Sami Hyypiä

Hyypiä was born in Porvoo and raised in Kuusankoski, Finland, {{convert|100|mi|km}} north-east of Helsinki, the son of Irma and Jouko Hyypiä.{{cite book|title= Sami Hyypia: From Voikkaa to the Premiership| last1 = Hyypia | first1 = Sami |last2 = Hakala | first2 = Olli |date= 25 September 2003| publisher = Mainstream Publishing Company, Limited | isbn = 978-1840187687}}

{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/htmlContent.jhtml?html=/archive/1999/09/11/sfnwin11.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020329233331/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/htmlContent.jhtml?html=%2Farchive%2F1999%2F09%2F11%2Fsfnwin11.html|title=Hyypiä happy to fill the gaps in Liverpool's suspect defence|access-date=7 August 2008|last=Winter|first=Henry|author-link=Henry Winter|date=11 September 1999|work=The Daily Telegraph|archive-date=29 March 2002|url-status=dead}} Hyypiä's parents were both footballers – his father Jouko played for Finnish team Pallo Peikot, while his mother played as an amateur goalkeeper. Although the young Sami played ice hockey, one of the more popular sports in Finland, his parents' influence was important in him choosing a career in football; he later commented, "I guess there was only one career option for me."{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/world_cup_2002/1236041.stm|title=Hyypiä fears Beckham threat|access-date=7 August 2008|date=22 March 2001|work=BBC Sport}}

Hyypiä started his career with Pallo-Peikot, where he played every position except his final position of defender and KuMu, before joining Veikkausliiga club MyPa for the 1992 season. He won the Finnish Cup with MyPa in 1992, when Jari Litmanen was one of his teammates, and again in 1995.

In 1995, at the age of 22, he went for a trial at Newcastle United, his first taste of English football. Hyypiä said: "They [Newcastle] certainly helped my career. I had a two-week trial in 1995 under Kevin Keegan and it gave me an insight into English football. I was a young player in Finland and I didn't really expect it to lead to anything. I just went for the experience, but it was good experience and I enjoyed my time there. It helped me a lot at the time to see a big English club at close hand and I always look forward to going back."{{cite news|last=Hetherington|first=Paul|title=Football: Sami remembers the Tyne of his life|work=The Sunday Mirror|date=30 September 2001|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Football%3A+SAMI+REMEMBERS+THE+TYNE+OF+HIS+LIFE%3B+NEWCASTLE+v+LIVERPOOL,...-a078769856|access-date=6 August 2014}}

Later that year, Hyypiä joined Dutch club Willem II and spent four years with the Eredivisie team, soon becoming a favourite with the fans and winning their player of the year award in his final season. Hyypiä captained the side to qualification for the UEFA Champions League, thus earning a place in the hearts of supporters although he would not be taking part in the campaign.

In May 1999, Hyypiä was signed by Liverpool, the team he supported as a boy, for £2.6 million, having been recommended to former chief executive Peter Robinson by a TV cameraman.{{cite news|last=Walker|first=Michael|title=Liverpool's centre of culture|work=The Guardian|date=17 September 2005|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2005/sep/17/sport.comment2|access-date=18 December 2008}}{{cite news|last=McNulty|first=Phil|title=Sami's so unlucky|work=BBC Sport|date=6 April 2002|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/1913576.stm|access-date=18 December 2008}} Initially, Hyypiä was regarded as an unknown who would not live up to expectations, but this preconception was dismissed when he immediately formed a successful central defensive partnership with fellow arrival Stéphane Henchoz.{{cite news|last=Walker|first=Michael|title=Good is not good enough for Anfield's brick wall|work=The Guardian|date=23 March 2002|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2002/mar/23/sport.comment|access-date=18 December 2008}} Almost ten years later in a farewell tribute to Hyypiä, Ron Yeats, then the chief scout for Liverpool, commented that the deal was "one of the best bits of business we've done over the years… a steal – a bargain…"{{cite web | url = http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/latest-news/from-one-colossus-to-another | archive-url = https://archive.today/20140812020441/http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/latest-news/from-one-colossus-to-another | url-status = dead | archive-date = 12 August 2014 | title = From one colossus to another… }} Fourteen years on, Hyypiä himself told the BBC that joining Liverpool was a dream come true.{{cite news|title=Hyypia: Signing for Liverpool was a dream come true|url=http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2013/03/24/3850003/hyypia-signing-for-liverpool-was-a-dream-come-true|publisher=Goal.com|date=24 March 2012|access-date=24 March 2013}}

