Teemu Pukki

Teemu Pukki

With Brøndby IF in 2016
Personal information
Full name Teemu Pukki
Date of birth (1990-03-29) 29 March 1990
Place of birth Kotka, Finland
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Playing position Forward
Club information
Current team
 Brøndby IF
Number 9
Youth career
KTP
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2006–2008 KTP 29 (5)
2008–2010 Sevilla Atlético 17 (3)
2009 Sevilla 1 (0)
2010–2011 HJK 25 (13)
2011–2013 Schalke 04 37 (8)
2013–2015 Celtic 27 (7)
2014–2015 → Brøndby IF (loan) 27 (9)
2015– Brøndby IF 43 (18)
National team‡
Finland U17 9 (5)
Finland U19 9 (3)
2007–2011 Finland U21 23 (7)
2009– Finland 53 (9)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 29 August 2016.

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 9 October 2016

Teemu Pukki (born 29 March 1990) is a Finnish footballer who plays currently as a forward for Danish Superliga club Brøndby. He also plays at international level for Finland. He operates mainly as a centre-forward who often plays on the wings.

Club career

KTP

Pukki began his career as a youth at his hometown club, KTP, playing for their under-19 side. He made his debut for the first team at 16 years old and his performances saw him called up to play for Finland's youth international sides.[1][2] In two seasons of first-team football, Pukki made 29 appearances in the Finnish Premier League (Veikkausliiga) and scored three goals.[2]

Sevilla

Pukki moved to Sevilla from KTP[2] and was called up for the Sevilla first team for the away match against Real Madrid on 7 December 2008,[3] but was an unused substitute. He received his La Liga debut at home against Racing on 25 January 2009.[4] He found himself unused in Sevilla playing mostly for the reserve side Sevilla Atletico and he decided to return to Finland.

HJK Helsinki

Pukki playing for Helsingin Jalkapalloklubi

On 28 August 2010, Pukki signed a three-and-half-year contract with the Finnish Veikkausliiga club HJK.[5] Pukki made his debut 30 August a match against IFK Mariehamn. He managed to score his first goal for HJK in the next match against FF Jaro which was his first goal in a league match for nearly two years. During season 2010 he managed to play in seven games and score two goals for HJK in the 2010 season. At the end of the season HJK and Pukki won the Finnish Veikkausliiga and silver in the Finnish Cup.

During season 2011 he scored 11 goals and notched eight assists in 18 league matches out which he was in the starting line up in 13. He was chosen to 2011 Veikkausliiga All Stars -team.[6] Pukki was also a key figure in HJK´s UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League qualifications. He scored two goals against Bangor City and HJK´s both goals in a 2–0 home win against FC Schalke 04.[7] Pukki also scored HJK´s only goal in the 6–1 away match against Schalke.[8]

FC Schalke 04

Pukki training for FC Schalke 04 in 2013

Pukki scored three goals in two matches against FC Schalke 04 in August 2011 during the Europa League qualifier. First he scored twice in the first leg in Helsinki, and in Gelsenkirchen he scored an away goal. However, it was not enough to help HJK qualify to the group stage. Schalke was so impressed, they offered him a place in their squad. On 31 August 2011, Pukki joined the German Bundesliga side on a three-year contract.[9]

On 6 November, he scored two goals for Schalke as he debuted in the starting 11 against Hannover 96. By doing so, he became the third Finn to score a brace in the German Bundesliga, after Ari Hjelm and Pasi Rautiainen.[10]

Celtic

Pukki signed a four-year deal with Celtic from FC Schalke 04 for an undisclosed fee on 31 August 2013.[11] He scored on his debut in a 3–1 win against Hearts on 14 September 2013[12] and again on his home debut against St Johnstone on 21 September. On 26 January 2014 he scored against Hibernian.[13] Overall though, Pukki's first season at Celtic was considered something of a disappointment as he struggled with form and failed to fill the void left by Gary Hooper who had left at the start of the season.[14][15] Pukki himself later acknowledged the lack of impact he had made, admitting he initially felt playing in Scotland would be "easier" than in Germany.[16] He found the speed and physical nature of the game in Scotland difficult to adjust to, and stated "Scottish football is not easy. It’s not a bad league at all".[16]

