Jussi Niska

Jussi Niska (born 15 August 2002) is a Finnish professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Veikkausliiga club Inter Turku and the Finland U21 national team.[1]

Jussi Niska
Personal information
Date of birth (2002-08-15) 15 August 2002
Place of birth Rovaniemi, Finland
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Left-back
Team information
Current team
 Inter Turku
Number 2
Youth career
FC Lynx
FC Santa Claus
0000–2019 RoPS
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019–2020 RoPS II 7 (0)
2020–2021 RoPS 36 (0)
2022– Inter Turku 52 (1)
International career‡
2018 Finland U16 2 (0)
2018 Finland U17 4 (0)
2023– Finland U21 7 (0)
Medal record
RoPS
Ykkönen2021
Inter Turku
Finnish League Cup2022
Finnish Cup2022
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16 June 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 21 November 2023

Club career

RoPS

Born in Rovaniemi, Niska played for the youth teams of FC Lynx, FC Santa Claus,[2] and RoPS. He debuted in Veikkausliiga for the RoPS first team on 2 July 2020 at the age of 17, in a 3–1 away defeat against Inter Turku.[3]

After RoPS got relegated in 2020, Niska stayed with the club in Ykkönen in the 2021 season,[2] finishing 2nd in the division, but eventually falling short to AC Oulu in the promotion play-offs.[4][5]

FC Inter Turku

Niska signed a three-year deal with Inter Turku in Veikkausliiga on 23 December 2021,[6] after RoPS faced some serious financial difficulties and were relegated to Kakkonen.

On 6 July 2022, Niska scored the winning goal as Inter Turku defeated Drita 1–0 in the 1st leg of the 2022–23 UEFA Europa Conference League 1st round qualifying match.[7][8]

International career

A regular Finnish youth international, Niska has represented Finland in various age brackets.[9]

Career statistics
As of 16 June 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[lower-alpha 1] Other Continental Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
RoPS II 2019 Kakkonen 60———60
2020 Kakkonen 10———10
Total 7000000070
RoPS 2020 Veikkausliiga 20050——250
2021 Ykkönen 16040——200
Total 360900000450
Inter Turku 2022 Veikkausliiga 211216[lower-alpha 2]02[lower-alpha 3]1313
2023 Veikkausliiga 220206[lower-alpha 2]0—300
2024 Veikkausliiga 90202[lower-alpha 2]0—130
Total 5216114021743
Career total 951151140211263
  1. Includes Suomen Cup
  2. Appearance(s) in Finnish League Cup
  3. Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa Conference League

Honours

RoPS

Inter Turku

References
  1. "Tehoja saisi tulla enemmän" - Jussi Niska noussut isoon rooliin Interissä, Veikkausliiga, 14 May 2022
  2. Saukko, Markku (24 March 2021). "RoPS on nuori ja yhtä rovaniemeläinen kuin 1980-luvulla - 18-vuotias johtohahmo Jussi Niska tähtää RoPSin kanssa takaisin Liigaan ja sitten Eurooppaan". Lapin Kansa (in Finnish). Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  3. Inter RoPS, Veikkausliiga
  4. REF soccerway
  5. AC Oulu säilytti sarjapaikkansa – RoPS-hyökkääjä ei sulattanut joukkuekaverin ulosajoa: "Se oli tuomarivirhe", Yle, Hinni Hirvonen, 7 November 2021
  6. JUSSI NISKA JA LUKA KUITTINEN PITKILLÄ SOPIMUKSILLA FC INTERIIN, Inter Turku
  7. Inter Turku (FIN) 1 - 0 Drita (KOS), UEFA
  8. Laine, Rauno (2022-07-06). "Jussi Niska ratkaisi Turun Interin voiton Europelien avauksessa". Lapin Kansa (in Finnish). Retrieved 2023-10-01.
  9. "Interin Jussi Niska innolla Pikkuhuuhkajiin. "Valinnasta saa luottamusta omaan tekemiseen"". Veikkausliiga (in Finnish). Retrieved 2023-10-01.
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