Niko Hämäläinen

Nicholas Antero "Niko" Hämäläinen (born 5 March 1997) is a Finnish professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Veikkausliiga club HJK. Born and raised in the United States, he represents the Finland national team thanks to his eligibility through his Finnish father. He represented Finland at various youth levels before making his senior debut against Estonia on 11 January 2019.

Niko Hämäläinen
Hämäläinen on the bench for the Finland under-21s against the Austria under-21s in 2015
Personal information
Full name Nicholas Antero Hämäläinen[1]
Date of birth (1997-03-05) 5 March 1997
Place of birth West Palm Beach, Florida, United States
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Left-back
Team information
Current team
 HJK Helsinki
Number 3
Youth career
2010 Wellington Wave SC[2]
2010–2013 FC Florida
2013–2014 FC Dallas
2014–2015 Queens Park Rangers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015–2023 Queens Park Rangers 30 (0)
2015 → Dagenham & Redbridge (loan) 1 (0)
2019 → Los Angeles FC (loan) 3 (0)
2019–2020 → Kilmarnock (loan) 28 (0)
2021 → LA Galaxy (loan) 14 (0)
2022 → Botafogo (loan) 1 (0)
2023 → RWDM (loan) 4 (0)
2023– HJK 8 (0)
International career‡
2015 Finland U18 12 (1)
2015 Finland U19 2 (0)
2017–2018 Finland U21 12 (0)
2019– Finland 12 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21 October 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 13:04, 13 April 2022 (UTC)

Club career

Queens Park Rangers

On 18 September 2014, Hämäläinen signed for Queens Park Rangers from the FC Dallas Academy.[3] Former West Ham midfielder Ian Bishop, a family friend, arranged a trial for Hämäläinen, where he was spotted by QPR.[4]

2015–16: Dagenham & Redbridge loan

On 6 August 2015, Hämäläinen signed on an emergency loan deal at Dagenham & Redbridge until 5 September 2015.[5]

Hämäläinen made his professional debut on 12 August 2015, in Dagenham & Redbridge's 1–4 loss to Charlton Athletic in the League Cup. He was named in the starting eleven and was replaced by Ashley Hemmings in the 58th minute.[6] His loan was extended in September 2015 for an additional month.[7]

Return to QPR

He made his league debut for QPR as a substitute for Joel Lynch in a 2–1 win against West London rivals Fulham on 1 October 2016. He made his first appearance in the starting lineup on 22 October 2016 in a match against Sheffield Wednesday.[8]

2018–19: Los Angeles FC loan

On 25 February 2019, Hämäläinen joined Major League Soccer side Los Angeles FC on a six-month loan deal. Prior to his signing, Jordan Harvey was the only recognised left-back at LAFC.[9] After the announcement of the signing, general manager John Thorrington said “Niko has a bright future ahead of him and we look forward to furthering his professional development at LAFC... I am confident he will prove to be a valuable addition to the group".[10] He made his debut when he came off the bench in the 81st minute and made an assist in the 90+2 minute for the winner in a 2-1 win over Real Salt Lake.[11]

2019–20: Kilmarnock loan

Hämäläinen was loaned to Scottish Premiership club Kilmarnock in August 2019.[12] His decision to move to Scotland was influenced by compatriot Glen Kamara, who plays for Rangers, and Lee Wallace, a teammate of Hämäläinen's at QPR, having joined from Rangers himself in June 2019.[13] So far in 2019–20, Hämäläinen has been named in the Scottish Premiership team of the week twice.[4]

2021: LA Galaxy (loan)

On 6 August 2021, Hämäläinen returned to Major League Soccer and joined LA Galaxy on loan through the end of the 2021 season.[14]

2022: Botafogo FR (loan)

On 12 April 2022, Hämäläinen signed a loan contract for Botafogo FR until July.[15]

2023: RWDM (loan)

On 31 January 2023, Hämäläinen was loaned to RWDM in the Belgian second-tier Challenger Pro League.[16]

On 29 June 2023, Hämäläinen departed Queens Park Rangers following the mutual termination of his contract.[17]

2023: HJK

On 24 July 2023, Hämäläinen signed a deal with HJK for the rest of the 2023 season.[18]

International career

Hämäläinen was eligible for the United States and Finland, having been born and raised in the United States to a Finnish father. He originally played as a youth international for Finland.[19]

He made his senior debut for the Finland national football team on 11 January 2019 at Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar, in a friendly match against Estonia.[20] He played for 84 minutes until he was replaced by Juha Pirinen.[21]

On 30 August 2019, Hämäläinen accepted a call to the United States under-23s, his first call-up to the United States at any level.[22]

Hämäläinen made his competitive debut for Finland against the Republic of Ireland in the UEFA Nations League on 6 September 2020, thus tying him to the Finnish national team.[23]

Hämäläinen was called up for the UEFA Euro 2020 pre-tournament friendly match against Sweden on 29 May 2021, and later for the tournament itself[24]

Personal life

Hämäläinen was born and raised in the United States. He is of African-American[25] and Finnish descent. He is the son of Timo Hämäläinen, who played for the Finnish football club Koparit in 1978–1982 in the SM-sarja before moving to the United States to work.[26][27]

