Mikael Forssell
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Forssell during Birmingham City's pre-season tour, 2004 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Mikael Kaj Forssell | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 15 March 1981 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Steinfurt, West Germany | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | HJK (assistant coach) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1994–1997 | HJK | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1997–1998 | HJK | 17 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998–2005 | Chelsea | 33 | (5) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000 | → Crystal Palace (loan) | 13 | (3) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2001 | → Crystal Palace (loan) | 39 | (13) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003 | → Borussia Mönchengladbach (loan) | 12 | (7) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003–2004 | → Birmingham City (loan) | 32 | (17) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2005 | → Birmingham City (loan) | 4 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005–2008 | Birmingham City | 65 | (13) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008–2011 | Hannover 96 | 44 | (7) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011–2012 | Leeds United | 15 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012–2014 | HJK | 44 | (21) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014–2015 | VfL Bochum | 16 | (3) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2016 | HJK | 19 | (3) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017 | HIFK | 25 | (8) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 383 | (101) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999–2014 | Finland | 87 | (29) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Managerial career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019–2021 | HJK (youth) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024– | HJK (assistant) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mikael Kaj Forssell (born 15 March 1981) is a Finnish former professional footballer who played as a striker. He is currently working as an assistant coach of HJK Helsinki, having previously worked as a youth coach for the club.
Forssell began his professional career in 1997 for HJK, having progressed through the team's youth teams, but he only remained at the club for a single season, making 17 league appearances, before he moved to England to join Chelsea in 1998. He never broke into the Chelsea team, making 33 league appearances in seven years, and spent two loan spells at Crystal Palace, one at Borussia Mönchengladbach, and two at Birmingham City. He switched permanently to the latter club in 2005, but injury problems restricted him to 65 league appearances in three seasons. He joined German side Hannover 96 in July 2008 on a free transfer, but once again struggled with form and injury problems, and he left the club in 2011, having made 44 league appearances. This was followed by an unsuccessful season back in England, this time with Leeds United; 15 league games failed to yield a single goal. Forssell returned to HJK in October 2012.
Forssell made his full international debut for Finland in 1999, and was a regular player for his country for the next 15 years. He earned 87 caps for his country, and scored 29 goals, making him Finland's sixth most capped player and second highest goalscorer.
On 2 October 2022, Forssell was named in the HJK Hall of Fame.