On 8 July 2014, Pukki scored his first Celtic hat trick in a pre-season friendly against LASK Linz in a 5–2 victory for Celtic.[15] Pukki scored twice in Celtic's victory against KR Reykjavik at Murrayfield Stadium in Celtic's UEFA Champions League qualifying match, the match ended 4–0 with Celtic winning 5–0 on aggregate.[17] However, he struggled to make any impact in the next qualifying round matches against Legia Warsaw and was substituted at half-time in the league defeat to Inverness Caledonian Thistle on 6 August 2014.[18][19]

Brøndby

On 1 September 2014, Pukki signed a one-year loan deal with option to buy with Danish side Brøndby IF.[18] He made his debut 13 days later in a league match at home against Randers[20] and scored his first goal two weeks later in a 2–2 draw away against Esbjerg.[20] He went on to score another four goals in his next four games,[20][21] and was rewarded for his form by being voted the Superliga Player of the Month for October,[22] finishing the season as the club's top scorer, with nine goals.[23] On 19 June 2015, Pukki signed a three-year contract with Brøndby for an undisclosed fee.[23] On 4 August 2016, Pukki scored three goals when Brøndby knocked out Hertha BSC in the third round of the 2016-17 UEFA Europa League qualifiers, winning 3-1, thereby overcoming a 0-1 deficit from the first leg in Berlin.[24]

International career

Pukki debuted in the Finland national team on 4 February 2009 when Stuart Baxter used him as a substitute against Japan in a friendly match played in Tokyo .[25][26] He scored his fifth goal for his country on 22 March 2013, scoring the equaliser as Finland recorded a 1–1 draw at reigning world and European champions Spain in World Cup qualifying.

In May 2014, Pukki, on six goals at the time, scored his first international double. He scored twice in two minutes in a friendly with the Czech Republic national football team. The Czechs scored in between Pukki's two goals and later equalised as the match ended two apiece. The match was held at the Helsinki Olympic Stadium.

International goals

As of match played 9 October 2016. Finland score listed first, score column indicates score after each Pukki goal.[27]
International goals by date, venue, cap, opponent, score, result and competition
No. Date Venue Cap Opponent Score Result Competition
1 26 May 2012Red Bull Arena, Wals-Siezenheim, Austria11 Turkey2–23–2Friendly
2 15 August 2012Windsor Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland14 Northern Ireland3–3
3 11 September 2012Na Stínadlech, Teplice, Czech Republic16 Czech Republic1–01–0
4 14 November 2012GSP Stadium, Nicosia, Cyprus18 Cyprus3–0
5 22 March 2013El Molinón, Gijón, Spain20 Spain1–11–12014 FIFA World Cup qualification
6 11 June 2013Central Stadium, Gomel, Belarus23 Belarus1–0
7 21 May 2014Olympic Stadium, Helsinki, Finland30 Czech Republic2–2Friendly
8 2–1
9 6 October 2016Laugardalsvöllur, Reykjavík, Iceland52 Iceland1–02–32018 FIFA World Cup qualification

Career statistics

Club

As of 7 August 2016[20][28][29]
Club Season Division League Cup League Cup Europe Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
FC KooTeePee
2006 Veikkausliiga 5000000050
2007 Veikkausliiga 243000000243
Total 29300--00293
Sevilla Atlético
2008–09 Segunda Division 17300--00173
Total 17300--00173
Sevilla
2008–09 Primera Division 1000--0010
Total 1000--0010
HJK Helsinki
2010 Veikkausliiga 7210000082
2011 Veikkausliiga 18110020002011
2012 Veikkausliiga 0000--6565
Total 25131020653418
FC Schalke 04
2011–12 Bundesliga 19520--00215
2012–13 Bundesliga 17320--50243
2013–14 Bundesliga 1000--0010
Total 378400050468
Celtic
2013–14 Scottish Premiership 267101050337
2014–15 Scottish Premiership 1000004252
Total 277101092389
Brøndby IF
2014–15 Danish Superliga 2793200003011
2015–16 Danish Superliga 3390000834112
2016–17 Danish Superliga 580000661114
Total 642432001496633
Career total 185569230341623174

International

As of 9 October 2016[27]
National teamYearAppsGoals
Finland
200910
201020
201160
201294
2013102
201492
201570
201691
Total539