In the 2000–01 season, Hyypiä shared the captaincy of Liverpool with Robbie Fowler while Jamie Redknapp, the full-time captain, was suffering from a long-term injury. During that season, Hyypiä and Fowler led the team to a cup treble: the Football League Cup,{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/worthington_cup/1187654.stm|title= Blues shot down as Liverpool lift cup|date=25 February 2001|work=BBC Sport|access-date=6 August 2014}} FA Cup{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/fa_cup/1324699.stm|title= Owen shatters Arsenal in Cup final|date=12 May 2001|work=BBC Sport|access-date=28 May 2009}} and UEFA Cup.{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/european/3005505/UEFA-Cup-Final-Liverpool-hit-treble-top.html|title= UEFA Cup Final: Liverpool hit treble top|date=17 May 2001|work=Telegraph|access-date=28 May 2009|first=Henry|last=Winter}} He also went on to claim a "treble" of three consecutive FAF Finnish Footballer of the Year awards from 2001 to 2003.

In 2002, Hyypiä became first choice Liverpool captain after Redknapp, who had been blighted by long-term injuries, and Fowler both left the club. However, after such a bright start to his Liverpool career came a relative lull and in 2003, Hyypiä was replaced as Liverpool captain by Steven Gerrard. With some of the pressure lifted, his performances generally improved.

On 5 April 2003, Hyypiä received a red card against Manchester United, the only red of his club career. "[Ruud] Van Nistelrooy was going through and maybe I took his shirt a little bit. The referee thought so. I got a straight red card. They got a penalty. It was an agony to watch the game in the dressing room. The only red card of my career. You remember that sort of thing."

In 2004, new Liverpool manager Rafael Benítez moved Jamie Carragher from fullback to partner Hyypiä in central defence. This seemingly reinvigorated Hyypiä and the team went on to have a successful season, winning the 2004–05 Champions League on the back of their solid defence. On 10 August 2005, it was reported that Hyypiä had agreed to a new three-year contract after weeks of talks with the Reds which would keep him at Anfield until 2008.

File:Hyypia.jpg in 2005]]

During the 2005–06 season, Hyypiä was relegated to third-choice captain after Jamie Carragher's ascent as Gerrard's deputy on the field. In the FA Cup sixth round against Birmingham City, he scored the opening goal in the first minute as the Reds thrashed the home team 7–0. He started in the victorious 2006 FA Cup Final against West Ham United, though he missed his spot kick in the penalty shoot-out. During the season, he climbed into the top 25 in the club's all-time appearances table after featuring in the League Cup against Arsenal in January 2007.

Despite speculation in the summer of 2007 linking him to various other Premier League teams, Hyypiä insisted that he would stay at Liverpool for the remainder of his contract.{{cite web |last=Rice |first=Jimmy |title=Hyypia has no plans to leave |work=Liverpool F.C. |date=30 May 2007 |url=http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/latest-news/hyypia-has-no-plans-to-leave |access-date=6 August 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140812020436/http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/latest-news/hyypia-has-no-plans-to-leave |archive-date=12 August 2014}} On 25 August 2007, Hyypiä broke his nose during an away match against Sunderland in the Stadium of Light. He quickly returned on the pitch to play against Toulouse in the Champions League qualifying match on 28 August 2007, in which he scored the second goal for Liverpool while wearing the captain's armband in the absence of Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher.

