Laura Österberg Kalmari facts for kids
Laura Österberg Kalmari
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Laura Elina Österberg Kalmari | ||
| Birth name | Laura Elina Kalmari | ||
| Date of birth | 27 May 1979 | ||
| Place of birth | Kirkkonummi, Finland | ||
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1984–1995 | KyIF | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2000 | Portland Pilots | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1995–1996 | PuiU | ||
| 1997 | MPS | ||
| 1998–1999 | HJK | ||
| 2000–2001 | HJK | ||
| 2002 | Boston Renegades | ||
| 2003–2004 | Umeå IK | ||
| 2005–2006 | Djurgården/Älvsjö | ||
| 2007–2009 | AIK | ||
| 2010–2011 | Sky Blue FC | 33 | (7) |
| International career | |||
| 1996–2011 | Finland | 130 | (41) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Laura Elina Österberg Kalmari (born on May 27, 1979) is a famous former Finnish footballer. She played as a forward, which means she was one of the main goal scorers for her team. Laura is known for playing many games for the Finland women's national football team. She stopped playing professional football in early 2012.
Contents
Club Career Highlights
Laura Österberg Kalmari played for several football clubs during her career. She started in Finland with teams like Puistolan Urheilijat, Malmin Palloseura, and HJK.
Playing in Europe
In 2000, Laura went to the University of Portland in the United States. She later returned to HJK to play in the first-ever UEFA Women's Cup in 2001–2002. Her team, HJK, did very well and reached the semi-finals of this big European competition.
After that, she moved back to the United States to play for Boston Renegades. In 2002, Laura joined a Swedish team called Umeå IK. With Umeå IK, she achieved great success. She helped them win the UEFA Women's Cup two years in a row! This was a huge accomplishment for her and the team.
Laura also played for other Swedish clubs. She was with Djurgården/Älvsjö in 2005 and 2006. Later, she moved to AIK in 2007.
Time in America
From 2010 to 2011, Laura played for an American team called Sky Blue FC. This team was part of the Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) league. During her time there, she scored seven goals in 33 games. The professional league in America stopped operating, and Laura announced her retirement from playing football in April 2012.
International Career for Finland
Laura Österberg Kalmari was a very important player for the Finland women's national football team. She made her first appearance for the national team in March 1996.
Representing Her Country
She played a total of 130 games for Finland, which is one of the highest numbers for any Finnish player. She also scored 41 goals, making her the top goal scorer in the history of the Finnish women's national team.
In 2005, Laura played in the finals of the 2005 European Championships. Finland reached the semi-finals in that tournament. This is still the best result Finland has achieved in women's football at the European Championships.
Return to the National Team
Laura took a break from international football. During this time, her daughter was born in March 2008. She returned to the national team in January 2009. Her last game before the break was in September 2006.
She then represented Finland again in the 2009 European Championships. Finland was the host country for this tournament. They reached the quarter-finals.
Awards and Recognition
Laura Österberg Kalmari has won the Women's Finnish Footballer of the Year award five times. This is more than any other player! She received this award in 1999, 2003, 2006, 2009, and 2010.
Personal Life
Laura Kalmari married Niko Österberg in 2007. They have a daughter named Meja, who was born in March 2008.
External Links
- Sky Blue FC profile
Images for kids
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Laura Österberg Kalmari playing for the Finland national team.
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Laura Österberg Kalmari (right) playing for NJ Sky Blue against St.Louis Athletica in 2010.
See also
In Spanish: Laura Kalmari para niños
