Kaija Salopuro (born 1938) is a Finnish former footballer, who won five women's football championships with Helsingin Jalkapalloklubi between 1971 and 1975. She later worked for the Football Association of Finland, and won multiple awards for her contributions to Finnish women's football.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 1938 (age 85–86) | ||
| Place of birth | Ylivieska, Finland | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1971–? | HJK | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17:21, 22 April 2021 (UTC) | |||
Personal life
editSalopuro is from Ylivieska, Finland.[1] In her early life, she participated in baseball and athletics.[2]
Career
editSalopuro moved to Helsinki to work in the offices of Helsingin Jalkapalloklubi sports club (HJK). At the time, the club was considering the creation of a women's football club.[2] In 1971, Salopuro was the first captain of the Helsingin Jalkapalloklubi women's team.[3] None of the players were initially paid for their participation.[4] Between 1971 and 1975, she won five Finnish Football Championships as HJK captain.[3][1] HJK also won the 1971 Finnish Women's Cup, beating Vaasan Palloseura 6-0 in the final. The match was apparently attended by just two men, who heckled the players.[5]
Salopuro worked in the offices of HJK until 1976, when she moved to work for the Football Association of Finland.[6] In the 1980s she worked with the Finland women's national football team.[6] Salopuro retired from the Finnish Football Association in 2003.[6]
Awards
editIn 2006, she was the first recipient of the Kaijan Kannu award for contributions to women's football. The award was named after Salopuro.[6] In 2010, she was entered into the Finnish Football Hall of Fame.[3][6] In 2012, she won the Finnish Pro Sports Medal.[3][6] In 2013, she was inducted into HJK's Hall of Fame.[6]
References
edit- ^ a b "IS käynnisti naisfutiksen Suomessa – katso kuvat lajin alkuvaiheista". Ilta-Sanomat (in Finnish). 10 July 2013. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
- ^ a b "HJK Naiset 50 vuotta – Kaija Salopuro, kaiken alku" (in Finnish). Helsingin Jalkapalloklubi. 14 April 2021. Archived from the original on 22 April 2021. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
- ^ a b c d "Hall of Fame" (in Finnish). SuomenJalkapallomuseon. Archived from the original on 17 April 2021. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
- ^ "Miten naisjalkapallo sai alkunsa suomessa!". Kysy (in Finnish). 9 April 2008. Archived from the original on 31 October 2020. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
- ^ "Kommentti: Pysyvathan kotirouvat poissa miestensa tielta naisten jalkapallo on 50 vuodessa harpannut kivikaudelta nykyaikaan". Ilta-Sanomat (in Finnish). 17 April 2021. Retrieved 22 April 2021 – via The World News.
- ^ a b c d e f g "HJK:n ensimmäinen joukkue kerättiin kasaan lehti-ilmoituksilla – Suomessa suhtauduttiin aluksi ristiriitaisesti naisiin jalkapallossa". Yle (in Finnish). 21 June 2019. Archived from the original on 22 April 2021. Retrieved 22 April 2021.