In April 2008, Hyypiä signed a new deal until summer 2009, with Benítez stating he was a good role model for young defenders such as Martin Škrtel and Daniel Agger.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/l/liverpool/7335136.stm|title= Hyypia signs new Liverpool deal |date=7 April 2008|work=BBC Sport|access-date=28 May 2009}} The 2008–09 season marked the defender's tenth season at the club. On 22 August 2008, Premier League newcomers Stoke City offered £2.5 million for Hyypiä, but Liverpool rejected the offer.{{cite web|last=Barrett|first=Tony|title=Rafa Benitez rejects Stoke bid for Sami Hyypia|work=The Liverpool Echo|date=22 August 2008|url=http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-fc/liverpool-fc-news/2008/08/22/rafa-benitez-rejects-stoke-bid-for-sami-hyypia-100252-21585954/|access-date=18 December 2008}} On 2 March 2008, with his appearance against Bolton Wanderers, Hyypiä made it into the top 20 Liverpool player appearances of all time.

Hyypiä was voted in 19th place in Sky Sports' "Top 50 Premier League Foreign Players",{{cite web|url=http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/latest-news/there-s-only-one-sami-hyypia|title=There's only one Sami Hyypia|first=Paul|last=Hassall|publisher=Liverpool F.C.|date=19 May 2009|access-date=6 August 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140812020440/http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/latest-news/there-s-only-one-sami-hyypia|archive-date=12 August 2014}} 45th in FourFourTwo{{'}}s 100 Greatest Foreign Players{{cite web|url=http://www.soccerpulse.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=152577|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090824193619/http://www.soccerpulse.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=152577|archive-date=24 August 2009|title=Four Four Two's 100 Greatest Foreign Players , To Play in the EPL/SPL|access-date=7 August 2008| date = April 2008}} and 38th in Liverpool's 100 Players Who Shook the Kop survey.{{cite web|url= http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/archivedirs/news/2006/oct/8/N153706061008-0859.htm|title= 100 Players Who Shook the Kop: The Definitive List|access-date=7 August 2008|date= 6 October 2006|work=Liverpool F.C.|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080731063435/http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/archivedirs/news/2006/oct/8/N153706061008-0859.htm |archive-date=31 July 2008}} Underlining the important role Hyypiä had fulfilled at Liverpool, Ian Rush noted: "He's got to be up there with the best signings the club has ever made."{{cite web|last=Rush|first=Ian|author-link=Ian Rush|title=Ian Rush: Why bargain buy Sami Hyypia is one of Liverpool's best ever signings|work=The Liverpool Echo|date=9 December 2008|url=http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-fc/liverpool-fc-columnists/ian-rush-column/2008/12/09/ian-rush-why-bargain-buy-sami-hyypia-is-one-of-liverpool-s-best-ever-signings-100252-22435899/|access-date=18 December 2008}}

In September 2008, Hyypiä was not included in the 25-man Liverpool squad for the group stages of the Champions League, as new UEFA regulations meant that clubs had to include at least eight home-grown players in their squad.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/l/liverpool/7605682.stm|title=Hyypia shocked at Reds omission|date=10 September 2008|work=BBC Sport|access-date=28 May 2009}}

File:Hyypiafarewell.jpg

On 4 May 2009, it was announced that Hyypiä had signed a two-year contract with German Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/l/liverpool/8032667.stm|title= Hyypia to join Bayer Leverkusen |date=5 May 2009|work=BBC Sport|access-date=28 May 2009}} Liverpool had offered him the chance to stay at Anfield in a coaching capacity, but Hyypiä decided to carry on playing, though he expressed interest in returning to Liverpool as a coach once his playing career concluded.{{cite web | url = http://www.iltasanomat.fi/urheilu/uutinen.asp?id=1682160 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090507094805/http://www.iltasanomat.fi/urheilu/uutinen.asp?id=1682160 | url-status = dead | archive-date = 7 May 2009 | title = Sami Hyypiä: Haluaisin palata Liverpooliin valmentajana |trans-title=I'd Like to Return to Liverpool as a Coach | language = fi | publisher = iltasanomat.fi | date = 5 May 2009 | access-date = 3 March 2013}}

Hyypiä played his last match for Liverpool at Anfield against Tottenham Hotspur on 24 May 2009, coming on as a substitute to replace captain Steven Gerrard after 84 minutes in their 3–1 win. Gerrard passed the captain's armband to him, personally putting it onto Hyypiä's arm. During what remained of the match, Hyypiä managed to get a header from a corner kick in the dying minutes of the game, but the attempt was blocked by Heurelho Gomes. After the match ended, an emotional Hyypiä received a standing ovation from Liverpool fans and his teammates held him aloft.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/8048312.stm|title= Liverpool 3–1 Tottenham |date=24 May 2009|work=BBC Sport|access-date=28 May 2009 | first=Oliver | last=Brett}} Hyypiä made 464 appearances and scored 35 goals, winning ten trophies in the ten years he was at Liverpool.

