 033.33
1979–89 Finland Kaj Österberg 44 13 12 19 029.55
1989–92 Finland Jyrki Nieminen 24 3 4 17 012.50
1993–96 Finland Nils Suomalainen 24 4 5 15 016.67
1996–00 Finland Reima Kokko 46 11 3 32 023.91
2001–09 Finland Michael Käld 107 35 22 50 032.71
2010–16 Sweden Andrée Jeglertz 76 27 13 36 035.53
2017 Finland Marko Saloranta 6 2 0 4 033.33
2017–2022 Sweden Anna Signeul 47 19 11 17 040.43
2022– Finland Marko Saloranta 17 12 2 3 070.59

Players[edit]

Current squad[edit]

Stats after match with Scotland Scotland on 18 July 2023.

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1GK Milla-Maj Majasaari (1999-10-15) 15 October 1999 (age 24) 1 0 Belgium Anderlecht
23 1GK Tinja-Riikka Korpela (captain) (1986-05-05) 5 May 1986 (age 37) 115 0 Italy AS Roma
1GK Anna Koivunen (1999-11-28) 28 November 1999 (age 24) 0 Sweden IF Brommapojkarna

2 2DF Elli Pikkujämsä (1999-10-24) 24 October 1999 (age 24) 23 1 United States Racing Louisville
2DF Tiia Peltonen (1995-06-08) 8 June 1995 (age 28) 7 0 Denmark Fortuna Hjørring
2DF Joanna Tynnilä (2001-09-01) 1 September 2001 (age 22) 3 0 Norway Brann
15 2DF Natalia Kuikka (1995-12-01) 1 December 1995 (age 28) 71 3 United States Chicago Red Stars
3 2DF Eva Nyström (1999-11-29) 29 November 1999 (age 24) 8 0 Sweden Hammarby
5 2DF Emma Koivisto (1994-09-25) 25 September 1994 (age 29) 78 3 England Liverpool
11 2DF Nora Heroum (1994-07-20) 20 July 1994 (age 29) 84 1 Italy Parma

4 3MF Ria Öling (1994-09-15) 15 September 1994 (age 29) 62 9 Sweden Rosengård
3MF Anni Hartikainen (2003-08-19) 19 August 2003 (age 20) 0 0 Sweden Rosengård
3MF Emma Peuhkurinen (1999-11-30) 30 November 1999 (age 24) 5 0 Norway Lillestrøm
3MF Eveliina Summanen (1998-05-29) 29 May 1998 (age 25) 53 11 England Tottenham Hotspur
3MF Olga Ahtinen (1997-08-15) 15 August 1997 (age 26) 55 3 England Tottenham Hotspur
3MF Katariina Kosola (2001-02-24) 24 February 2001 (age 23) 8 1 Sweden Häcken
3MF Oona Siren (2001-02-23) 23 February 2001 (age 23) 3 0 Norway Lillestrøm
3MF Vilma Koivisto 0

18 4FW Linda Sällström (1988-07-13) 13 July 1988 (age 35) 120 51 Sweden Vittsjö GIK
22 4FW Jutta Rantala (1999-11-11) 11 November 1999 (age 24) 17 5 England Leicester City
4FW Heidi Kollanen (1997-06-06) 6 June 1997 (age 26) 19 2 Sweden Vittsjö GIK
17 4FW Sanni Franssi (1995-03-19) 19 March 1995 (age 29) 60 4 Spain Real Sociedad
4FW Oona Sevenius (2004-04-28) 28 April 2004 (age 19) 2 0 Italy Como
4FW Lotta Lindström (2004-09-10) 10 September 2004 (age 19) 2 0 England London City Lionesses

Recent call ups[edit]

The following players have been called up to the squad in the past 12 months.

Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK Katriina Talaslahti (2000-09-21) 21 September 2000 (age 23) 2 0 France Le Havre
GK Anna Tamminen (1994-10-30) 30 October 1994 (age 29) 6 0 Sweden Hammarby v.  Slovakia, 5 December 2023

DF Nea Lehtola (1998-10-24) 24 October 1998 (age 25) 2 0 Denmark Brøndby IF v.  Romania, 26 September 2023
DF Tuuli Viinikka 0 v.  Slovakia, 5 December 2023

MF Emmi Siren (2001-02-23) 23 February 2001 (age 23) 3 0 Denmark Nordsjælland v.  Slovakia, 5 December 2023
MF Emmi Alanen (1991-04-30) 30 April 1991 (age 32) 101 21 Sweden Kristianstads DFF v.  Slovakia, 5 December 2023
MF Aada Nurmi 0 v.  Slovakia, 5 December 2023

Records[edit]

*Active players in bold, statistics correct as of 9 July 2022