Niilo Mäenpää
{{Short description|Finnish footballer (born 1998)}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Niilo Mäenpää
| image = Warta Poznań 2023 Niilo Mäenpää.jpg
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|1|14|df=y}}
| birth_place = Hämeenlinna, Finland
| height = 1.82 m
| currentclub = Halmstad
| clubnumber = 16
| position = Midfielder
| youthclubs1 = Hämeenlinna
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs2 = Haka
| youthyears2 = 2015
| years1 = 2014–2015
| clubs1 = Hämeenlinna
| caps1 = 6
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2015–2018
| clubs2 = Haka
| caps2 = 66
| goals2 = 4
| years3 = 2018–2019
| clubs3 = Inter Turku
| caps3 = 38
| goals3 = 1
| years4 = 2020–2021
| clubs4 = IFK Mariehamn
| caps4 = 47
| goals4 = 2
| years5 = 2022–2024
| clubs5 = Warta Poznań
| caps5 = 67
| goals5 = 0
| years6 = 2024–
| clubs6 = Halmstad
| caps6 = 14
| goals6 = 1
| nationalyears1 = 2013–2014
| nationalteam1 = Finland U16
| nationalcaps1 =
| nationalgoals1 =
| nationalyears2 = 2014–2015
| nationalteam2 = Finland U17
| nationalcaps2 = 10
| nationalgoals2 = 1
| nationalyears3 = 2016
| nationalteam3 = Finland U18
| nationalcaps3 = 8
| nationalgoals3 = 3
| nationalyears4 = 2015–2017
| nationalteam4 = Finland U19
| nationalcaps4 = 9
| nationalgoals4 = 0
| nationalyears5 = 2019–2020
| nationalteam5 = Finland U21
| nationalcaps5 = 6
| nationalgoals5 = 0
| nationalyears6 = 2022–
| nationalteam6 = Finland
| nationalcaps6 = 4
| nationalgoals6 = 0
| club-update = 11 November 2024
| nationalteam-update = 20:45, 7 June 2024 (UTC)
| image_size = 200
| caption = Mäenpää in 2023 with Warta Poznań
}}
Niilo Mäenpää (born 14 January 1998) is a Finnish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Allsvenskan club Halmstad and the Finland national team.{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/niilo-maenpaa/345289/|title=Finland – N. Mäenpää – Profile with news, career statistics and history – Soccerway|website=int.soccerway.com|accessdate=22 December 2018}}
Career
=Hämeenlinna=
Mäenpää started his senior career with the club, making his first competitive appearance on 23 May 2014 in a 1-0 home victory in the league over Tampereen-Viipurin Ilves-Kissat.{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2014/05/23/finland/kakkonen/fc-hameenlinna-ry/tampereen-viipurin-ilves-kissat/1666713/|title=Hameenlinna vs. I-Kissat – 23 May 2014 – Soccerway|website=int.soccerway.com|accessdate=31 December 2018}} He was subbed on for Juho Saarinen in the 68th minute.
=Haka=
In January 2015, Mäenpää moved to Ykkönen club FC Haka. He made his league debut for the club on 2 May 2015, playing all ninety minutes in a 2-2 away draw with JJK.{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2015/05/02/finland/ykkonen/jjk-jyvaskyla/football-club-haka-valkeakoski/2007771/|title=Haka vs. JJK – 2 May 2015 – Soccerway|website=int.soccerway.com|accessdate=31 December 2018}} He scored his first competitive goal for the club on 2 August 2015 in a 4-3 away victory in the league over MP.{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2015/08/02/finland/ykkonen/mikkelin-palloilijat/football-club-haka-valkeakoski/2007846/|title=MP vs. Haka – 2 August 2015 – Soccerway|website=int.soccerway.com|accessdate=31 December 2018}} His goal, scored in the 69th minute, made the score 4-1 to Haka.
=Inter Turku=
In November 2017, Mäenpää moved to Veikkausliiga club Inter Turku, arriving alongside Mikko Kuningas.{{cite web|url=http://fcinter.fi/uutiset/2017/11/03/mikko-kuningas-ja-niilo-maenpaa-siirtyvat-fc-interiin|title=Mikko Kuningas ja Niilo Mäenpää siirtyvät FC Interiin|language=Finnish|website=fcinter.fi|date=3 November 2017|accessdate=31 December 2018}} He made his league debut for the club on 7 April 2018 in a 2-0 away defeat to VPS, playing 63 minutes before being subbed off, to be replaced by Arttu Hoskonen.{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2018/04/07/finland/veikkausliiga/vaasan-palloseura/football-club-inter-turku/2717511/|title=VPS vs. Inter Turku – 7 April 2018 – Soccerway|website=int.soccerway.com|accessdate=31 December 2018}}
=IFK Mariehamn=
On 28 November 2019 it was confirmed, that Mäenpää would join IFK Mariehamn from the 2020 season, signing a deal until the end of 2021.[http://www.veikkausliiga.com/uutiset/2019/11/28/ifk-mariehamnissa-ensi-kaudella-kaksi-maenpaata IFK Mariehamnissa ensi kaudella kaksi Mäenpäätä], veikkausliiga.com, 28 November 2019
=Warta Poznań=
On 22 December 2021, Mäenpää penned a two-and-a-half-year deal with Polish Ekstraklasa club Warta Poznań, effective from 1 January 2022.{{cite web |title=Niilo Mäenpää będzie piłkarzem Warty Poznań |url=https://wartapoznan.pl/index.php/2021/12/22/niilo-maenpaa-bedzie-pilkarzem-warty-poznan/ |publisher=Warta Poznań |language=pl |date=22 December 2021}}[https://www.hs.fi/urheilu/art-2000010288292.html Kaikki päin helvettiä], Helsingin Sanomat, hs.fi, Ari Virtanen, 17 April 2024 He was released by the club at the end of the 2023–24 season.{{cite web |title=Kolejni zawodnicy odchodzą z Warty |url=http://www.90minut.pl/news/332/news3327122-Kolejni-zawodnicy-odchodza-z-Warty.html |website=90minut.pl |access-date=2 July 2024 |language=pl |date=29 June 2024}}
=Halmstad=
On 15 July 2024, Swedish Allsvenskan club Halmstad announced the signing of Mäenpää.{{cite web |title=Niilo Mäenpää w Halmstad |url=http://www.90minut.pl/news/332/news3329497-Niilo-Maeenpaeae-w-Halmstad.html |website=90minut.pl |access-date=15 July 2024 |language=pl |date=15 July 2024}} He scored his first Allsvenskan goal on 19 October, in a 3–1 home win against Sirius.