Hyypiä moved to Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen during summer 2009, making his official debut on 8 August against Mainz 05.{{cite news |title=Hyypia agrees German switch |work=Sky Sports |date=4 May 2009 |url=http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12875_5278852,00.html |access-date=4 May 2009}} On 24 January 2010, he scored his first Bundesliga goal in a 3–0 win over 1899 Hoffenheim. Hyypiä's first season with Bayer Leverkusen saw his club finishing fourth overall, missing by two points the qualification round for the 2010–11 Champions League campaign. German sports magazine kicker chose Hyypiä as best Bundesliga defender in 2009, and he was included Bundesliga Team of the Year for 2009–10.{{cite web | url = http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/bundesliga/startseite/518932/artikel_Hyypiae_Klarer-geht%27s-nicht.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100115060518/http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/bundesliga/startseite/518932/artikel_Hyypiae_Klarer-geht%27s-nicht.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = 15 January 2010 | title = Hyypiä: Klarer geht's nicht | language = de |work= Kicker | access-date =15 February 2012 | date = 30 December 2009}}

After Roy Hodgson was appointed as the new Liverpool manager in August 2010, rumours began to circulate that he was determined to bring Hyypiä back to Liverpool. However, the transfer fell through as reportedly Hodgson could not get Hyypiä out of his contract with Leverkusen.{{cite web | url = http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/media-watch/hodgson-fails-to-bring-hyypia-back | title = Hodgson fails to bring Hyypia back | date = 7 August 2010 | access-date = 15 February 2012 | work = liverpoolfc.tv | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120519070415/http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/media-watch/hodgson-fails-to-bring-hyypia-back | archive-date = 19 May 2012 | df = dmy-all }}{{cite news| url=http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_6320624,00.html | work=Sky Sports | title=Hyypia wanted Reds return | publisher = Sky Sports | date = 18 August 2010 | access-date = 3 March 2013}} On 25 September 2010, Hyypiä scored his third ever Bundesliga goal with a header against VfB Stuttgart in a 4–1 win.

Hyypiä made public on 6 October 2010 that, post-retirement, he planned to join Leverkusen as assistant manager. On 2 May 2011, he announced his retirement from playing professional football.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/9473124.stm|title=Ex-Liverpool defender Sami Hyypia ends playing career|work=BBC Sport|date=2 May 2011|access-date=2 May 2011}} Hyypiä appeared in more than 560 top-flight matches in Finland, the Netherlands, England and Germany.{{Cite web | url = https://www.rsssf.org/players/hyypiadata.html | title = Sami Tuomas Hyypiä - Matches and Goals in Bundesliga | first = Matthias | last = Arnhold | date = 14 November 2023 | accessdate = 16 November 2023 | publisher = RSSSF.com}}

Hyypiä was capped 27 times by the Finland national under-21 team.{{Cite book | editor-first = Barry J. | editor-last = Hugman | title = The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2009–10 | year = 2009 | publisher = Mainstream Publishing | isbn = 9781845964740 | page = 208 }} He made his debut for the senior team against Tunisia on 7 November 1992 at the age of 19. He went on to be a key member of the Finnish squad, participating in five UEFA European Championship and four FIFA World Cup qualifiers. In a friendly against Sweden on 12 August 2009, he became one of four Finland national team players ever to reach milestone of 100 international appearances. Hyypiä succeeded Jari Litmanen as captain of the Finland national team in 2008. He was given a straight red card in his penultimate match for a 36th-minute foul on Viorel Frunza as Finland lost 2–0 away to Moldova in a qualifier.{{cite news|title=Moldova ease past ten-man Finland|url=https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/news/0254-0d7ca5547b48-390358c5dcde-1000--moldova-ease-past-ten-man-finland/|access-date=6 June 2014|publisher=UEFA|date=3 September 2010}} His last appearance for national team was against Hungary in a UEFA Euro 2012 qualifier on 12 October 2010, a 2–1 home defeat.

