Sauli Väisänen

Sauli Väisänen
Personal information
Full name Sauli Aapo Kasperi Väisänen
Date of birth (1994-06-05) 5 June 1994 (age 30)
Place of birth Helsinki, Finland
Height 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position(s) Centre-back[1]
Youth career
0000–2003 Jokerit
2004–2006 Allianssi
2007 PK-35
2008–2009 HJK
2010–2013 Honka
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012–2013 Pallohonka 35 (5)
2013–2014 Honka 17 (2)
2014–2017 AIK 46 (2)
2015 → HIFK (loan) 6 (1)
2017–2019 SPAL 7 (0)
2018–2019 → Crotone (loan) 26 (0)
2019–2021 Chievo 21 (1)
2021–2023 Cosenza 50 (1)
2023–2024 OB 2 (0)
2024 → Ascoli (loan) 14 (0)
International career‡
2014 Finland U20 2 (1)
2014–2016 Finland U21 14 (1)
2016– Finland 25 (0)
Medal record
Men's football
Honka
Second place Veikkausliiga 2013
AIK
Third place Allsvenskan 2014
Third place Allsvenskan 2015
Second place Allsvenskan 2016
Second place Allsvenskan 2017
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20 May 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 20 November 2022

Sauli Väisänen (born 5 June 1994) is a Finnish professional footballer who plays as a centre-back.[2][3] He began his senior club career playing for Honka, before signing with AIK at age 20 in 2014.[4]

Väisänen made his international debut for Finland in October 2016, at the age of 22. He appeared in 5 out of 10 of Finland's UEFA Euro 2020 qualification matches and helped Finland national team for the first time reach European Football Championship tournament's group stage.

Club career

Honka

Väisänen made his first team debut during season 2013, in a match against KuPS. He was known as a crucial part of the Honka reserve team Pallohonka.

AIK

In summer 2014 Väisänen joined AIK.[5] He spent 4 seasons in the club. During season 2015 he was loaned to HIFK.[6]

SPAL and loan to Crotone

Väisänen made his Seria A debut on 20 August 2017 in a match against Lazio.[7] He was loaned to Crotone for season 2018–19.[8]

Chievo

On 24 August 2019, Väisänen signed to Serie B club Chievo a deal.[9] He made his debut in Chievo in a 1–1 home tie with Empoli on 30 August 2019.[10]

Cosenza

On 16 August 2021, he joined Cosenza.[11] He made his debut on 22 August 2021 playing full 90 minutes in a match against Ascoli.[12]

Odense Boldklub

On 20 June 2023, Väisänen joined Danish Superliga club OB, signing a deal until June 2026.[13]

On 18 January 2024, Väisänen returned to Italy when he was loaned out to Serie B side Ascoli.[14]

On August 29, 2024, after his loan spell in Ascoli, OB confirmed that they had terminated Väisänen's contract by mutual agreement, despite the fact that he originally had a contract until June 2026.[15]

International career

Finland youth teams

Väisänen made his debut in international football on 5 March 2014 at the age 19 when he was called to represent Finland U21 in a match against San Marino U21.[16] During years 2014-2016 Väisänen was a part of the Finnish national youth squad, which he also captained on occasion.[17]

Finland first team

Väisänen made his FIFA World Cup qualification match debut on 6 October 2016 on Laugardalsvöllur when Hans Backe chose him to the starting eleven for a match against Iceland.[18]

Väisänen was called up for the UEFA Euro 2020 pre-tournament friendly match against Sweden on 29 May 2021.[19] He was nominated to the Finland national team for the UEFA Euro 2020 tournament but had to withdraw due to an injury and was replaced by Niko Hämäläinen.[20]

Personal life

Väisänen's mother Anna-Liisa Tilus-Väisänen is a prominent television presenter for Yle TV1 and Miss World 1984 semi-finalist. His younger brother Leo Väisänen is also a footballer.[21]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 20 May 2024.[22]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Pallohonka 2012 Kakkonen 15 1 0 0 — 15 1
2013 Kakkonen 20 4 0 0 — 20 4
Total 35 5 0 0 — 35 5
FC Honka 2013 Veikkausliiga 2 1 2 0 0 0 4 1
2014 Veikkausliiga 15 1 5 1 2[a] 0 22 2
Total 17 2 7 1 2 0 26 3
AIK 2014 Allsvenskan 6 0 0 0 0 0 6 0
2015 Allsvenskan 6 1 3 1 0 0 9 2
2016 Allsvenskan 22 1 5 1 2[a] 0 29 2
2017 Allsvenskan 12 0 0 0 4[a] 0 16 0
Total 46 2 8 2 6 0 60 4
HIFK (loan) 2015 Veikkausliiga 6 1 0 0 — 6 1
S.P.A.L. 2017–18 Serie A 7 0 2 0 — 9 0
2018–19 Serie A 0 0 1 0 — 1 0
Total 7 0 3 0 — 10 0
Crotone (loan) 2018–19 Serie B 26 0 0 0 — 26 0
Chievo 2019–20 Serie B 16 1 0 0 — 16 1
2020–21 Serie B 5 0 0 0 — 5 0
Total 21 1 0 0 — 21 1
Cosenza 2021–22 Serie B 21 0 0 0 — 21 0
2022–23 Serie B 29 1 1 0 — 30 1
Total 50 1 1 0 — 51 1
OB 2023–24 Danish Superliga 2 0 3 0 — 5 0
Ascoli (loan) 2023–24 Serie B 14 0 0 0 — 14 0
Career total 223 12 22 3 8 0 251 15
  1. ^ a b c Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa League

