Jussi Niska (born 15 August 2002) is a Finnish professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Veikkausliiga club Inter Turku and the Finland U21 national team.[1]

Jussi Niska
Personal information
Date of birth (2002-08-15) 15 August 2002 (age 22)
Place of birth Rovaniemi, Finland
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Left-back
Team information
Current team
Inter Turku
Number 2
Youth career
FC Santa Claus
0000–2019 RoPS
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019–2020 RoPS II 7 (0)
2020–2021 RoPS 36 (0)
2022– Inter Turku 67 (1)
International career
2018 Finland U16 2 (0)
2018 Finland U17 4 (0)
2023– Finland U21 8 (0)
Medal record
RoPS
Second place Ykkönen 2021
Inter Turku
Second place Finnish League Cup 2022
Second place Finnish Cup 2022
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23 October 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 10 September 2024

Club career

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RoPS

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Born in Rovaniemi, Niska played for the youth teams of FC Lynx, who later became part of FC Santa Claus,[2] and RoPS. He debuted in Veikkausliiga for the RoPS first team on 2 July 2020 at the age of 17, in a 3–1 away defeat against Inter Turku.[3]

After RoPS got relegated in 2020, Niska stayed with the club in Ykkönen in the 2021 season,[2] finishing 2nd in the division, but eventually falling short to AC Oulu in the promotion play-offs.[4][5]

FC Inter Turku

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Niska signed a three-year deal with Inter Turku in Veikkausliiga on 23 December 2021,[6] after RoPS faced some serious financial difficulties and were relegated to Kakkonen. On 6 July 2022, Niska scored the winning goal as Inter Turku defeated Drita 1–0 in the 1st leg of the 2022–23 UEFA Europa Conference League 1st round qualifying match.[7][8] On 8 October 2024, his contract was extended for the 2025 with an option for 2026.[9]

International career

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A regular Finnish youth international, Niska has represented Finland in various age brackets.[10]

Career statistics

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As of 23 October 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup[a] League cup[b] Europe Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
RoPS II 2019 Kakkonen 6 0 6 0
2020 Kakkonen 1 0 1 0
Total 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 0
RoPS 2020 Veikkausliiga 20 0 5 0 25 0
2021 Ykkönen 16 0 4 0 20 0
Total 36 0 9 0 0 0 0 0 45 0
Inter Turku 2022 Veikkausliiga 21 1 2 1 6 0 2[c] 1 31 3
2023 Veikkausliiga 22 0 2 0 6 0 30 0
2024 Veikkausliiga 24 0 6 0 2 0 32 0
Total 67 1 10 1 14 0 2 1 93 3
Career total 110 1 19 1 14 0 2 1 145 3
  1. ^ Includes Suomen Cup
  2. ^ Includes Finnish League Cup
  3. ^ Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa Conference League

Honours

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RoPS

Inter Turku

References

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  1. ^ "Tehoja saisi tulla enemmän" - Jussi Niska noussut isoon rooliin Interissä, Veikkausliiga, 14 May 2022
  2. ^ a b Saukko, Markku (24 March 2021). "RoPS on nuori ja yhtä rovaniemeläinen kuin 1980-luvulla - 18-vuotias johtohahmo Jussi Niska tähtää RoPSin kanssa takaisin Liigaan ja sitten Eurooppaan". Lapin Kansa (in Finnish). Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  3. ^ Inter RoPS, Veikkausliiga
  4. ^ REF soccerway
  5. ^ AC Oulu säilytti sarjapaikkansa – RoPS-hyökkääjä ei sulattanut joukkuekaverin ulosajoa: "Se oli tuomarivirhe", Yle, Hinni Hirvonen, 7 November 2021
  6. ^ JUSSI NISKA JA LUKA KUITTINEN PITKILLÄ SOPIMUKSILLA FC INTERIIN, Inter Turku
  7. ^ Inter Turku (FIN) 1 - 0 Drita (KOS), UEFA
  8. ^ Laine, Rauno (2022-07-06). "Jussi Niska ratkaisi Turun Interin voiton Europelien avauksessa". Lapin Kansa (in Finnish). Retrieved 2023-10-01.
  9. ^ Jussi Niska jatkaa Interin puolustuksessa, fcinter.fi, 8 October 2024
  10. ^ "Interin Jussi Niska innolla Pikkuhuuhkajiin. "Valinnasta saa luottamusta omaan tekemiseen"". Veikkausliiga (in Finnish). Retrieved 2023-10-01.
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