Lars Näsman

Lars Näsman (14 July 1943 – 10 October 1995) is considered one of the best Finnish football goalkeepers of all time, having been capped for 37 full international matches.[1][2]

Lars Näsman
Personal information
Date of birth (1943-07-14)14 July 1943
Date of death 10 October 1995(1995-10-10) (aged 52)
Place of death Cyprus
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1961–1964 Vasa IFK
1965–1967 Upon Pallo
1968 Vasa IFK
1969–1971 SC Cambuur
1971–1972 Helsingfors IFK 20 (0)
1973–1976 Ekenäs IF
International career
1964–1971 Finland 34 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals
Lars Näsman (right) in game practice with Arto Tolsa (left) and Tommy Lindholm, summer 1970.

He was voted the Player of the year in Finland in 1965 and 1967. He was also ranked 10th in the annual List of top sportsmen in Finland in 1967.

Career

Näsman was born in the coastal town of Vaasa in 1943. He started his playing career with VIFK from where he moved to Upon Pallo, Lahti. He joined the Dutch team Cambuur in 1969, remaining there for three years.

In 1971, he joined HIFK, who were runners up in the Finnish league in the same year.

He ended his playing career after 1976 season at Ekenäs IF.[3]

Lars Näsman was not tall for a goalkeeper, only 178 cm. However, his fast reactions, good eye for the ball and speed made him the perfect choice for the Finland national team.

Bandy

Näsman was also the national goalkeeper for Finland in the sport of bandy, in which he was elected the Best goalkeeper in the world in 1967.

Coach

After his playing career, Näsman coached EIF a second division team in southern Finland.

Lars Näsman had strong opinions about how football should be developed in Finland and in 1970 he told YLE Television, "We must get rid of secret payments to players. Players must be paid openly for their work. Finland can never rise to international level if we don't give up semi-professionalism where players go to work and train in their spare time".

References
  1. Näsman, Lars. "Lars Näsman". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
  2. Järviö, Timo (23 October 1995). "Kahden lajin maalivahti Lars Näsman". Helsingin Sanomat. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
  3. Kasila, Markku; Vuorinen, Juha. Pelimiehet. Suomen Urheilumuseosäätiö. p. 240. ISBN 978-952-99075-9-5.


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