International

As of match played 20 November 2022[23]
National team Year Competitive Friendly Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Finland 2016 3[a] 0 0 0 3 0
2017 3[b] 0 3 0 6 0
2018 2[c] 0 3 0 5 0
2019 5[d] 0 0 0 5 0
2021 0 0 1 0 1 0
2022 2[e] 0 2 0 4 0
Total 15 0 9 0 24 0

Notes

  1. ^ Appearances in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification.
  2. ^ Appearances in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification.
  3. ^ Appearances in the 2018–19 UEFA Nations League.
  4. ^ Appearances in the UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying.
  5. ^ Appearances in the 2022–23 UEFA Nations League.

References

  1. ^ Sauli Väisänen at WorldFootball.net
  2. ^ "OB henter stærk stribe til forsvaret" (in Danish). ob.dk. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
  3. ^ "Sauli Väisänen" (in Finnish). Suomen Palloliitto. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
  4. ^ "Huuhkajien tuntematon nuori tähti löydettiin sattumalta – kuolleen agentin muisto seuraa matkalla huipulle" [An unknown young star of the Eagle Owls was found by accident – the memory of a dead agent follows his way to the top] (in Finnish). Yle. 2 September 2017. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  5. ^ "Huuhkajien tuntematon nuori tähti löydettiin sattumalta – kuolleen agentin muisto seuraa matkalla huipulle" [An unknown young star of the Eagle Owls was found by accident – the memory of a dead agent follows his way to the top] (in Finnish). Yle. 2 September 2017. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  6. ^ "Sauli Väisänen siirtyy AIK:sta Helsingin IFK:hon" (in Finnish). HIFK Fotboll. 2 September 2015. Retrieved 19 January 2019.
  7. ^ "Sauli Väisänen loisti debyytissään Serie A:ssa" (in Finnish). Iltasanomat. 21 August 2017. Retrieved 19 January 2019.
  8. ^ "Maajoukkuepuolustaja Sauli Väisänen vaihtaa seuraa – lainalle Italian kakkossarjaan" (in Finnish). Iltalehti. 17 August 2018. Retrieved 19 January 2019.
  9. ^ "UFFICIALE: SPAL, preso Tomovic dal Chievo. Ai clivensi Vaisanen" (in Italian). Retrieved 24 August 2019.
  10. ^ "Chievo-Empoli: i 23 convocati gialloblù". Tutto Chievo Verona (in Italian). 29 August 2019. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
  11. ^ "SAULI VÄISÄNEN È UN NUOVO GIOCATORE DEL COSENZA" (in Italian). 16 August 2021. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  12. ^ "Huuhkajien puolustaja uudesta alusta innoissaan: "Ekaa kertaa pariin vuoteen ilman kipuja"" [Eagle Owl´s defender excited about the new beginning: "First time in a couple of years without pain"] (in Finnish). suomifutis.com. 24 August 2021. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  13. ^ OB henter stærk stribe til forsvaret, ob.dk, 26 June 2023
  14. ^ #CALCIOMERCATO: UFFICIALE IL DIFENSORE SAULI VÄISÄNEN., ascolicalcio1898.it, 18 January 2024
  15. ^ Tak for tiden i striber, Sauli Väisänen, ob.dk, 29 August 2024
  16. ^ "Sauli Väisänen" (in Finnish). Football Association of Finland. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  17. ^ "Sauli Väisänen siirtyy AIK:sta Helsingin IFK:hon". 2 September 2015.
  18. ^ "Huuhkajille jättipettymys – Islanti voitti kiistanalaisella viime hetken maalilla" [A big disappointment for the Eagle Owls – Iceland won on a controversial last minute goal] (in Finnish). Ilta-Sanomat. 6 October 2016. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  19. ^ "Näillä pelaajilla Huuhkajat lähtevät kohti EM-kisoja – kaksi nimeä kiinnostivat yli muiden" (in Finnish). Helsingin Sanomat. 19 May 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
  20. ^ "Sauli Väisänen loukkaantumisen takia sivuun Huuhkajista – Nicholas Hämäläinen EM-kisajoukkueeseen" [Sauli Väisänen sidelined from Eagle Owls due to injury – Nicholas Hämäläinen joins the European Championships] (in Finnish). Football Association of Finland. 3 June 2021. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  21. ^ "Leo Väisänen: "The goal of a breakthrough in Veikkausliiga"" (in Finnish). Veikkausliiga. 25 February 2017.
  22. ^ "S. VÄISÄNEN". Soccerway. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
  23. ^ "Sauli Väisänen". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
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