Finland women's national football team

Finland
Nickname(s)	Helmarit (the Boreal Owls)[1]
Association	Football Association; of Finland; (Suomen Palloliitto)
Confederation	UEFA (Europe)
Head coach	Marko Saloranta
Captain	Tinja-Riikka Korpela
Most caps	Anna Westerlund (145)
Top scorer	Linda Sällström (59)
FIFA code	FIN
First colours	Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current	27 (15 March 2024)[2]
Highest	14 (September 2005)
Lowest	32 (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
Appearances	4 (first in 2005)
Best result	Semi-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 before losing to Germany in the semifinals.[3] Finland hosted the 2009 European Championship.[4]

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.[5]

History

The beginning

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

Nicknames

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

Results and fixtures

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

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)

26 September 2023–24 UEFA Nations League	Romania	0–1	Finland	Bucharest
18:00		Report		Stadium: Stadionul Arcul de Triumf Referee: Angelika Soeder (Germany)

27 October 2023–24 UEFA Nations League	Finland	3–0	Croatia	Helsinki
17:45	Sällström 6' Kunštek 65' (o.g.) Franssi 90+3'	Report		Stadium: Bolt Arena Referee: Désirée Grundbacher (Switzerland)

31 October 2023–24 UEFA Nations League	Croatia	0–2	Finland	Šibenik
18:00		Report	Summanen 5', 12'	Stadium: Stadion Šubićevac Referee: Teresa Oliveira (Portugal)

30 November 2023–24 UEFA Nations League	Finland	6–0	Romania	Turku
17:45		Report		Stadium: Veritas Stadion

5 December 2023–24 UEFA Nations League	Slovakia	2–2	Finland	Trnava
		Report		Stadium: Anton Malatinský Stadium

2024

21 February Friendly	Finland	4–0	Philippines	San Pedro del Pinatar
	Sevenius 24', 43', 72' Nyström 28'	Report		Stadium: Pinatar Arena

24 February 2024 Pinatar Cup SF	Slovenia	0–1	Finland	San Pedro del Pinatar
				Stadium: Pinatar Arena

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

5 April Euro 2025 qualifying	Norway	4–0	Finland	Oslo
18:00		Report		Stadium: Ullevaal Stadion Referee: Catarina Campos (Portugal)

9 April Euro 2025 qualifying	Finland	2–1	Italy	Helsinki
18:15		Report		Stadium: Helsinki Football Stadium Referee: Marta Huerta de Aza (Spain)

Coaching staff

Current coaching staff

As of August 2022

Head coach: Marko Saloranta
Assistant coach: Marianne Miettinen
Assistant coach: Mika Sankala
Assistant coach: Ann-Helen Grahm
Goalkeeping coach: Aki Moilanen

Manager history

As of 21 February 2024

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

Players

Current squad

The following players were called up for the UEFA Women's Euro 2025 qualifying matches against Norway and the Italy on 5 and 9 April 2024 respectively.[6]

Stats after match with Scotland on 18 July 2023.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
23	1GK	Tinja-Riikka Korpela (captain)	(1986-05-05) 5 May 1986	115	0	AS Roma
12	1GK	Anna Tamminen	(1994-10-30) 30 October 1994	6	0	Hammarby
	1GK	Milla-Maj Majasaari	(1999-10-15) 15 October 1999	1	0	Anderlecht

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

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

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

Recent call ups

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	2	0	Le Havre
GK	Anna Koivunen	(1999-11-28) 28 November 1999		0	IF Brommapojkarna	2024 Pinatar Cup

DF	Nea Lehtola	(1998-10-24) 24 October 1998	2	0	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	3	0	Nordsjælland	v. Slovakia, 5 December 2023
MF	Emmi Alanen	(1991-04-30) 30 April 1991	101	21	Kristianstads DFF	v. Slovakia, 5 December 2023
MF	Aada Nurmi			0		v. Slovakia, 5 December 2023

Records

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

Most capped players

Anna Westerlund currently holds the record for the most appearances for the Finland women's national football team.

Rank	Player	Caps	Goals	Years
1	Anna Westerlund	145	4	2008–
2	Linda Sällström	132	57	2007–
3	Laura Österberg Kalmari	130	41	1996–2011
4	Tuija Hyyrynen	121	3	2007–
5	Sanna Valkonen	120	7	1995–2009
6	Anne Mäkinen	118	16	1991–2009
6	Jessica Julin	118	4	1997–2009
8	Tinja-Riikka Korpela (GK)	109	0	2007–
9	Anna-Kaisa Rantanen	105	8	1996–2011
10	Sanna Talonen	103	36	2004–2014
11	Katri Mattsson	100	2	1999–2015

Source:[7]

Top goalscorers

Linda Sällström currently holds the record for the most goals for the Finland women's national football team.

Rank	Player	Goals	Caps	Years	Avg
1	Linda Sällström	57	132	2007–	0,425
2	Laura Österberg Kalmari	41	130	1996–2011	0,315
3	Sanna Talonen	36	103	2004–2014	0,35
4	Emmi Alanen	21	97	2010–	0,216
5	Annica Sjölund	17	69	2006–2014	0,246
6	Anne Mäkinen	16	118	1991–2009	0,136
7	Heidi Kackur	12	48	1999–2005	0,25
7	Adelina Engman	12	85	2012–	0,141
9	Maija Saari	11	94	2007–2016	0,117
10	Ria Öling	9	62	2015–	0,145
11	Anu Toikka	8	29	1979–1992	0,276
	Susanna Heikari	8	44	1994–2002	0,182
	Anna-Kaisa Rantanen	8	105	1996–2011	0,076

Source:[7]

Competitive record

FIFA Women's World Cup

Year	Result	GP	W	D*	L	GF	GA	GD	GP	W	D*	L	GF	GA	GD
FIFA Women's World Cup record									Qualification record
1991	Did not qualify								UEFA Euro 1991
1995									UEFA Euro 1995
1999									8	3	1	4	8	9	−1
2003									6	1	0	5	4	24	−20
2007									8	5	1	2	16	5	+11
2011									8	6	1	1	25	6	+19
2015									10	7	0	3	27	9	+18
2019									8	3	1	4	9	13	−4
2023									8	3	1	4	14	12	−10
2027	To be determined								To be determined
Total	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	56	28	5	23	103	78	+13

*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

Olympic Games

Summer Olympics record
Year	Result	GP	W	D	L	GF	GA
1996	Did not qualify
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024	Unable to qualify
2028	To be determined
2032	To be determined
Total	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

UEFA Women's Championship

Year	Result	GP	W	D*	L	GF	GA	GD	GP	W	D*	L	GF	GA	GD
UEFA Women's Championship record									Qualifying record
1984	Did not qualify								6	2	0	4	5	17	−12
1987									6	1	2	3	2	6	−4
1989									6	1	2	3	9	11	−2
1991									6	1	2	3	3	6	−3
1993									4	0	2	2	3	12	−9
1995									6	2	3	1	8	7	+1
1997									8	1	1	6	2	24	−22
2001									8	2	0	6	8	21	−13
2005	Semi-finals	4	1	1	2	5	8	−3	10	4	4	2	16	7	+9
2009	Quarter-finals	4	2	0	2	5	5	0	Qualified as host
2013	Group stage	3	0	2	1	1	6	−5	8	6	1	1	22	4	+18
2017	Did not qualify								8	4	1	3	17	12	+5
2022	Group stage	3	0	0	3	1	8	−7	8	7	1	0	24	2	+22
2025
Total	4/13	14	3	3	8	12	27	−15	84	31	19	34	119	129	−10