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Sauli Väisänen
Personal information
Full name Sauli Aapo Kasperi Väisänen
Date of birth (1994-06-05) 5 June 1994 (age 29)
Place of birth Helsinki, Finland
Height 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position(s) Centre-back[1]
Team information
Current team
Ascoli (on loan from OB)
Number 16
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)
2015HIFK (loan) 6 (1)
2017–2019 SPAL 7 (0)
2018–2019Crotone (loan) 26 (0)
2019–2021 Chievo 21 (1)
2021–2023 Cosenza 50 (1)
2023– 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)
*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 for Serie B club Ascoli, on loan from OB.[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[edit]

Honka[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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

Ascoli (loan)[edit]

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

International career[edit]

Finland youth teams[edit]

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.[15] During years 2014-2016 Väisänen was a part of the Finnish national youth squad, which he also captained on occasion.[16]

Finland first team[edit]

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.[17]

Väisänen was called up for the UEFA Euro 2020 pre-tournament friendly match against Sweden on 29 May 2021.[18] 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.[19]

Personal life[edit]

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.[20]

Career statistics[edit]

Club[edit]

As of match played 20 May 2024.[21]
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[edit]

As of match played 20 November 2022[22]
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[edit]

  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. ^ "Sauli Väisänen" (in Finnish). Football Association of Finland. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  16. ^ "Sauli Väisänen siirtyy AIK:sta Helsingin IFK:hon". 2 September 2015.
  17. ^ "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.
  18. ^ "Näillä pelaajilla Huuhkajat lähtevät kohti EM-kisoja – kaksi nimeä kiinnostivat yli muiden" (in Finnish). Helsingin Sanomat. 19 May 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
  19. ^ "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.
  20. ^ "Leo Väisänen: "The goal of a breakthrough in Veikkausliiga"" (in Finnish). Veikkausliiga. 25 February 2017.
  21. ^ "S. VÄISÄNEN". Soccerway. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
  22. ^ "Sauli Väisänen". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 2 July 2019.

External links[edit]

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