Kalevi Lehtovirta

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Kalevi Lehtovirta

| fullname = Kalevi Valdemar Lehtovirta

| image =

| caption =

| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1928|2|20}}

| birth_place = Turku, Finland

| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2016|1|10|1928|2|20}}

| death_place =

| height =

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| position = Striker

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Maarian Kisa-Veikot

| years1 = 1946–1948

| clubs1 = Turun Weikot (TUL)

| caps1 =

| goals1 = 14

| years2 = 1948–1950

| clubs2 = Turun Weikot

| caps2 = 52

| goals2 = 36

| years3 = 1951-1953

| clubs3 = Turun Pyrkivä

| caps3 =

| goals3 = 33

| years4 = 1953-1957

| clubs4 = Red Star Paris

| caps4 = 63

| goals4 = 18

| years5 = 1957-1962

| clubs5 = Turun Palloseura

| caps5 = 94

| goals5 = 34

| years6 = 1963-1964

| clubs6 = Turun Toverit

| caps6 =

| goals6 = 8

| years7 = 1965-1966

| clubs7 = Turun Pyrkivä

| caps7 =

| goals7 = 1

| nationalyears1 = 1947–1959

| nationalteam1 = Finland

| nationalcaps1 = 44

| nationalgoals1 = 13

| manageryears1 = 1962

| managerclubs1 = TPS

}}

Kalevi Valdemar Lehtovirta (20 February 1928 – 10 January 2016){{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/24998 |title=Kalevi Lehtovirta |work=Olympedia |access-date=9 November 2021}} was a Finnish football striker who competed in the 1952 Summer Olympics.{{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/le/kalevi-lehtovirta-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417182902/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/le/kalevi-lehtovirta-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 April 2020 |accessdate=4 October 2012}}{{cite web|url=http://www.eu-football.info/_player.php?id=11994|title=Kalevi Lehtovirta - national football team player}}{{cite web|url=http://www.iltasanomat.fi/huuhkajat/art-1452743968922.html|title=Kalevi Lehtovirta on kuollut|author=Juha Kanerva|work=Ilta-Sanomat|access-date=15 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160213074601/http://www.iltasanomat.fi/huuhkajat/art-1452743968922.html|archive-date=13 February 2016|url-status=dead}}

Personal life

While in Paris he married a local woman who gave birth to their twin sons. They lived in Montmartre neighbourhood. His children and grandchildren reside in France.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ts.fi/urheilu/841736|title = Jalkapallolegenda Kalevi Lehtovirta on kuollut|date = 14 January 2016}}

Career

=Club=

Lehtovirta started playing football in Maarian Kisa-Veikot. In 1947 he was promoted to senior squad of Turun Weikot.{{Cite web|url=https://fc.tps.fi/fi/uutiset/kalevi-lehtovirta-20-2-1928-10-1-2016|title=Kalevi Lehtovirta (20.2.1928-10.1.2016) - FC TPS}} After 1950 season he transferred to Turun Pyrkivä where he spent 3 seasons. In 1953 he became second finnish footballer to play professionally when he moved to Red Star F.C. in French Division 2. In his second season for the club they nearly gained promotion to Ligue 1 but were not promoted due to bribery scandal between their manager and opposition goalkeeper.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ts.fi/urheilu/841736|title = Jalkapallolegenda Kalevi Lehtovirta on kuollut|date = 14 January 2016}} After 4 seasons in Paris he returned to Turku where he played for Turun Palloseura and Turun Toverit before ending his career at Turun Pyrkivä.{{Cite web|url=https://www.is.fi/huuhkajat/art-2000001066298.html|title = Kalevi Lehtovirta on kuollut|date = 14 January 2016}}

=International=

Lehtovirta earned 44 caps for Finland and scored 13 goals. He made his first appearance in 1947 in a defeat against Sweden played in Borås. His first goal was scored against Sweden in 1948. One of his most memorable moments was a winner in a friendly match against Yugoslavia in 1950.{{Cite web|url=https://eu-football.info/_player.php?id=11994|title=Kalevi Lehtovirta, international football player}}

References

{{Cite book

| author=Barreaud, Marc | title=Dictionnaire des footballeurs étrangers du championnat professionnel français (1932-1997) | year=1998 | publisher=L'Harmattan, Paris | isbn=2-7384-6608-7}}