With a total of 105 matches, Hyypiä ranks in the summer of 2023 as fourth among all-time most capped Finnish players; only Jari Litmanen, Teemu Pukki and Jonatan Johannson have been capped more.{{Cite web | url = https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/fin-recintlp.html | title = Finland - International Player Records | first = Heikki | last = Pietarinen | date = 14 July 2023 | accessdate = 16 November 2023 | publisher = RSSSF.com}}

File:Sami Hyypiä.jpg head coach.]]

Hyypiä became part of the coaching staff for both Finland national team and Bayer Leverkusen. He started a coaching formation at the Football Association of Finland. In October 2011, Hyypiä was in Leverkusen for six weeks as a trainee with the club's then-head coach, Robin Dutt. On 1 April 2012, Hyypiä and under-19 coach Sascha Lewandowski were named as caretaker coaches of Leverkusen after the sacking of Dutt.{{cite news|title=Bayer trennt sich von Dutt – Hyypiä übernimmt|url= https://www.kicker.de/bayer-trennt-sich-von-dutt---hyypiae-uebernimmt-566855/artikel|access-date=29 January 2013|newspaper=kicker|date=1 April 2012|language=de}} On 15 May 2012, Hyypiä was confirmed as team manager and Lewandowski as head coach of Bayer Leverkusen until the summer of 2015. In an unusual managerial set-up, both were equally responsible for leading Bayer Leverkusen: as Lewandowski had the training licence, he had to be at post-match press conferences and took care of the training sessions. Meanwhile, Hyypiä watched them, intervened with personal talks and was at the pre-game press conferences. Despite his imperfect grasp of the German language, Hyypiä addressed the team before matches. This system proved successful: in the middle of the 2012–13 season, Leverkusen was second in the Bundesliga, were the only side to beat Bayern Munich at home and qualified for the next round in the Champions League, and the DFB-Pokal.{{cite web | url = https://www.iltalehti.fi/jalkapallo/a/2011050213645435 | title = Hyypiä iloitsee maajoukkuepestistä | date = 2 May 2011 | language = fi | publisher = iltalehti.fi | access-date =16 February 2012}}{{cite web | url = https://www.iltalehti.fi/jalkapallo/a/2011050213645162 | title = Sami Hyypiä lopettaa uransa | date = 2 May 2011 | language = fi | publisher = iltalehti.fi | access-date =16 February 2012}}{{cite web | url = http://www.abendblatt.de/sport/article2235992/Bayer-entlaesst-Dutt-Hyypiae-vom-Praktikanten-zum-Chef.html | title = Bayer entlässt Dutt – Hyypiä vom Praktikanten zum Chef | language = de | publisher = Hamburger Abendblatt | date = 2 April 2012 | access-date = 3 March 2013 | first = Jürgen | last = Zelustek}}{{cite web | url = https://www.faz.net/aktuell/sami-hyypiae-die-stille-kraft-in-leverkusen-11986006.html | title = Sami Hyypiä, Die stille Kraft in Leverkusen | language = de | publisher = faz.net | date = 9 December 2012 | access-date = 3 March 2013 | first = Uwe | last = Marx}} Bayer Leverkusen ended the 2012–13 season in third place behind the champions Bayern and runners-up Borussia Dortmund. Hyypiä became the sole head coach after Lewandowski went back to work with the youth development department.{{cite news|title=Sami Hyypia to take sole charge at Bayer Leverkusen next season|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22555747|access-date=12 March 2014|newspaper=BBC|date=16 May 2013}}

Hyypiä's first training session as the sole head coach occurred on 24 June 2013.{{cite news|title=Hyypia bemused by player departures|url=http://espnfc.com/news/story/_/id/1484703/bayer-leverkusen-boss-sami-hyypia-eager-stop-player-exit?cc=5901|access-date=12 March 2014|newspaper=ESPN FC|date=26 June 2013}} Bayer Leverkusen ended the 2013–14 season in fourth place, behind Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and Schalke 04. On 5 April 2014, Hyypiä was sacked by Bayer Leverkusen with immediate effect{{cite news|title=Leverkusen trennt sich von Trainer Hyypiä|url=http://www.sueddeutsche.de/sport/rauswurf-in-der-bundesliga-leverkusen-trennt-sich-von-trainer-hyypiae-1.1930357|access-date=5 April 2014|newspaper=Süddeutsche Zeitung|date=5 April 2014|language=de}} after the club lost to Hamburger SV the night before.{{cite news|title=Westermann rettet den Dreier nach Adlers Patzer|url=https://www.kicker.de/hsv-gegen-leverkusen-2014-bundesliga-1895131/analyse|access-date=5 April 2014|newspaper=kicker|date=4 April 2014|language=de}}

On 6 June 2014, Hyypiä was officially named manager of Football League Championship club Brighton & Hove Albion, signing a three-year contract.{{cite news|title=Sami Hyypia: Brighton appoint ex-Liverpool defender as new boss|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/27635342|access-date=22 December 2014|publisher=BBC Sport|date=6 June 2014}} His reign as Brighton boss started with two successive 1–0 defeats, before tasting victory in his third game in charge. Results were poor, and on 22 December 2014, with the team in the relegation zone, Hyypiä offered his resignation as manager after a 1–1 draw at Wolverhampton Wanderers; Brighton chairman Tony Bloom announced that Hyypiä's resignation was reluctantly accepted.{{cite news|title=Sami Hyypia: Brighton manager resigns after one win in 18 games|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/30497171|access-date=22 December 2014|publisher=BBC Sport|date=22 December 2014}} Hyypiä's decision to step down came after his side only managed one win in their previous 18 games, with the club securing six victories in his 26 in charge, three of which came in cup ties.

On 21 August 2015, Hyypiä was officially announced as the manager of the Swiss Super League club Zürich.{{cite web|title=Ex-Liverpool player appointed FC Zurich coach|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/34019527|publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)|access-date=21 August 2015|date=21 August 2015}} On 12 May 2016, Hyypiä was sacked as coach of Zürich after he had lost a vote of no confidence in the team.{{cite news |title=Head coach Sami Hyypiä terminates involvement with FC Zurich |url=http://www.fcz.ch/en/profis/news.htm?id=3696&page=&ipp=&archiv= |website=FC Zürich official website |date=12 May 2016 |access-date=10 July 2016}}{{cite news |first=Claudia |last=Rey |title=Hyypiä muss gehen |url=http://www.nzz.ch/sport/fussball/fc-zuerich-hyypiae-muss-gehen-ld.82121 |website=Neue Zürcher Zeitung |date=12 May 2016 |access-date=10 July 2016 |language=de}} He left the club in last place with three rounds before the end of the season; Zürich were ultimately relegated to the Swiss second division, the Swiss Challenge League.{{cite news |title=Sami Hyypia out as Zurich coach after slump to last place |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/soccer/2016/05/12/sami-hyypia-out-as-zurich-coach-after-slump-to-last-place/84271980/ |website=USA Today |agency=Associated Press |date=12 May 2016 |access-date=10 July 2016}}

After taking a break from the game, he joined Finnish side Haka in 2020 as assistant manager, but left after just three months.{{cite web |url=https://www.premierleagueheroes.com/sami-hyypia/ |title = Sami Hyypia Now {{!}} Ex Liverpool & Finland Player {{!}} Manager {{!}} Coach}}

In 2002, Hyypiä released an autobiography, From Voikkaa to the Premiership.{{cite web |title=Sami Hyypia - The rock at the back |url=https://www.lfchistory.net/Articles/Article/3930 |website=LFCHistory.net |access-date=16 September 2022}}

