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Petri Pasanen
Petri Pasanen7.jpg
Pasanen with Red Bull Salzburg in 2011
Personal information
Date of birth (1980-09-24) 24 September 1980 (age 44)
Place of birth Lahti, Finland
Height 1.87 m
Playing position Defender
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1996 FC Kuusysi 2 (0)
1996–2000 Lahti 72 (2)
1997 → FC Hämeenlinna (loan) 4 (0)
1998 → FC Hämeenlinna (loan) 1 (0)
2000–2004 Ajax 59 (7)
2004 Portsmouth (loan) 12 (0)
2004–2011 Werder Bremen 144 (3)
2011–2012 Red Bull Salzburg 18 (0)
2012–2014 AGF 44 (2)
2014–2015 Lahti 30 (1)
Total 386 (15)
National team
2000 Finland U21 6 (0)
2000–2013 Finland 76 (1)
Teams managed
Lahti (youth)
2022–2023 Lahti (assistant)
Honours
Finland national football team
Runner-up Baltic Cup 2012
AFC Ajax
Winner Eredivisie 2002
Winner KNVB Cup 2002
Winner Johan Cruijff Shield 2002
Runner-up Eredivisie 2003
Werder Bremen
Runner-up Bundesliga 2006
Runner-up Bundesliga 2008
Runner-up UEFA Europa League 2009
Winner DFB-Pokal 2009
Runner-up DFB-Pokal 2010
FC Red Bull Salzburg
Winner Austrian Bundesliga 2012
Winner Austrian Cup 2012
  • Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Petri Pasanen (born 24 September 1980) is a Finnish football coach, TV studio presenter and a former professional footballer who played as a defender. He was most comfortable as centre-back, but also played right-back and left-back as well. Pasanen began his senior career in his native Finland before moving to Ajax. He spent most of his career at Bundesliga club Werder Bremen which he represented in the UEFA Champions League in multiple seasons, and in the 2009 UEFA Cup Final. At international level, he made 76 appearances for the Finland national team scoring one goal.

Club career

FC Lahti

Born in Lahti, Finland, Pasanen became a regular for local club FC Lahti during the club's promotion season in 1998. During the next two seasons he made 42 appearances for the club in Finland's Veikkausliiga.

Ajax

Many of Europe's top clubs had become interested in the promising Pasanen, and in the summer of 2000 he joined Dutch club Ajax. The transfer fee was not disclosed, but is believed to be around 6 million Finnish markka, which corresponds roughly to €1 million. He became a regular in the Ajax defense in his first season, but his progress was halted when he broke his foot in August 2001, and had to miss most of the 2001–02 season. Next season he was a regular again as Ajax reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League.

He fell out of favour at Ajax in 2003–04, and spent the second half of the season on loan at English club Portsmouth in the Premier League. Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp was interested in purchasing Pasanen at the end of the season, but claimed Ajax's asking price was too high.

Werder Bremen

Pasanen was then signed by reigning German champions Werder Bremen in the summer of 2004. He became a key player for the club, helping them to a top three finish in the Bundesliga and the second round of the Champions League in each of his first two seasons at the club. Whilst at Bremen he played in the 2009 UEFA Cup Final.

Red Bull Salzburg

On 30 June 2011, after the end of his contract, he left Werder Bremen, and signed for Red Bull Salzburg. On 12 May 2012, Salzburg announced that they would not renew Pasanen's contract and he would be free to look for a new club during the summer.

AGF Aarhus

On 28 July 2012, Pasanen signed a two-year contract with Danish topflight side AGF. He scored his first goal for AGF on 10 December 2012, in a 3−3 home draw against Silkeborg.

Return to Lahti

In May 2014, FC Lahti announced that Pasanen would return to Lahti and that he had signed a contract until the end of the 2016 season. On 29 September 2015, Pasanen announced that he would retire from professional football at the end of the season.

International career

Pasanen was also a regular for the Finland national team. He made his international debut on 15 November 2000 against the Republic of Ireland. Pasanen has mostly played at right back for Finland, and has also served as the national team's captain, when Sami Hyypiä and Jari Litmanen have not played. He scored his only goal on 22 May 2002 in a home friendly at the Helsinki Olympic Stadium against Latvia, which Finland won 2–1.

Pasanen has also played in Finland national futsal team, where he has six caps and two goals.

Coaching career

After his playing career, Pasanen has worked as a youth coach for FC Lahti, and as an assistant coach of the club's first team during 2022–2023.

Later career

After his professional career, Pasanen has worked as a football pundit for Yle in 2014–2018, and for MTV Oy in 2018–2020. Since 2020, Pasanen has worked for MTV and C More Finland as a football studio host in UEFA Champions League matches and international tournaments. In May 2023, Pasanen worked as a studio host in 2023 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship tournament.

Personal life

His son Samuel Pasanen is also a professional footballer, playing for FC Lahti in Veikkausliiga.

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cups Europe Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Kuusysi 1996 Ykkönen 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
FC Hämeenlinna (loan) 1997 Ykkönen 4 0 0 0 0 0 4 0
1998 Ykkönen 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Total 5 0 0 0 0 0 5 0
Lahti 1997 Ykkönen 15 0 0 0 0 0 15 0
1998 Ykkönen 15 1 0 0 0 0 15 1
1999 Veikkausliiga 27 0 0 0 0 0 27 0
2000 Veikkausliiga 15 1 0 0 0 0 15 1
Total 72 2 0 0 0 0 72 2
Ajax 2000–01 Eredivisie 29 4 0 0 0 0 29 4
2001–02 Eredivisie 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
2002–03 Eredivisie 22 3 0 0 0 0 22 3
2003–04 Eredivisie 7 0 0 0 0 0 7 0
Total 59 7 0 0 0 0 59 7
Portsmouth (loan) 2003–04 Premier League 12 0 0 0 0 0 12 0
Werder Bremen 2004–05 Bundesliga 23 1 0 0 0 0 23 1
2005–06 Bundesliga 17 0 0 0 5 0 23 0
2006–07 Bundesliga 17 0 0 0 2 0 19 0
2007–08 Bundesliga 28 2 0 0 8 0 36 2
2008–09 Bundesliga 16 0 0 0 5 0 21 0
2009–10 Bundesliga 19 0 4 1 10 0 33 1
2010–11 Bundesliga 24 0 1 0 7 0 32 0
Total 144 3 5 1 37 0 186 4
Red Bull Salzburg 2011–12 Austrian Bundesliga 18 0 3 0 11 0 32 0
Aarhus 2012–13 Superliga 23 1 1 0 0 0 24 1
2013–14 Superliga 21 1 0 0 0 0 21 1
Total 44 2 1 0 0 0 45 2
Lahti 2014 Veikkausliiga 11 1 1 0 0 0 12 1
2015 Veikkausliiga 19 0 5 0 2 0 26 0
Total 30 1 6 0 2 0 38 1
Career total 386 15 15 1 50 0 451 16

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Finland 2000 1 0
2001 5 0
2002 5 1
2003 6 0
2004 8 0
2005 3 0
2006 7 0
2007 10 0
2008 3 0
2009 9 0
2010 5 0
2011 5 0
2012 3 0
2013 6 0
Total 76 1
Scores and results list Finland's goal tally first, score column indicates score after Pasanen goal.
International goal scored by Petri Pasanen
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 22 May 2002 Helsingin olympiastadion, Helsinki, Finland  Latvia 2–1 2–1 Friendly

Honours

Ajax

Werder Bremen

Red Bull Salzburg

Individual

  • 2008: Finnish Sports Journalists footballer of the year

See also

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