Markus Halsti

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Markus Halsti
Personal information
Full nameMarkus Olof Halsti
Date of birth (1984-03-19) 19 March 1984
Place of birthHelsinki, Finland
Height1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing positionDefender / Wingback
Midfielder
Club information
Current clubMalmö FF
Number6
Youth career
0000–2007FC Viikingit
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2003–2007HJK77(3)
2008GAIS0(0)
2008–Malmö FF89(5)
National team‡
?Finland U2115(0)
2008–Finland19(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 3 November 2013.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 24 January 2014

Markus Halsti (born 19 March 1984 in Helsinki) is a Finnish football defender and midfielder who plays for Malmö FF and the Finland national team

Club career

In Finland

Starting his career in FC Viikingit before moving to HJK in the Finnish top league in 2003, he debuted in 2003. His 2005 season ended badly with a serious injury in the middle of the season. Same injury came later in the beginning of 2007 when he again missed half of the season due to this fracture in his right leg. This was also his last year in HJK as he signed to a Swedish club GAIS after a tip off from former Finnish national team coach Roy Hodgson as a bosman.[1] However, before he ever had a chance to make a debut for GAIS he moved to the Allsvenskan rivals Malmö FF.[2][3] Before signing with GAIS, he was on trial with Italian Atalanta and Leeds United. The Norwegian clubs Start and Molde IF, as well as a few unknown Danish clubs were also interested to sign him, but found him too expensive.[1]

Malmö FF

Following a disappointing couple of years with Malmö FF with a knee injury, Halsti reinvigorated his club career by heading in the 3-2 goal against Kalmar FF away from home in April 2010, which ultimately won Malmö the match. In the same game he also got injured, and due to this injury he missed most of the 2010 season. In 2010 Malmö FF won the league just ahead of their rivals Helsingborgs IF. Halsti played as a central defender and right defender positions during the 2011 season. He scored his second goal for the club in the away derby match against Helsingborgs IF, which eventually ended in a 2-2 draw.

In 2011 Malmö FF was close of qualification to the Champions League, first winning Rangers FC away 1-0 where Halsti played as a right back, and then getting 1-1 draw at home in a game where Halsti was injured once again. In the end GNK Dinamo Zagreb went to the Group Stage of the tournament by only one goal marginal, as they first won home 4-1 but then lost 2-0 in Malmö. Halsti played in both games, making a goal pass to 1-1 goal in Zagreb. Malmö still qualified to the Europa League in the same group as AZ Alkmaar, FC Metalist Kharkiv and FK Austria Wien. In the group Malmö didn't have much chance as they got only 1 point in 6 games. AZ Alkmaar and FC Metalist Kharkiv qualified to the quarter- finals of the tournament but were both beaten there. Halsti played totally three games in the competition.

For the 2012 season, Halsti found himself in tough competition for a starting spot, and only received limited time on the pitch for the first part of the season. After the summer break, manager Rikard Norling decided that he wanted to play Halsti as a central midfielder, a position where the team needed reinforcement. In total Halsti played 13 matches for Malmö FF during the 2012 season, the majority as a midfielder. After the end of the season Halsti was offered a new contract lasting until the end of the 2014 season. Halsti extended his contract on 3 December 2012.[4]

During the 2013 season, Halsti became an integral part of the Malmö side that secured the championship in late October 2013.[5] Halsti continued to play as a central midfielder during the season and played 28 matches and scored two goals in his most successful season yet at the club. Halsti scored the only goal of the game in the last minutes of the first half in the home fixture against title contender AIK on 11 August 2013. He later scored the club's last goal of the season in the 3–1 win against Syrianska FC at home on 3 November 2013.

International career

Halsti made his debut for the Finnish national team on 6 February 2008 in a friendly match against Greece. During 2013 he became a regular squad player, and was played in several defensive positions.

Career statistics

Club

As of 3 November 2013.[6]
Club Season League Cup Continental Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
HJK 2003 30——30
2004 171——171
2005 172——172
2006 210——210
2007 190——190
Total 773——773
Malmö FF 2008 15010—160
2009 10000—100
2010 7110—81
2011 1613080271
2012 13100—131
2013 2823061373
2014 00000000
Total 895801411116
Career total 1668801411889

International

As of 24 January 2014.[6]
National teamYearAppsGoals
Finland 200810
200910
201010
201120
201250
201380
201410
Total190

Honours

Club

Malmö FF

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Finsk sisu i backlinjen" (in Swedish). Gais.se. 2007-12-14. Retrieved 2009-07-03. 
  2. ↑ "MFF värvar finsk landslagsback" (in Swedish). Sydsvenskan.se. 2008-03-30. Retrieved 2009-07-03. 
  3. ↑ "Blixtkupp mot Gais - Halsti såld till Malmö FF" (in Swedish). GP.se. 2008-03-30. Retrieved 2009-07-03. 
  4. ↑ "Halsti stannar!" (in Swedish). mff.se. 3 December 2012. Retrieved 3 December 2012. 
  5. ↑ http://www.dn.se/sport/fotboll/matchhjalten-molins-hyllar-rikard-norling/
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Markus Halsti". soccerway.com (in Swedish). Soccerway. Retrieved 13 January 2013. 

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Markus Halsti.
Malmö FF – current squad
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