Hyypiä was married to Susanna between 2007 and 2022, when the couple divorced.{{cite news|title=Sami Hyypiä ja hänen vaimonsa tuomittiin avioeroon – tällainen avioehto heillä on|url=https://www.is.fi/jalkapallo/art-2000009048653.html|date=5 September 2022|language=fi}} He has two sons from his first marriage.{{cite news|title=Sami Hyypiän ja Susanna-vaimon rakkaus kukoistaa – poseeraavat harvinaisessa yhteiskuvassa|url=https://www.iltalehti.fi/viihdeuutiset/a/dd0430b6-56e3-4812-beac-042114d9e746|date=16 July 2020|language=fi}} Off the pitch, he is generally a private person and, although his ex-wife had been occasionally seen at his matches, their children rarely appear in public.{{cite news|title=Sami Hyypiä meni yllättäen naimisiin|url=http://www.iltasanomat.fi/viihde/art-1288336879877.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151124162645/http://www.iltasanomat.fi/viihde/art-1288336879877.html|publisher=Ilta-Sanomat|archive-date=24 November 2015|date=6 November 2007|language=fi}} He lived with his family near Pulheim near Cologne and had an English second home because of his time as manager of Brighton & Hove Albion.{{cite web |url=http://www.express.de/bayer-04-leverkusen/reif-fuer-die-insel-ex-leverkusen-trainer-sami-hyypiae-unterschreibt-vertrag-in-england,3288,27377570.html |title=Ex-Leverkusen-Trainer Sami Hyypiä unterschreibt Vertrag in England |author=Oliver Reuter |date=8 January 2014 |website=kicker online |publisher=Olympia Verlag GmbH |access-date=1 August 2014 | language = de}}

Since 2021, Hyypiä has been dating Finnish racing driver Emma Kimiläinen.{{cite news|title=Shokkierosta salasuhteeseen?! Sami Hyypiä ja Emma Kimiläinen viihtyvät yhdessä|url=https://www.seiska.fi/kotimaa/shokkierosta-salasuhteeseen-sami-hyypia-ja-emma-kimilainen-viihtyvat-yhdessa/941419|date=11 November 2021|language=fi}}

Hyypiä has set up a fund to help young promising athletes of his native Finland. As part of his efforts to raise funds, he participated in the Helsinki City Marathon, his first ever, on 20 August 2011, completing the course in a time of 3:56:09.YLE Urheiluruutu, 20 August 2011.

Hyypiä was named in the Finnish Football Hall of Fame in 2015, and in the Finnish Sports Hall of Fame on 11 January 2024.

{{notelist}}

:Scores and results list Finland's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Hyypiä goal.

{{updated|12 May 2016}}

• 1.{{note|a}}Sami Hyypiä and Sascha Lewandowski were both in-charge of the first team.
• 2.{{note|a}}Sascha Lewandowski left the first team to go back to work with the youth team. Hyypiä's first training session was on 12 March 2013.

{{cite web|url=https://espanol.eurosport.com/futbol/sami-hyypia_prs3631/person.shtml|title=Sami Hyypiä - Perfil del jugador - Fútbol|website=Eurosport}}

MyPa

• Finnish Cup: 1992, 1995

Liverpool

• FA Cup: 2000–01, 2005–06
• Football League Cup: 2000–01,{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/worthington_cup/1187654.stm |title=Blues shot down as Liverpool lift cup |website=BBC Sport |date=25 February 2001 |access-date=28 March 2024}} 2002–03;{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/2811805.stm |title=Liverpool lift Worthington Cup |website=BBC Sport |date=2 March 2003 |access-date=27 March 2024}} runner-up 2004–05{{cite web |title=Liverpool 2–3 Chelsea |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/league_cup/4279679.stm |publisher=BBC Sport |date=27 February 2005 |access-date=8 June 2022}}
• FA Charity/Community Shield: 2001, 2006
• UEFA Champions League: 2004–05; runner-up 2006–07{{cite web |title=AC Milan 2-1 Liverpool |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/6669039.stm |website=BBC Sport |access-date=8 June 2022 |date=23 May 2007}}
• UEFA Cup: 2000–01
• UEFA Super Cup: 2001, 2005
• FIFA Club World Championship runner-up: 2005{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/4533980.stm |title=Sao Paulo 1–0 Liverpool |publisher=BBC Sport |date=18 December 2005 |access-date=8 June 2022}}

Finland

• Nordic Football Championship: 2000–01{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesn/nord2001.html |title = Nordic Championship 2000-01}}

