Like Switzerland, Finland approaches the final of group A of the Euro with the aim of rallying the quarter -finals. The Nordics want to ignite a country where ice hockey is no longer the only king.
Finland has always been in the shadow of its Nordic neighbors in terms of football. She does not have the list of Denmark, European champion in 1992 (men), nor that of Sweden, World Cup finalist (men in 1958, women in 2003) and European champion in 1984 (women).
She also does not have the stars of Norway, represented by Caroline Graham Hansen, Ada Hegerberg, Erling Haaland or Martin Odegaard in the biggest European championships. Even Iceland, a country fourteen times less populated, seems to have passed it in the past ten years.
In Switzerland, Finnish surnames are much more often associated with ice hockey than football. However, the round ball is constantly increasing in this country of 5.6 million inhabitants – not Scandinavian, but with Fennique culture, like Estonia. Between 2015 and 2023, the number of licensees thus increased from 125,000 to more than 160,000, an increase of almost 30%, according to figures from the Finnish football association.
“Sport number 1”
The major beginnings of the men’s team – the “Huuhkajat” (Hiboux Grands -Ducs) – in a final phase of one euro in 2021 partly explain this increase in popularity. “This changed the vision that the country of the national team had,” said midfielder Olga Ahtinen in Keystone-Ats during a meeting with the press on Tuesday in Geneva.
“Football is in my opinion the number 1 sport in Finland and it keeps growing up. Personally, it was the easiest way to practice a team sport. I have never really interested myself in ice hockey”, continues the Tottenham player.
The female selection – The “Helmarit” (boreal owls) – lives in Switzerland its fifth euro. After having crossed the group phase during its first two participations (semi-final in 2005, quarter-final in 2009 at home), it has however fell into the European hierarchy in recent years.
This did not prevent women’s football from experiencing a certain growth in the country. “Girls’ supervision in clubs has evolved in the right direction,” said Liisa-Maija Rautio, the selection-assistant coach. “This allowed us to retain the players and not to see them go and practice another sport, or simply stop.”
Outsider against Switzerland
On paper, the Finns were the most affordable opponent in this northern group. But their opening victory against Iceland (1-0), and the domination they exercised against Norway, despite a raging defeat (2-1), revived the hope of a qualification for the quarter-finals.
To achieve this and break the Swiss dream at the same time, they will have to win Thursday in Geneva at all costs. “Everything would have been easier if we had been able to hold the draw against Norway”, plague Olga Ahtinen. “But these two performances still gave us a lot of energy and confidence.”
Faced with Switzerland, “a superb team” according to Liisa-Maija Rautio, Finland will gladly endorse the Outsider costume. “The pressure is on their shoulders. They play at home and want to pass the hens for the first time,” said Olga Ahtinen. “Few people saw us qualify, so the situation is favorable to us. We can create surprise.”
This article was published automatically. Source: ATS