Laura Österberg Kalmari

Laura Elina Österberg Kalmari (née Kalmari; born 27 May 1979) is a Finnish former professional footballer. Immediately prior to her retirement in early 2012, she had been playing as a forward for American Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) team Sky Blue FC. She is the Finland women's national football team's most capped player.

Laura Österberg Kalmari
Laura Österberg Kalmari
Personal information
Full name Laura Elina Österberg Kalmari[1]
Birth name Laura Elina Kalmari[2]
Date of birth (1979-05-27) 27 May 1979
Place of birth Kirkkonummi, Finland
Height 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
1984–1995 KyIF
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2000 Portland Pilots
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1995–1996 PuiU
1997 MPS
1998–1999 HJK
2000–2001 HJK
2002 Boston Renegades
2003–2004 Umeå IK
2005–2006 Djurgården/Älvsjö
2007–2009 AIK
2010–2011 Sky Blue FC 33 (7)
International career
1996–2011 Finland 130 (41)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

Österberg Kalmari played in Finnish clubs Puistolan Urheilijat, Malmin Palloseura and HJK before moving to the University of Portland in 2000. Kalmari returned to HJK to play in the inaugural UEFA Women's Cup in 2001–2002. HJK reached the semi-finals, and then she moved back to the United States to play with Boston Renegades in the W-League. In 2002, she moved to Swedish Damallsvenskan club Umeå IK, where she won the UEFA Women's Cup two years in succession. Österberg Kalmari also played for Djurgården/Älvsjö in 2005 and 2006, before moving to AIK in 2007.

With Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) team Sky Blue FC Österberg Kalmari scored seven goals in 33 appearances across the 2010 and 2011 seasons.[3] After the failure of the professional league in America, Österberg Kalmari announced her retirement from playing in April 2012.[4]

Österberg Kalmari playing for the Finland national team.

International career

Following her senior debut in March 1996, Österberg Kalmari represented the Finland women's national football team 130 times, scoring 41 goals.[5] She is the all-time leading goalscorer of the national team.[6] In 2005, Österberg Kalmari played in the finals of the 2005 European Championships in North West England. Finland reached the semi-finals, which remains her nation's best achievement in women's football.

After a break from international football which included the birth of her daughter, Österberg Kalmari was recalled to the national team in January 2009 having last played in September 2006.[7] She went on to represent hosts Finland in the 2009 European Championships, where they reached the quarter-finals.

Österberg Kalmari is a five-time winner of the Women's Finnish Footballer of the Year—more times than any other player. She collected the award in 1999, 2003, 2006, 2009 and 2010.[8][9]

Österberg Kalmari (R) playing for NJ Sky Blue against St.Louis Athletica, 2010

Personal life

Österberg Kalmari married Niko Österberg in 2007. Their daughter Meja was born in March 2008.[10]

References
  1. "Goalscorers" (PDF). UEFA. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
  2. Markkola, Matti (March 2006). "Parempi kuin Litmanen" [Better than Litmanen]. V (in Finnish). Helsinki. Archived from the original on 16 May 2007. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
  3. "#21 Laura Kalmari". STATS Hosted Solution. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
  4. "90min: Laura Österberg Kalmari päättää uransa" (in Finnish). Kymppipaikka. 4 April 2012. Archived from the original on 3 June 2012. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
  5. "Österberg Kalmari Laura" (in Finnish). Football Association of Finland. Archived from the original on 22 February 2012. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
  6. Pietarinen, Heikki (22 March 2013). "Finland – Women International Player Records". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
  7. "Österberg-Kalmari comes in from the cold". UEFA.com. UEFA. 27 January 2009. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
  8. Pietarinen, Heikki (7 February 2013). "Finland – Women Player of the Year Awards". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
  9. "Palloliitto ja Veikkausliiga palkitsivat vuoden parhaita" [Finnish FA and Veikkausliiga gave awards to year's best] (in Finnish). Football Association of Finland. Archived from the original on 6 March 2012. Retrieved 17 November 2010.
  10. "WHO? Laura Österberg Kalmari". Helsingin Sanomat. 26 May 2009. Archived from the original on 4 June 2009. Retrieved 17 July 2013.


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