Katariina Kosola
.jpg) Kosola with Malmö FF in 2025 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Saara Katariina Kosola | ||
| Date of birth | 24 February 2001 | ||
| Place of birth | Hämeenlinna, Finland[1] | ||
| Height | 1.62 m (5 ft 4 in) | ||
| Positions | |||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Vålerenga | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2008–2018 | HJS | ||
| 2018 | Ilves | ||
| 2018 | Hämeenlinnan Härmä | ||
| 2019 | HFA-Märsky | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2018 | Hämeenlinnan Härmä | 6 | (9) |
| 2020–2021 | HJK | 41 | (9) |
| 2022 | Umeå IK | 24 | (2) |
| 2023 | KIF Örebro | 17 | (0) |
| 2023–2024 | BK Häcken | 13 | (1) |
| 2025–2026 | Malmö FF | 29 | (2) |
| 2026– | Vålerenga | 0 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2018 | Finland U17 | 1 | (0) |
| 2019 | Finland U18 | 2 | (0) |
| 2019 | Finland U19 | 1 | (0) |
| 2021–2022 | Finland U23 | 4 | (0) |
| 2023– | Finland | 34 | (5) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 3 July 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 5 June 2026 | |||
Saara Katariina Kosola (Finnish: ['sɑːrɑ 'kɑtɑriːnɑ 'kosolɑ] born 24 February 2001) is a Finnish professional footballer who plays as a wing-back for Toppserien club Vålerenga and the Finland national team.[2][3] She is seen as one of the rising stars of the Finland national team.[4]
Early career
[edit]Born in Hämeenlinna, Kosola started football with local club Hämeenlinnan Jalkapalloseura. She also played briefly for youth teams of Ilves, Hämeenlinnan Härmä, and Helsinki-based HFA Märsky. She made her senior debut with Härmä in 2018, playing in third-tier Naisten Kakkonen and scoring nine goals in six appearances.
Club career
[edit]For the 2020 Kansallinen Liiga season, Kosola joined reigning champions HJK Helsinki. On 21 August 2020, it was announced that Kosola would continue with the club.[5] During her time at HJK, she scored 9 goals in 41 games, and became one of the best wingers in the league.[6]
In 2022, Kosola was announced by Damallsvenskan club Umeå IK.[7]
In 2023, Kosola was announced at KIF Örebro, signing for the 2023 season.[8]
On 29 August 2023, Kosola was announced at BK Häcken, signing a three year deal with the club for an undisclosed fee.[9] On 23 November 2023, Kosola scored the 2nd goal in a 2–1 win over Real Madrid in the UEFA Women's Champions League, scoring in the 76th minute.[10] In April 2024, she suffered a serious ankle injury that kept her out for months.[11]
On 7 January 2025, Kosola signed with Malmö FF on a three-year deal.[12]
International career
[edit]Kosola represented Finland U17 at the 2018 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in Uruguay.
Whilst playing for Umeå IK, Kosola got her first call up to the Finland national team, joining teammate Vilma Koivisto.[13]
Kosola scored two goals against Slovakia in the 2023–24 UEFA Women's Nations League B.[14]
Kosola was part of the Finland squad that won the 2023 Cyprus Women's Cup for the first time.[15]
On 19 June 2025, Kosola was called up to the Finland squad for the UEFA Women's Euro 2025.[16] On 2 July, in the first match of the tournament, Kosola scored the match winner for Finland in a 1–0 win against Iceland,[17] winning also the Player of the Match award.[18]
Career statistics
[edit]Club
[edit]| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Hämeenlinnan Härmä | 2018 | Naisten Kakkonen | 6 | 9 | – | – | – | 6 | 9 | |||
| HJK | 2020 | Kansallinen Liiga | 18 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1[b] | 0 | – | 21 | 4 | |
| 2021 | Kansallinen Liiga | 23 | 6 | 4 | 3 | – | – | 27 | 9 | |||
| Total | 41 | 9 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 48 | 13 | ||
| Umeå IK | 2022 | Damallsvenskan | 24 | 2 | 4 | 3 | – | – | 28 | 5 | ||
| KIF Örebro | 2023 | Damallsvenskan | 17 | 0 | 3 | 0 | – | – | 20 | 0 | ||
| BK Häcken | 2023 | Damallsvenskan | 9 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 10[b] | 2 | – | 24 | 4 | |
| 2024 | Damallsvenskan | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 4 | 0 | ||
| Total | 13 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 4 | ||
| Malmö FF | 2025 | Damallsvenskan | 11 | 0 | 3 | 0 | – | – | 14 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 112 | 21 | 21 | 8 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 144 | 31 | ||
- ↑ Includes Finnish Women's Cup and Svenska Cupen (women)
- 1 2 Includes UEFA Women's Champions League
International
[edit]- As of 5 June 2026
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finland | 2022 | 1 | 0 |
| 2023 | 11 | 3 | |
| 2024 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2025 | 12 | 1 | |
| 2026 | 5 | 1 | |
| Total | 34 | 5 | |
International goals
[edit]- Scores and results list Finland's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Kosola goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 7 April 2023 | NTC Senec, Senec, Slovakia |  Slovakia | 1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly |
| 2. | 22 September 2023 | Veritas Stadium, Turku, Finland | Slovakia | 3–0 | 4–0 | 2023–24 UEFA Women's Nations League |
| 3. | 4–0 | |||||
| 4. | 2 July 2025 | Arena Thun, Thun, Switzerland |  Iceland | 1–0 | 1–0 | UEFA Women's Euro 2025 |
| 5. | 14 April 2026 | Töölö Football Stadium, Helsinki, Finland | Slovakia | 1–0 | 4–2 | 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification |
References
[edit]- ↑ Kauhala, Topias (26 November 2023). "Katariina Kosola Hämeenlinnasta upotti Real Madridin ja pelaa seuraavaksi Chelsean Stamford Bridgellä – "Onhan se ihan unelmien täyttymys"". Hämeen Sanomat.