Personal life
Mäenpää's twin brother Aapo is also a professional footballer, playing for Ilves.{{cite web|url=https://yle.fi/urheilu/3-9533211|title=For the first time, the miracle duo of Finnish football Niilo and Aapo, 19, play apart: "It's different to be alone now"|language=Finnish|website=yle.fi|date=27 March 2017|accessdate=27 March 2021}} The two played together in their early years at Hämeenlinna and Haka, before reuniting at Mariehamm beginning in 2020.
Career statistics
=Club=
| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition | ||||||||||
| rowspan=2|Club
!rowspan=2|Season !colspan=3|League !colspan=2|Cup{{efn|Includes in the Suomen Cup, Polish Cup and Svenska Cupen}} !colspan=2|Continental !colspan=2|Other !colspan=2|Total | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| rowspan=2|Hämeenlinna
|2014 |6 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 6 | 0 | ||||
| colspan="2"| Total
!6 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 6 | 0 | ||||
| rowspan=4|Haka
|2015 |18 | 1 | 2 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 20 | 1 | |||
| 2016
|Ykkönen |23 | 2 | 3 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 26 | 2 | |||
| 2017
|Ykkönen |25 | 1 | 5 | 5 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 30 | 6 | |||
| colspan="2"| Total
!66 | 4 | 10 | 5 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 76 | 9 | |||
| rowspan=3|Inter Turku
|2018 |Veikkausliiga |17 | 0 | 4 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 21 | 0 | |||
| 2019
|Veikkausliiga |21 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 1{{efn|Appearance in UEFA Europa League|name=UEL}} | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 29 | 1 | ||
| colspan="2"| Total
!38 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 50 | 1 | ||
| rowspan=3|IFK Mariehamn
|2020 |Veikkausliiga |21 | 0 | 4 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 25 | 0 | |||
| 2021
|Veikkausliiga |26 | 2 | 3 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 29 | 2 | |||
| colspan="2"| Total
!47 | 2 | 7 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 54 | 2 | |||
| rowspan=4|Warta Poznań
|12 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 12 | 0 | ||||
| 2022–23
|Ekstraklasa |31 | 0 | 2 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 33 | 0 | |||
| 2023–24
|Ekstraklasa |24 | 0 | 3 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 27 | 0 | |||
| colspan="2"| Total
!67 | 0 | 5 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 72 | 0 | |||
| rowspan=3|Halmstad
|2024 |14 | 1 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 15 | 1 | |||
| 2025
|Allsvenskan |0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | colspan=2|– | colspan=2|– | 3 | 2 | |||
| colspan=2|Total
!14 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 3 | |
| colspan=3|Career total
!238||8||37||7||1||0||colspan="2"|—||276||15 |
{{notelist}}
= International =
{{updated|match played on 7 June 2024}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | ||
| rowspan="2" |National team | rowspan="2" |Year | colspan="2" |Competitive
! colspan="2" |Friendly ! colspan="2" |Total |
|---|---|---|
| Apps
!Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals | ||
| rowspan=3|Finland
|2022 |0 |0 |2 |0 |2 |0 | ||
| 2023
|0 |0 |1 |0 |1 |0 | ||
| 2024
|0 |0 |1 |0 |1 |0 | ||
| colspan=2|Total
!0 !0 !4 !0 !4 !0 |
{{notelist}}
Honours
Inter Turku
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Soccerbase|111797}}
{{Halmstads BK squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mäenpää, Niilo}}
Category:Sportspeople from Hämeenlinna
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:Finnish men's footballers
Category:21st-century Finnish sportsmen
Category:Finland men's youth international footballers
Category:Finland men's under-21 international footballers
Category:Finland men's international footballers
Category:FC Hämeenlinna players
Category:FC Inter Turku players
Category:IFK Mariehamn players
Category:Veikkausliiga players
Category:Finnish expatriate men's footballers
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Poland
Category:Finnish expatriate sportspeople in Poland
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Sweden