Arto Tolsa

Arto Tolsa

Personal information
Date of birth	9 August 1945
Place of birth	Kotka, Finland
Date of death	30 March 1989(1989-03-30) (aged 43)
Place of death	Kotka, Finland
Position(s)	Defender, Forward, Winger
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1962–1969	KTP	152	(151)
1969–1979	Beerschot	200	(14)
1979-1982	KTP	71	(17)
International career
1964–1981	Finland	77	(10)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Arto Vilho Tolsa (9 August 1945 – 30 March 1989) was a Finnish footballer.

Career

Tolsa started his career in his hometown of Kotka, playing for Kotkan Työväen Palloilijat. He was promoted to first team as a 16 year old for 1962 second division season after successful match in a local competition in previous fall. Playing as a striker he scored an impressive 43 goals in 22 matches in his first season. He scored in 21 out 22 to matches in that season and still holds the most goals in a single season record for second level of football in Finland. As an amateur he also worked at the local port. In 1964 he was a top goalscorer in Mestaruussarja. In 1969 he moved to Beerschot and turned professional. In Belgium He first played as a winger but was later transferred to central defender and became one of the key players for his team. He also played as a captain for Beerschot. In his last season for Beerschot he scored a winner in Belgian Cup final. After 1979 he returned to Kotkan Työväen Palloilijat where he ended his career in 1982. During his last years he suffered from alcoholism. He committed suicide in 1989, at the age of 43. Football stadium in Kotka is named after him.

Honours

Club

KTP

• Finnish Cup: 1967, 1980

Beerschot

• Belgian Cup: 1971, 1979

Individual

• Mestaruussarja Top Goalscorer: 1964
• Finnish Footballer of the Year: 1971, 1974, 1977

External links and references

• Arto Tolsa at National-Football-Teams.com
• Finland - International Player Records

Specific