- ↑ "Jalkapallo | Katariina Kosola haluaa maailman huippuliigaan: "Ei ainuttakaan tappiota Helmareissa"". Helsingin Sanomat(subscription required). 16 July 2023.
- ↑ "Entinen Ilves-juniori palaa Tampereelle maajoukkuepaidassa – Katariina Kosola tavoittelee arvokisapaikkaa Helmareissa". Aamulehti(subscription required). 17 July 2023.
- ↑ "Tässä on Helmareiden uusi tähti – Katariina Kosola, 22, sai Ruotsissa huippusiirron ja harvinaisen sopimuksen". Yle Urheilu. 26 September 2023.
- ↑ "Katariina Kosola jatkaa Klubissa". www.hjk.fi (in Finnish). 21 August 2020.
- ↑ "Katariina Kosola siirtyy Ruotsiin". www.hjk.fi (in Finnish). 8 December 2021.
- ↑ "Katariina Kosola, ännu ett nyförvärv med sisu till UIK". www.umeaik.se (in Swedish).
- ↑ "Finska landslagsspelaren Katariina Kosola till KIF Örebro". www.laget.se (in Finnish).
- ↑ "BK Häcken värvar från KIF Örebro". bkhacken.se (in Swedish). 29 August 2023.
- ↑ "Jalkapallo | Katariina Kosola upotti upealla laukauksella Real Madridin Mestarien liigassa". Helsingin Sanomat. 23 November 2023.
- ↑ "Mystinen nilkkavamma on pitänyt Katariina Kosolan pelikentiltä poissa kuukausia – toivoo apua leikkauksesta". yle.fi (in Finnish). 10 September 2024.
- ↑ Katariina Kosola siirtyy Malmön riveihin, Yle, 7 January 2025
- ↑ "Även Katariina Kosola uttagen till finska landslaget". www.umeaik.se (in Swedish).
- ↑ "Helmareiden tuntematon tähti elää unelmaansa – Yle tapasi Katariina Kosolan Göteborgissa: "Saan tehdä, mitä rakastan"". yle.fi (in Finnish). 20 March 2024.
- ↑ "Rumänien utklassat av fotbollsdamerna – Cyprus Cup blev en framgångssaga för Finland". svenska.yle.fi. 22 February 2023. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
- ↑ "Helmarit nimetty EM-lopputurnaukseen" [Helmarit named for the European Championship finals] (in Finnish). Football Association of Finland. 19 June 2025. Archived from the original on 20 June 2025. Retrieved 23 June 2025.
- ↑ Katariina Kosola kertoi, mitä kulisseissa tapahtui Suomen voitonjuhlissa, Ilta-Sanomat, 2 July 2025
- ↑ Player of the Match: Katariina Kosola, UEFA, 2 July 2025
- ↑ "Katariina Kosola". tulospalvelu.palloliitto.fi. Football Association of Finland.
- ↑ Katariina Kosola Archived 22 March 2023 at the Wayback Machine, Swedish Football Association
External links
[edit]
- Katariina Kosola at Soccerway.com
- Katariina Kosola at WorldFootball.net
- Katariina Kosola at FBref.com
- Katariina Kosola at Kicker (in German)
- Katariina Kosola at the Swedish Football Association (in Swedish)
 | ||
- 2001 births
- Living people
- Sportspeople from Kanta-Häme
- Finnish women's footballers
- Women's association football midfielders
- HJS Akatemia players
- Ilves (football) players
- Helsingin Jalkapalloklubi (women) players
- Umeå IK players
- KIF Örebro DFF players
- BK Häcken FF players
- Hämeenlinnan Härmä players
- Malmö FF (women) players
- Vålerenga Fotball Damer players
- Kansallinen Liiga players
- Damallsvenskan players
- Finland women's youth international footballers
- Finland women's international footballers
- UEFA Women's Euro 2025 players
- Finnish expatriate women's footballers
- Finnish expatriate sportspeople in Sweden
- Expatriate women's footballers in Sweden
- 21st-century Finnish sportswomen
- 2018 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup players