Teemu Pukki

Teemu Pukki

Pukki training for FC Schalke 04 in 2013
Personal information
Full nameTeemu Pukki
Date of birth29 March 1990
Place of birthKotka, Finland
Height1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing positionForward
Club information
Current team
Brøndby IF (on loan from Celtic)
Number9
Youth career
KTP
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2006–2008KTP29(5)
2008–2010Sevilla Atletico33(3)
2009Sevilla1(0)
2010–2011HJK25(13)
2011–2013Schalke 0437(8)
2013–Celtic27(7)
2014–→ Brøndby (loan)20(6)
National team‡
Finland U179(5)
Finland U199(3)
2007–2011Finland U2121(6)
2009–Finland39(8)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 29 April 2015.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 11 April 2015

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

Club career

KooTeePee

Pukki began his career as a youth at his hometown club, KooTeePee, 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 3 goals.[2]

Sevilla

Pukki moved to Sevilla from KooTeePee[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 and he decided to return to Finland.

HJK Helsinki

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 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 eleven 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 on 14 September 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] Pukki went on to score another four goals in his next four games.[20][21] Pukki was rewarded for his form at Danish side Brondby by being voted the Superliga Player of the Month for October. [22]

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 .[23][24] 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

Scores and results list Finland's goal tally first.[25]

# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition Report
1 26 May 2012 Red Bull Arena, Wals-Siezenheim, Austria  Turkey 2–2 3–2 Friendly match Report
2 15 August 2012 Windsor Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland  Northern Ireland 2–2 3–3 Friendly match Report
3 11 September 2012 Na Stínadlech, Teplice, Czech Republic  Czech Republic 1–0 1–0 Friendly match Report
4 14 November 2012 GSP Stadium, Nicosia, Cyprus  Cyprus 1–0 3–0 Friendly match Report
5 22 March 2013 El Molinón, Gijón, Spain  Spain 1–1 1–1 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification Report
6 11 June 2013 Central Stadium, Gomel, Belarus  Belarus 1–0 1–1 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification Report
7 21 May 2014 Olympic Stadium, Helsinki, Finland  Czech Republic 1–0 2–2 Friendly match Report
8 2–1

Honours

Club

Sevilla
HJK
Celtic

Individual

Career statistics

Club

[20][28][29]

As of 13 April 2015
Club Season Division League Cup League Cup Europe Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
FC KooTeePee
2006 Veikkausliiga 5000000050
2007 Veikkausliiga 243000000243
FC KooTeePee Total 29300--00293
Sevilla Atlético
2008–09 Segunda Division 17300--00173
Sevilla Atlético Total 17300--00173
Sevilla
2008–09 Primera Division 1000--0010
Sevilla Total 1000--0010
HJK Helsinki
2010 Veikkausliiga 7210000082
2011 Veikkausliiga 17110020001911
2012 Veikkausliiga 0000--6565
HJK Helsinki Total 24131020653319
FC Schalke 04
2011–12 Bundesliga 19520--00215
2012–13 Bundesliga 17320--50243
2013–14 Bundesliga 1000--0010
FC Schalke 04 Total 378400050468
Celtic
2013–14 Scottish Premiership 267101050337
2014–15 Scottish Premiership 1000004252
Celtic Total 277101092389
Brøndby IF
2014–15 Danish Superliga 186320000218
Brøndby IF Total 186320000218
Career Total 14740724020717850

International

As of 11 April 2015[30]
Finland national team
YearAppsGoals
200910
201020
201160
2012104
201392
201492
201520
Total398

References

  1. ↑ "Finland's Wonderkid". Betting Advisory. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "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. ↑ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2420709/Hearts-1-Celtic-3-match-report-Teemu-Pukki-nets-bow-Hoops-warm-AC-Milan-style.html
  13. ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24089866
  14. ↑ "Pukki’s Celtic career will take off – Paatelainen". The Independent (Ireland). 7 January 2014. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 "Teemu Pukki nets hat-trick as Celtic thrash LASK Linz 5-2 in Austria". Sky Sports. 8 July 2014. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 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. ↑ 18.0 18.1 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. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 20.4 http://uk.soccerway.com/players/teemu-pukki/8468/
  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. ↑ "Football: Japan thrash Finland 5–1 in international friendly". channelnewsasia.com. 4 February 2009. Retrieved 5 August 2012.
  24. ↑ "Suomelle selkäsauna Tokiossa" (in Finnish). YLE Urheilu. 4 February 2009. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  25. ↑ "NFT Profile". National Football Teams. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 http://www.nordicfootball.info/2011/11/23/hjk-in-2011-the-double-transfers-and-near-success-in-europe/
  27. ↑ "Kopla-joukkue 2011 nimetty" (in Finnish). Kymppipaikka. 29 October 2011. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  28. ↑ http://www.espnfc.com/player/127520/teemu-pukki
  29. ↑ http://www.fitbastats.com/celtic/player.php?playerid=6653
  30. ↑ "Teemu Pukki" (in Finnish). palloliitto.fi. Retrieved 2 April 2015.

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