Honours

Club

Sevilla
HJK
Celtic

Individual

References

  1. ↑ "Finland's Wonderkid". Betting Advisory. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 "Football prospect Teemu Pukki chooses Spain and Sevilla FC". www.helsinginsanomat.fi/english. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
  3. ↑ "PUKKI, GRAN NOVEDAD EN LA LISTA DE 18 PARA EL BERNABÉU" (in Spanish). sevillafc.es. 6 December 2008. Retrieved 5 August 2012.
  4. ↑ "El Sevilla nunca pudo con el orden del Racing" (in Spanish). sevillafc.es.
  5. ↑ "Nyt se on varmaa - Teemu Pukki HJK-paitaan" (in Finnish). YLE Urheilu. 28 August 2010. Retrieved 27 December 2014.
  6. ↑ "Kopla-joukkue 2011 nimetty" (in Finnish). Veikkausliiga. 29 October 2011. Retrieved 27 December 2014.
  7. ↑ "Sensaatio: HJK kaatoi Schalken 2–0!" (in Finnish). YLE Urheilu. 18 August 2011. Retrieved 27 December 2014.
  8. ↑ "Schalke jyräsi HJK:n unelman murusiksi" (in Finnish). YLE Urheilu. 25 August 2011. Retrieved 27 December 2014.
  9. ↑ "Pukki Schalkeen kolmen vuoden pestillä" (in Finnish). yle.fi. 31 August 2011. Retrieved 5 August 2012.
  10. ↑ "Pukki makes Finnish football history" (in Finnish). suomifutis.com. 6 November 2011. Retrieved 5 August 2012.
  11. ↑ "Celtic sign Teemu Pukki from Schalke on four-year deal". BBC Sport. 31 August 2013. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  12. ↑ "Hearts 1 Celtic 3 match report: Teemu Pukki scores on debut".
  13. ↑ Sutherl, Jonathan; Scotl, B. B. C.; Park, at Celtic. "Celtic 2-1 St Johnstone".
  14. ↑ "Pukki's Celtic career will take off – Paatelainen". The Independent (Ireland). 7 January 2014. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
  15. 1 2 "Teemu Pukki nets hat-trick as Celtic thrash LASK Linz 5-2 in Austria". Sky Sports. 8 July 2014. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
  16. 1 2 Gannon, Michael (8 July 2014). "Celtic striker Teemu Pukki: I thought Scotland would be easy after Schalke.. I was wrong". Daily Record. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
  17. ↑ Campbell, Alan (22 July 2014). "Celtic make light work of KR Reykjavik to progress in Champions League". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
  18. 1 2 Coyle, Andy (1 September 2014). "Celtic forward Teemu Pukki seals surprise move to Danish side Brondb". STV Sport. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
  19. ↑ "Pukki, Teemu". FitbaStats. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
  20. 1 2 3 4 5 "Finland - T. Pukki - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway".
  21. ↑ "Celtic pricing Teemu Pukki out of permanent Brondby move says sporting director". Inside Futbol. 4 November 2011. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
  22. ↑ "Celtic Striker Teemu Pukki Continues To Impress In Brondby Loan and Bags Award".
  23. 1 2 "Teemu får tre år i Brøndby IF". Brondby.com (in Danish). 19 June 2015. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
  24. ↑ (www.dw.com), Deutsche Welle. "Pukki hat trick knocks Hertha out of the Europa League - Sports - DW.COM - 04.08.2016".
  25. ↑ "Football: Japan thrash Finland 5–1 in international friendly". channelnewsasia.com. 4 February 2009. Retrieved 5 August 2012.
  26. ↑ "Suomelle selkäsauna Tokiossa" (in Finnish). YLE Urheilu. 4 February 2009. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  27. 1 2 "Teemu Pukki". Football Association of Finland (in Finnish). Retrieved 15 October 2016.
  28. ↑ "Teemu Pukki Player Profile - ESPN FC".
  29. ↑ "Celtic Player Teemu Pukki Details".
  30. 1 2 "Nordic Football".
  31. ↑ "Kopla-joukkue 2011 nimetty" (in Finnish). Kymppipaikka. 29 October 2011. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
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