Niki_Mäenpää

Niki Mäenpää

Niki Mäenpää

Finnish footballer (born 1985)

Niki Emil Antonio Mäenpää (Finnish pronunciation: [ˈniki ˈmæempæː]; born 23 January 1985) is a Finnish professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Veikkausliiga club HJK.[4] He began his senior club career playing for the Lens reserve team, before signing with Den Bosch at age 21 in 2006.

Quick Facts Personal information, Full name ...

Mäenpää made his international debut for Finland in June 2008, at the age of 23, and has since had over 20 caps, including appearing in 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification.

Club career

Lens

Mäenpää was born in Espoo, Finland. He started his senior career at the RC Lens reserve team in 2003.[5] During winter 2006 transfer window, he joined Telstar on loan until the end of the season. He did not feature in any Ligue 1 match in the first team of RC Lens. His contract with Lens expired on 30 June 2006.

FC Den Bosch

During summer 2006, Mäenpää joined Dutch Eerste Divisie side FC Den Bosch on a free transfer. He made his breakthrough in season 2006–07 when he played 27 league matches. He made a total of 67 league appearances during 3 seasons. His contract with FC Den Bosch expired in summer 2009.

Willem II

In summer 2009, Mäenpää joined Dutch Eredivisie side Willem II on a free transfer, making 18 league appearances. He left Willem II in summer 2011, by terminating his contract after they got relegated to Eerste Divisie.

AZ Alkmaar

On 3 October 2011, Mäenpää joined AZ Alkmaar on a free transfer on a contract until the end of the season, joining compatriot and team captain Niklas Moisander.[6] However at AZ, he found himself demoted to third-choice, behind Esteban Alvarado and the veteran Erik Heijblok. He left the club after only one season, without making a single appearance for the AZ's first team.

VVV-Venlo

On 29 May 2012, it was announced that Mäenpää had signed a three-year contract with fellow Eredivisie side VVV-Venlo.[7] Despite being sent off three minutes into his debut match,[8] the fans voted him as best Venlo player of the season 2013–14.[9] In the summer of 2015 he left VVV Venlo on a free transfer after his contract expired[10]

Brighton & Hove Albion

On 6 July 2015, it was announced that Mäenpää had signed a contract with English side Brighton & Hove Albion following his release from VVV-Venlo.[11] He made his Brighton & Hove Albion league debut in a 3–0 victory over Rotherham at Falmer Stadium on 16 August 2016.[12] At the end of 2017–18 season, he left the club.[13]

Bristol City

On 1 August 2018, Mäenpää signed for EFL Championship club Bristol City.[14] On 4 August 2018, he made his debut in a match against Nottingham Forest.[citation needed] On 21 May 2019, it was announced an option to extend his contract was triggered and he would be remaining with The Robins for the 2019–20 season.[15]

Stoke City

Mäenpää signed a short-term contract with Stoke City on 27 November 2020 to act as cover for Josef Bursik following injuries to Adam Davies and Angus Gunn.[16] However he suffered an injury himself in his first training session and Stoke brought in Andy Lonergan.[17]

Venezia

On 15 February 2021, Mäenpää joined Italian Serie B club Venezia until the end of the 2020–21 season, with an option for the 2021–22 season.[18] In June 2021 it was announced that he had signed a two-year contract to remain at the club until the end of June 2023.[19]

On 14 May 2022, in a Serie A match against AS Roma at Stadio Olimpico, Mäenpää had a man-of-the-match performance with a record-number of 16 saved shots (8 of which came from inside the box). The match ultimately ended in a 1–1 draw, after Venezia's Sofian Kiyine had been sent off with a red card on the 32nd minute.[20]

HJK

On 4 August 2023, after playing professional football abroad for 20 years, Mäenpää returned to Finland and signed with his former club HJK Helsinki on a deal for the rest of the 2023 season.[21] A couple of weeks later, Mäenpää had made his debuts in the Europa League and the Finnish premier division, at the age of 38.[22]

International career

Mäenpää was 18 years old on 1 April 2003 when he debuted in Finland's youth team in a match against Sweden in Malmö. He played his first game in Finland national under-21 football team 30 March 2004 in Corradino in a match against Malta. He gained 13 caps for Finland's U21-team.

Mäenpää made his debut for the Finland national team on 2 June 2008 in a friendly match in Veritas Stadion, Turku against Belarus when Stuart Baxter chose him for the starting line up.[23] During 2012 he established himself as a regular in the Finland national team and gained six caps.[24] He played his first FIFA World Cup qualification game on 12 October 2012 in Helsinki Olympic Stadium when Mixu Paatelainen chose him for the starting eleven in a match against Georgia.[25] He played one of his best games in March 2013 when Finland got a surprising 1–1 away draw against Spain in qualifying for the 2014 World Cup. He established himself as the national team's regular goalkeeper and played seven out of eight matches in qualification, and 20 matches in total during 2012–2014.

