Santeri Väänänen
{{short description|Finnish footballer (born 2002)}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Santeri Väänänen
| fullname = Santeri Leevi Oliver Väänänen{{NFF|3985771}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2002|01|01|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Helsinki, Finland
| height =
| currentclub = Rosenborg
| clubnumber = 6
| position = Midfielder
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 = PPV[https://www.palloliitto.fi/ajankohtaista/pikkuhuuhkajat-nimetty-marraskuun-otteluihin Pikkuhuuhkajat nimetty marraskuun otteluihin], Finnish FA, 7 November 2023
| youthyears2 =
| youthclubs2 = HJK
| years1 = 2018–2021
| clubs1 = Klubi 04
| caps1 = 22
| goals1 = 1
| years2 = 2018–2022
| clubs2 = HJK
| caps2 = 41
| goals2 = 1
| years3 = 2023–
| clubs3 = Rosenborg
| caps3 = 45
| goals3 = 1
| nationalyears1 = 2019
| nationalteam1 = Finland U17
| nationalcaps1 = 6
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2 = 2019
| nationalteam2 = Finland U19
| nationalcaps2 = 2
| nationalgoals2 = 0
| nationalyears3 = 2021–
| nationalteam3 = Finland U21
| nationalcaps3 = 21
| nationalgoals3 = 1
| nationalyears4 = 2023–
| nationalteam4 = Finland
| nationalcaps4 = 2
| nationalgoals4 = 0
| pcupdate = 27 April 2025
| ntupdate = 25 March 2025
}}
Santeri Väänänen (born 1 January 2002) is a Finnish professional football player who plays as a midfielder for Eliteserien club Rosenborg, and captains the Finland under-21 national team.{{Soccerway|santeri-vaananen/534594}}
Club career
=HJK Helsinki=
Väänänen started to play football with Pajamäen Pallo-Veikot (PPV) in Pajamäki, Helsinki. Later he joined the youth sector of HJK at the age of 7, and played with the club's district youth team in Munkkiniemi along with Matti Peltola.
In 2018, Väänänen made his senior debut with the club's reserve team Klubi 04 in the second-tier league Ykkönen. Later in the same year he debuted with the first team in Veikkausliiga, aged 16.[https://www.hjk.fi/pelaaja/santeri-vaananen/ S.Väänänen], hjk.fi
On 17 June 2019, Väänänen renewed his contract with HJK, on a deal until the end of 2021.[https://www.hjk.fi/artikkelit/miehet/santeri-vaananen-uusi-sopimuksensa/ Santeri Väänänen uusi sopimuksensa], hjk.fi, 17 June 2019[https://www.iltalehti.fi/veikkausliiga/a/e27c02dd-5be8-4f8b-8c37-fdaa55a218f9 17-vuotias lahjakkuus säväytti Stadin derbyssä – ”Haluan koko ajan lisää ja lisää”], Iltalehti, 4 July 2019 During the next seasons, he played occasionally in the starting line-up in the league, but his major breakthrough was delayed until the 2022 season due to injuries.
