Mika Ääritalo

Mika Ääritalo
	Ääritalo in Turku 2018
Personal information
Date of birth	25 July 1985 (age 39)
Place of birth	Taivassalo, Finland
Height	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s)	Forward
Senior career*
Years	Team
2002–2003	TPS
2003–2005	Aston Villa
2005–2015	TPS
2014	→ Holstein Kiel (loan)
2015–2016	Lahti
2016	KuPS
2017–2020	TPS
Total
International career
2010–2012	Finland
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Mika Ääritalo (born 25 July 1985) is a Finnish former professional footballer who played as a forward. He made six appearances for the Finland national team scoring once.

Club career

After beginning his senior career in 2002 with hometown club TPS Turku,^[1] English Premiership side Aston Villa beat a host of clubs from across Europe to the signing of Ääritalo in January 2003.^[2] After failing to make a first-team appearance for Aston Villa, Ääritalo returned to his first club, TPS Turku, in February 2005.

In June 2008, Portuguese BWINLIGA club C.D. Nacional were interested in signing Ääritalo, but the deal fell through due to cost and the fact that Ääritalo did not want to move to Portugal.^[3]

In January 2014, he joined the German 3. Liga side Holstein Kiel on a six-month loan. He later played for Turun Palloseura, FC Lahti and Kuopion Palloseura.^[4]

International career

Ääritalo made his international debut for the Finland national team in 2010.^[5] He scored his first international goal on 22 January 2012, in a friendly against Trinidad and Tobago.

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Finland	2010	1	0
	2011	3	0
	2012	2	1
Total		6	1

Score and result list Finland's goal tally first, score column indicates score after Ääritalo's goal.

International goal scored by Mika Ääritalo
No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	22 January 2012	Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago	Trinidad and Tobago	3−2	3−2	Friendly

References

^ "Veikkausliiga statistics" (in Finnish). Veikkausliiga official website. Archived from the original on 18 November 2007.
^ "Villa snap up teenage star". BBC Sport. 18 October 2002. Retrieved 16 November 2010.
^ Jari Welling (15 June 2008). "Nacional tekemässä TPS:lleuuden tarjouksen" (in Finnish). Turun Sanomat. Retrieved 16 November 2010.
^ "Liigadebytantti pääsi helpolla - KuPS puolusti pisteen". Yle Urheilu (in Finnish). 3 July 2016. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
^ Mika Ääritalo at National-Football-Teams.com

External links

Media related to Mika Ääritalo at Wikimedia Commons
Mika Ääritalo at Soccerway

[1] "Veikkausliiga statistics" (in Finnish). Veikkausliiga official website. Archived from the original on 18 November 2007.

[2] "Villa snap up teenage star". BBC Sport. 18 October 2002. Retrieved 16 November 2010.

[3] Jari Welling (15 June 2008). "Nacional tekemässä TPS:lleuuden tarjouksen" (in Finnish). Turun Sanomat. Retrieved 16 November 2010.

[4] "Liigadebytantti pääsi helpolla - KuPS puolusti pisteen". Yle Urheilu (in Finnish). 3 July 2016. Retrieved 5 March 2024.

[5] Mika Ääritalo at National-Football-Teams.com

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]