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Joonas Rantanen
Personal information
Date of birth	27 July 1987 (age 37)
Place of birth	Finland
Team information
Current team	Ilves (manager)
Managerial career
Years	Team
2016–2019	HJK (women)
2020	Klubi 04
2021	HJK (assistant)
2022–2023	Gnistan
2024–	Ilves

Joonas Rantanen (born 27 July 1987) is a Finnish football manager, currently working as a manager of Veikkausliiga club Ilves. Rantanen has a UEFA Pro -coaching license.^[1]

Coaching career

HJK organisation

Rantanen started as a sports coordinator for youth teams in HJK Helsinki organisation in 2009. He worked for HJK in various positions until 2015, when he had a brief study leave.^[2]

During 2016–2019, Rantanen worked as a head coach of HJK women's team competing in Naisten Liiga,^[3] leading the team to win Finnish championship title in 2019, and Finnish Women's Cup in 2017 and 2019.^[4]

He was named the head coach of Klubi 04, the reserve team of HJK, for the 2020 season,^[5] winning the Kakkonen Group B and gaining a promotion to Ykkönen. Rantanen worked as an assistant coach in Toni Koskela's coaching staff in HJK first team for the 2021 Veikkausliiga season.^[6]

Gnistan

During 2022–2023, Rantanen worked as a head coach of IF Gnistan in the second-tier Ykkönen, leading the team to finish as Ykkönen runner-up and qualify for the Veikkausliiga promotion play-offs at the end of the 2023 season, eventually losing to IFK Mariehamn.^[7] However, Gnistan were later granted the Veikkausliiga license and promoted via supplemental process, after FC Honka was declared for bankruptcy.

Ilves

On 23 October 2023, Rantanen was appointed as the manager of Veikkausliiga club Ilves on a two-year deal, starting in 2024.^[8] In his first season as a manager in the top tier, he coached the team in the 2024–25 UEFA Conference League qualifiers, advancing by an aggregate win against Austria Wien, eventually falling short to Djurgården in the 3rd round.^[9] He was named the Veikkausliiga Manager of the Month in September 2024, after leading his team to a winning streak during the month. He led Ilves to finish as the season's runners-up, falling two points short of the champions KuPS.

Personal life

Rantanen has graduated as a Master of Education (MEd).^[10]

His father Jari Rantanen is a former police and football coach.^[11]^[12]

Managerial statistics

As of 19 October 2024^[13]

Team	Nat	From	To	Record
Team	Nat	From	To	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	W%
Klubi 04		1 January 2020	31 December 2020	20	17	2	1	61	16	+45	085.00
Gnistan		1 January 2022	31 December 2023	71	34	20	17	132	101	+31	047.89
Ilves		1 January 2024	present	38	20	9	9	79	51	+28	052.63
Total				129	71	31	27	272	168	+104	055.04