Dario Felix Naamo (born 14 May 2005) is a Finnish professional footballer who plays as a right-back for Austrian 2. Liga club St. Pölten and the Finland U21 national team.[2][3]

Dario Naamo
Personal information
Full name Dario Felix Naamo
Date of birth (2005-05-14) 14 May 2005 (age 19)
Place of birth Finland
Height 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Right-back
Team information
Current team
St. Pölten
Youth career
TiPS
0000–2018 KäPa
2018–2022 Honka
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022–2023 Honka II 16 (1)
2022–2023 Honka 24 (1)
2024 SJK 21 (0)
2024–St. Pölten (loan) 4 (0)
2025– St. Pölten 0 (0)
International career
2019 Finland U15 3 (0)
2021–2022 Finland U17 8 (0)
2022–2023 Finland U18 7 (0)
2023–2024 Finland U19 4 (0)
2023– Finland U21 5 (0)
Medal record
Honka
Second place Finnish Cup 2023
Finland U18
First place Baltic Cup 2023[1]
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 24 November 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 15 October 2024

Early career

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Naamo started playing football for Tikkurilan Palloseura (TiPS)[4] in Vantaa, before he moved to the renowned Käpylän Pallo (KäPa) youth academy in Helsinki.[5] In 2018, he joined the youth sector of Honka in Espoo.

Club career

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Honka

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Naamo made his debut with Honka first team in Veikkausliiga on 2 July 2022 at the age of 17, in a 1–1 home draw against IFK Mariehamn.[6] On 5 September 2023, he extended his contract with Honka, signing "a new long-term deal", according to the club.[7] He scored his first goal in the league on 28 October 2023, the opening goal on the 3rd minute in a 5–0 home win against AC Oulu.[8]

After Honka was declared bankruptcy after the 2023 season,[9] it was announced that Naamo had signed a two-year deal with fellow Veikkausliiga club SJK on 27 November 2023.[10][11][12]

St. Pölten

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On 9 September 2024, Naamo was loaned out to Austrian club SKN St. Pölten, with an obligation to buy.[13]

On 5 November, his move to St. Pölten was made permanent for a €200,000 fee.[14][15] SJK also secured a sell-on clause.

International career

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A regular Finnish youth international, Naamo has represented Finland at various youth national team levels.[16]

He was named in the Finland U17 squad for the 2022 UEFA European Under-17 Championship qualification tournament in October 2021, against Bosnia-Herzegovina, Switzerland and Gibraltar. Finland finished 2nd in the group and advanced to the Elite round. In March 2022, Naamo was part of the Finland U17 squad in the Elite round matches against Portugal, Bulgaria and Ireland.[17]

Naamo was part of the Finland U18 squad winning the friendly tournament Baltic Cup in June 2023.[18]

In October 2023, Naamo was named in the Finland U19 squad in the 2024 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualification tournament, in three games against Romania, Czech Republic and San Marino.[19]

On 7 November 2023, Naamo got his first call-up to the Finland under-21 national team, for a friendly match against Sweden, and for a UEFA Under-21 Euro Championship qualifying match against Armenia.[20] He made his U21 debut in a 3–0 friendly loss to Sweden on 16 November 2023.

Personal life

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Born and raised in Finland, Naamo is also eligible to represent Iraq. He holds a dual Finnish-Iraqi citizenship.[12] After Naamo was allegedly contacted by the Iraq Football Association,[21] he confirmed this in an interview in April 2024, and stated that his main goal is to represent Finland.[22]

Career statistics

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As of 24 November 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup[a] League cup[b] Europe Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Honka Akatemia 2022 Kakkonen 14 1 0 0 14 1
2023 Kakkonen 2 0 0 0 2 0
Total 16 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 16 1
Honka 2022 Veikkausliiga 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
2023 Veikkausliiga 23 1 5 1 2 0 0 0 30 2
Total 24 1 5 1 2 0 0 0 31 2
SJK 2024 Veikkausliiga 21 0 6 0 3 0 30 0
St. Pölten (loan) 2024–25 Austrian 2. Liga 4 0 0 0 4 0
St. Pölten 2024–25 Austrian 2. Liga 0 0 0 0 0 0
Career total 65 2 11 1 5 0 0 0 81 3
  1. ^ Includes Suomen Cup
  2. ^ Appearance(s) in Finnish League Cup

Honours

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Honka

Finland U18

References

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  1. ^ Finnish FA
  2. ^ "FC Hongan Naamo nauttii pääsystä avaukseen - "Tuntui hyvältä saada enemmän vastuuta"". Veikkausliiga (in Finnish). 25 May 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
  3. ^ "Dario Naamo jatkaa Hongassa - 18-vuotias puolustaja noussut jo nyt isoon rooliin". Veikkausliiga (in Finnish). 5 September 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
  4. ^ "U19-pojat ja Wales kohtaavat Eerikkilän perjantai-illassa". Finnish FA (in Finnish). 7 September 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
  5. ^ Tulospalvelu Palloliitto
  6. ^ HONKA VS. MARIEHAMN 1-1, soccerway
  7. ^ Dario Naamo jatkaa Hongassa, Honka, 5 September 2023
  8. ^ HONKA VS. OULU 5-0, soccerway
  9. ^ Espoon sokki-ilmoitus mullistaa markkinan – Nämä pelaajat viedään käsistä, Iltalehti, Anssi Karjalainen, 19 November 2023
  10. ^ Dario Naamo pukee ylleen Kerhon paidan, sjk.fi, 27 November 2023/
  11. ^ SJK kaappasi todellisen timantin riveihinsä, sportti.com, 27 November 2023
  12. ^ a b Kova kaappaus! SJK hankki Veikkausliigan huippulupauksen, suomifutis.com, Eetu Ikola, 27 November 2023
  13. ^ Dario Naamo siirtyy SJK:sta Itävaltaan, sjk.fi, 9 September 2024
  14. ^ Dario Naamo pysyvästi Itävaltaan, sjk.fi, 5 November 2024
  15. ^ Suomen huippulupaus siirtyy ulkomaille – Veikkausliiga-seura löi rahoiksi, mtvuutiset.fi, MTV Oy, 6 September 2024
  16. ^ Dario Naamo: "Pitää vaan joukkueena onnistua", Finnish FA, 15 October 2024
  17. ^ EM-karsinnat U17-pojat MAAOTTELUT 2022, Finnish FA/ Palloliitto
  18. ^ U18-pojat nimetty kesäkuun Baltic Cupiin, Football Association of Finland, 30 May 2023
  19. ^ U19-pojat nimetty lokakuun EM-karsintaturnaukseen, Finnish FA/ Palloliitto, 25 September 2023
  20. ^ Pikkuhuuhkajat nimetty marraskuun otteluihin, Finnish FA/Palloliitto, 7 November 2023
  21. ^ Suomen maajoukkue vaarassa menettää superlahjakkuutensa, mtvuutiset.fi, MTV Oy, Eetu Ikola, 20 February 2024
  22. ^ Irakin maajoukkue yrittää kaapata suomalaisen superlupauksen – 18-vuotias kommentoi nyt tilannettaan, MTV Oy, mtvuutiset.fi, Eetu Ikola, 7 April 2024
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