Väänänen also represented HJK in the 2021–22 UEFA Europa Conference League and in the 2022–23 UEFA Europa League group stages.{{cite web|title=HJK:n nuori keskikenttämies urakoi jälleen täydet minuutit: "Huomaa seuraavana päivänä, että on taas oltu Eurooppa-liigassa"|url=https://www.iltalehti.fi/eurooppa-liiga/a/39edd6fa-6b0c-4218-9fc8-c7ce7b4d37e3|publisher=Iltalehti|access-date=16 September 2023|language=fi|date=7 December 2022}}
=Rosenborg BK=
On 7 December 2022, Norwegian Eliteserien side Rosenborg announced the signing of Väänänen on a four-year deal. The transfer was effective starting in January 2023.{{cite web|trans-title=Väänänen to Rosenborg|title=Väänänen klar for Rosenborg|url=https://www.rbk.no/nyheter/vaananen-klar-for-rosenborg|publisher=RBK.no|access-date=7 December 2022|language=no|date=7 December 2022}}{{cite web|title=Santeri Väänänen, 20, siirtyy Norjan suurseuraan – Suomen mestarin kassaan kilahtaa "kelpo korvaus"|url=https://www.is.fi/veikkausliiga/art-2000009252227.html|publisher=Ilta-Sanomat|access-date=16 September 2023|language=fi|date=7 December 2022}} He made his debut with Rosenborg on 12 March 2023, as a substitute in a 2–0 Norwegian Cup defeat against Viking.[https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2023/03/12/norway/nm-cupen/viking-fotballklubb/rosenborg-ballklubb/3942909/ VIKING VS. ROSENBORG 2 - 0], int.soccerway.com He scored his first goal in Eliteserien on 2 June 2024, in a 1–1 draw against Fredrikstad. In late September 2024, Väänänen suffered a knee injury and was estimated to miss 2–3 months.[https://www.suomifutis.com/2024/09/pikkuhuuhkajien-santeri-vaananen-sai-polvivamman/ Pikkuhuuhkajien Santeri Väänänen sai polvivamman], suomifutis.com, 25 September 2024
International career
Väänänen has represented Finland at various youth levels.{{cite web|title=Santeri Väänänen: "Onhan se aina ollut unelma"|url=https://www.palloliitto.fi/ajankohtaista/santeri-vaananen-onhan-se-aina-ollut-unelma/|publisher=Finnish FA|access-date=16 September 2023|language=fi|date=7 December 2022}} He captains the Finland under-21 national team in the 2025 UEFA Euro U21 Championship qualifiers.[https://www.palloliitto.fi/ajankohtaista/pikkuhuuhkajat-kaatoi-albanian-turussa/ Pikkuhuuhkajat kaatoi Albanian Turussa], 13 October 2023, Finnish FA
He made his international debut with the Finland senior national team in January 2023, in the friendly matches against Sweden and Estonia.
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 Finnish Cup, Norwegian Cup}} !colspan="2"|League Cup{{efn|Includes Finnish League Cup}} !colspan="2"|Europe !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| rowspan="5"|Klubi 04
|2018 |16 | 0 | 2 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 18 | 0 | |||
| 2019
|5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 5 | 1 | |||
| 2020
|Kakkonen |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 0 | 0 | |||
| 2021
|Ykkönen |1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 1 | 0 | |||
| colspan="2"|Total
!22 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 1 | |
| rowspan="6" valign="center"|HJK
|2018 |1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 1 | 0 | |||
| 2019
|Veikkausliiga |9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 3{{efn|Appearances in UEFA Champions League|name=UCL}} | 0 | 13 | 0 | ||
| 2020
|Veikkausliiga |8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 10 | 0 | |||
| 2021
|Veikkausliiga |10 | 0 | 4 | 1 | colspan="2"|— | 7{{efn|Appearances in UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League |name=UEECL}} | 0 | 21 | 1 | ||
| 2022
|Veikkausliiga |13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 13{{efn|Appearances in UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League|name=UCEL}} | 0 | 28 | 1 | |
| colspan="2"|Total
!41 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 73 | 2 | |
| Rosenborg 2
|2023 |4 | 1 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 4 | 1 | ||||
| rowspan="4" valign="center"|Rosenborg
|2023 |23 | 0 | 2 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 3{{efn|Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League|name=UECL}} | 0 | 28 | 0 | ||
| 2024
|Eliteserien |18 | 1 | 2 | 1 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 20 | 2 | |||
| 2025
|Eliteserien |4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 4 | 0 | |||
| colspan="2"|Total
!45 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 52 | 2 | |
| colspan="3"|Career total
!112 | 4 | 13 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 153 | 6 |
{{notelist}}
= International =
{{updated|match played on 12 January 2023.}}
| 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=1|Finland
|2023 | 0 | 0
|2 |0 |2 |0 |
| colspan=2|Total
!0 !0 !2 !0 !2 !0 |
{{notelist}}
Honours
HJK
References
{{reflist}}
{{Rosenborg BK squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vaananen, Santeri}}
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:Helsingin Jalkapalloklubi players
Category:Veikkausliiga players
Category:Finnish expatriate men's footballers
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Norway
Category:Finnish expatriate sportspeople in Norway
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:Norwegian Third Division players