Career statistics

Club

As of 14 December 2023[26][27][28]
More information Club, Season ...
  1. Appearances in Promotion – Relegation play-offs
  2. Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  3. Appearance in Championship play-offs
  4. Appearances in EFL Trophy
  5. Appearances in Serie B – Promotion play-offs
  6. Appearances in UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League

International

As of 31 March 2021[29]
More information National team, Year ...

Honours

Finland

HJK

References

  1. [1]
    "Updated squads for 2017/18 Premier League confirmed". Premier League. 2 February 2018. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  2. [2]
    "PLAYER PROFILES 1 NIKI MAENPAA". seagulls.co.uk. Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club. Archived from the original on 6 June 2017. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
  3. [3]
    "PLAYER PROFILES 1 NIKI MAENPAA". seagulls.co.uk. Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club. Archived from the original on 6 June 2017. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
  4. [4]
    "Niki Mäenpää" (in Finnish). Suomen Palloliitto. Archived from the original on 23 March 2016. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  5. [5]
    "FootballSquads – Lens – 2003/04". FootballSquads. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  6. [6]
    "AZ - Nieuwsarchief". Archived from the original on 23 July 2012. Retrieved 4 October 2011.
  7. [7]
    "Suomen maajoukkuevahti Hollannin pääsarjaseuraan (Finnish international goalkeeper continues at Eredivisie)" (in Finnish). Archived from the original on 30 May 2012. Retrieved 30 May 2012.
  8. [8]
    "Suomen maajoukkuevahti Hollannin pääsarjaseuraan (Finnish international goalkeeper continues at Eredivisie)" (in Finnish). Archived from the original on 30 May 2012. Retrieved 30 May 2012.
  9. [9]
    "Mäenpää gekozen tot beste speler van het seizoen 2013-2014 - Venlonaren". Archived from the original on 31 May 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2014.
  10. [10]
    "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 10 June 2015. Retrieved 9 June 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  11. [11]
    "Brighton sign Finland goalkeeper Niki Maenpaa". BBC Sport. 6 July 2015. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  12. [12]
    "Maenpaa's seized opportunity". Brighton and Hove Albion Football Club. 17 August 2016. Archived from the original on 24 September 2016. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  13. [13]
    "Albion confirm departure of goalkeeper Niki Maenpaa". The Argus. 21 June 2018. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
  14. [14]
    "Niki Maenpaa: Bristol City sign former Brighton & Hove Albion goalkeeper". BBC Sport. 1 August 2018. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  15. [15]
    "Mäenpää to remain in BS3". Bristol City. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  16. [16]
    "Breaking - Stoke City confirm new goalkeeper signing on eve of Sheffield Wednesday clash". Stoke Sentinel. 27 November 2020. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  17. [17]
    "Andy Lonergan: Stoke City sign experienced goalkeeper". BBC Sport. Retrieved 25 December 2020.
  18. [18]
    "OFFICIAL: Niki Mäenpää joins Venezia FC". Venezia. 15 February 2021.
  19. [19]
    "Maenpaa rinnova". Venezia official site. Venezia FC.
  20. [20]
    "Suomalaisvahdilta täydellinen suoritus Serie A:ssa, tilastot järisyttävää luettavaa". MTV Oy. 15 May 2022.
  21. [21]
    "Niki Mäenpää ja HJK loppukauden mittaiseen sopimukseen". HJK. 4 August 2023.
  22. [22]
    "Niki Mäenpää". Soccerway. 20 September 2023.
  23. [23]
    "Suomi venyi tasapeliin – katso pelin eteneminen minuutti minuutilta" (in Finnish). YLE Urheilu. 2 June 2008. Archived from the original on 31 December 2014. Retrieved 28 December 2014.
  24. [24]
    "Finland (2012)". National Football Teams. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  25. [25]
    "Eremenko junior ulos, Suomi puristi vajaalla tasapeliin" (in Finnish). YLE Urheilu. 12 October 2012. Retrieved 28 December 2014.
  26. [26]
    "Niki Mäenpää".
  27. [27]
    "Finland - N. Mäenpää - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway".
  28. [28]
    "Niki Maenpaa | Football Stats | Unione Venezia | Age 36 | Soccer Base".
  29. [29]
    "Niki Mäenpää". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
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