{{cite web |url=https://eu-football.info/_match.php?id=24564 |title = Finland vs Norway, 16 August 2000}}

Individual

• UEFA Team of the Year: 2001{{cite web |title=Team of the Year 2001|work=UEFA|date=3 January 2002|url=http://www.uefa.com/community/teamoftheyear/history/season=2001/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140810131359/http://www.uefa.com/community/teamoftheyear/history/season=2001/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=10 August 2014 |access-date=6 August 2014}}
• ESM Team of the Year: 2000–01{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/esm-xi.html |title=ESM XI |access-date=18 July 2015 |publisher=The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160207144925/http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/esm-xi.html |archive-date=7 February 2016 }}
• Liverpool Player of the Season: 2001–02{{Cite web|url=http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/latest-news/we-speak-to-your-player-of-the-season|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150612144756/http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/latest-news/we-speak-to-your-player-of-the-season|url-status=dead|archive-date=12 June 2015|title=We speak to YOUR Player of the Season - Liverpool FC|date=12 June 2015|access-date=5 July 2019}}
• Finnish Sportsperson of the Year: 2001{{cite news |title=Hyypiä grabs top award |work=BBC Sport|date=28 December 2001 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/liverpool/1731518.stm |access-date=18 December 2008}}
• Premier League Player of the Month: November 1999{{cite web |url=https://www.premierleague.com/players/1710/Sami-Hyypiä/overview |title=Sami Hyypiä: Overview |publisher=Premier League |access-date=28 September 2018}}
• PFA Team of the Year: 1999–2000 Premier League, 2001–02 Premier League
• Finnish Sports Hall of Fame
• Finnish Footballer of the Year: 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008,{{cite web |last=Pietarinen |first=Heikki |title=Finland – Player of the Year Awards |work=RSSSF |date=31 January 2008 |url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/finpoy.html |access-date=18 December 2008}} 2009,{{cite web | publisher = YLE Urheilu | url = http://yle.fi/urheilu/lajit/muut/2010/01/vuoden_parhaat_valittu_kontiolle_jo_21s_vuoden_paras_-titteli_173336.html | title = Vuoden parhaat valittu, Kontiolle jo 21:s Vuoden paras -titteli | date = 11 January 2012 | language = fi | access-date = 16 February 2012 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100114221440/http://yle.fi/urheilu/lajit/muut/2010/01/vuoden_parhaat_valittu_kontiolle_jo_21s_vuoden_paras_-titteli_173336.html | archive-date = 14 January 2010 | df = dmy-all }} 2010{{cite web | publisher = Suomen Palloliitto | url = http://www.palloliitto.fi/uutiset/suomen-palloliitto/sami-hyypia-jalleen-urheilutoimittajien-ykkonen?lang=fi | title = Sami Hyypiä jälleen urheilutoimittajien ykkönen | language = fi | access-date = 16 February 2012 | date = 6 August 2014 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150924135714/http://www.palloliitto.fi/uutiset/suomen-palloliitto/sami-hyypia-jalleen-urheilutoimittajien-ykkonen?lang=fi | archive-date = 24 September 2015 | df = dmy-all }}
• kicker Bundesliga Team of the Season: 2009–10{{cite web|url=http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/bundesliga/bl50/200910/startseite.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018190539/http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/bundesliga/bl50/200910/startseite.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 October 2012|title=Bundesliga Historie 2009/10|language=de|publisher=kicker}}
• UEFA awards 100 caps: 2011{{cite web|title=International centurions to receive UEFA award |url=https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/news/0253-0d0400bdc09e-9bc0e488959f-1000--international-centurions-to-receive-uefa-award/ |publisher=UEFA |date=30 August 2011 |access-date=25 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100903202945/http://www.uefa.com/uefa/aboutuefa/news/newsid%3D1670970.html |archive-date=3 September 2010 |url-status=live |df=dmy }}

• List of men's footballers with 100 or more international caps

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category}}

• [https://www.liverpoolfc.com/info/sami-hyypia Profile] at the Liverpool F.C. website
• {{FIFA player}}
• {{UEFA player}}

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