Mika Ääritalo
Mika Ääritalo (born 25 July 1985) is a Finnish retired international footballer who played as a striker.
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Mika Ääritalo | ||
Date of birth | 25 July 1985 | ||
Place of birth | Taivassalo, Finland | ||
Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
Position(s) | Striker | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2002–2003 | TPS Turku | 5 | (0) |
2003–2005 | Aston Villa | 0 | (0) |
2005–2015 | TPS Turku | 196 | (47) |
2014 | → Holstein Kiel (loan) | 6 | (0) |
2015–2016 | FC Lahti | 24 | (4) |
2016 | KuPS | 30 | (0) |
2017–2020 | TPS Turku | 91 | (17) |
International career | |||
2010–2012 | Finland | 6 | (1) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Career
Club career
After beginning his senior career in 2002 with hometown club TPS Turku,[1] English Premiership side Aston Villa beat a host of clubs from across Europe to the signing of Ääritalo in January 2003.[2] After failing to make a first-team appearance for Aston Villa, Ääritalo returned to his first club, TPS Turku, in February 2005.
In June 2008, Portuguese BWINLIGA club C.D. Nacional were interested in signing Ääritalo, but the deal fell through due to cost and the fact that Ääritalo did not want to move to Portugal.[3]
In January 2014, he joined the German 3. Liga side Holstein Kiel on a six-month loan. He has since played for Turun Palloseura, FC Lahti and Kuopion Palloseura.
International career
Ääritalo made his international debut in 2010.[4] He scored his first international goal on 22 January 2012, in a friendly against Trinidad and Tobago.
Career statistics
International goals
# | Date | Location | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | 22 January 2012 | Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago | Trinidad and Tobago | 2−3 | 2−3 | Friendly |
References
- "Veikkausliiga statistics" (in Finnish). Veikkausliiga official website. Archived from the original on 18 November 2007.
- "Villa snap up teenage star". BBC Sport. 18 October 2002. Retrieved 16 November 2010.
- Jari Welling (15 June 2008). "Nacional tekemässä TPS:lleuuden tarjouksen" (in Finnish). Turun Sanomat. Retrieved 16 November 2010.
- Mika Ääritalo at National-Football-Teams.com