Career statistics

Club
As of match played on 21 October 2023.
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Queen's Park Rangers 2015–16[28] Championship 000000—00
2016–17[29] Championship 300010—40
2017–18[30] Championship 000000—00
2018–19[31] Championship 000020—20
2019–20[32] Championship 000000—00
2020–21[33] Championship 2201000—230
2021–22[34] Championship 000000—00
2022–23[34] Championship 201010—40
Total 270204000330
Dagenham & Redbridge (loan) 2015–16[28] League Two 1000100020
Los Angeles FC (loan) 2019[35] MLS 3000——30
Kilmarnock (loan) 2019–20[32] Scottish Premiership 280301000320
LA Galaxy (loan) 2021[36] MLS 14000——140
Botafogo (loan) 2022[37] Série A 0010——10
RWDM (loan) 2022–23[38] Challenger Pro League 4000—0040
HJK 2023[39] Veikkausliiga 8000—3[lower-alpha 1]0110
Career total 8506060301000
  1. Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League

International
As of match played on 10 September 2023.[40]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Finland 201910
202030
202180
Total120

Honours and achievements

Individual

Club

HJK

References
  1. "Notification of shirt numbers: Queens Park Rangers" (PDF). English Football League. p. 58. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
  2. Wagner, Jodie (14 April 2011). "RPB Strikers' Byrne, Hamalainen earn national soccer honors". The Palm Beach Post. Archived from the original on 28 September 2016. Retrieved 28 September 2016.
  3. "NICHOLAS HAMALAINEN ARRIVES AT QPR". Queens Park Rangers. 18 September 2014. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  4. "ASN: Now a Kilmarnock starter, Hamalainen pondering international options". americansoccernow.com. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
  5. "NIKO HAMALAINEN JOINS DAGENHAM & REDBRIDGE ON LOAN". QPR. 6 August 2015. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
  6. "Charlton 4–1 Dag & Red". BBC Sport. 11 August 2015. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  7. "Niko Hamalainen: Dagenham & Redbridge keep QPR youngster". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  8. "Sheffield Wednesday 1-0 Queens Park Rangers". BBC Sport. 22 October 2016. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
  9. "LAFC: Niko Hamalainen another dart to throw at left-back problem". MLS Multiplex. 27 February 2019. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
  10. "LAFC Acquires Defender Niko Hämäläinen On Loan". LAFC.com. 25 February 2019. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
  11. "LAFC Acquires Defender Niko Hämäläinen On Loan". LAFC.com. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  12. "Kilmarnock: QPR defender Niko Hamalainen joins on season-long loan". BBC Sport. 20 August 2019. Retrieved 20 August 2019.
  13. "Kilmarnock: QPR defender Niko Hamalainen joins on season-long loan". BBC Sport. 20 August 2019. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
  14. Baxter, Kevin (6 August 2021). "Galaxy continue signing spree, add defender Niko Hamalainen to bolster roster". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  15. "Botafogo anuncia Niko Hämäläinen, lateral do Queens Park Rangers que chega por empréstimo". Lance! (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  16. "Niko Hamalainen departs on loan". Queens Park Rangers. 31 January 2023. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
  17. "Niko Hamalainen departs". www.qpr.co.uk. 29 June 2023. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  18. "Filip Rogić ja Niko Hämäläinen vahvistamaan Klubia". hjk.fi. 24 July 2023. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  19. "QPR youngster Niko Hamalainen called-up by Finland Under-21s". Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 29 January 2017.
  20. "Finland v Estonia game report". ESPN. 11 January 2019.
  21. "International football MATCH: 11.01.2019 Estonia v Finland". eu-football.info. 11 January 2019. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
  22. "Kreis calls 24 players to u-23 training camp and match vs. japan in san diego". USSoccer.com. 30 August 2019. Retrieved 2 September 2019.
  23. Republic of Ireland 0-1 Finland
  24. "Näillä pelaajilla Huuhkajat lähtevät kohti EM-kisoja – kaksi nimeä kiinnostivat yli muiden" (in Finnish). Helsingin Sanomat. 19 May 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
  25. "Huuhkajien Niko Hämäläinen on nähnyt karun todellisuuden USA:ssa – äiti kertoi jo lapsuudessa, kuinka toimia jos poliisit pysäyttävät" [Niko Hämäläinen has seen the harsh reality in the USA - My mother told me in childhood what to do if the police stops me] (in Finnish). 2 September 2020. I have seen how the police treat blacks in America. I was born and raised surrounded by these things. When I was 12, my mother had to talk to me for the first time about what to do if the police stops me. If not handled properly, it can have fatal consequences. I was 12 years old. It's crazy. It really shouldn't be that at that age you have to discuss these things. It's just wrong
  26. "Who is Niko Hamalainen? The lowdown on the QPR youngster making his debut against Sunderland - West London Sport". Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 29 January 2017.
  27. "Tässä on 18-vuotias suomalaisen futiksen uusi tähti – "Välillä ihmetyttää, lyökö sydän ollenkaan"". Ilta-Sanomat (in Finnish). 23 September 2015. Retrieved 29 January 2017.
  28. "Games played by Niko Hämäläinen in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Retrieved 2 October 2016.
  29. "Games played by Niko Hämäläinen in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  30. "Games played by Niko Hämäläinen in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  31. "Games played by Niko Hämäläinen in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 28 January 2019.
  32. "Games played by Niko Hämäläinen in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
  33. "Games played by Niko Hämäläinen in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  34. "Games played by Niko Hämäläinen in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  35. Niko Hämäläinen at Soccerway. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
  36. Niko Hämäläinen at Soccerway. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
  37. Niko Hämäläinen at Soccerway. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
  38. Niko Hämäläinen at Soccerway. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
  39. Niko Hämäläinen at Soccerway. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
  40. "Niko Hamalainen". National-Football-Teams.com. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  41. "Tässä ovat Captain's Ball -futisgaalan kaikki palkitut tahot" [Here are all the awards of the Captain´s Ball Gala] (in Finnish). Suomifutis. 30 October 2015. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
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