Kari Ukkonen

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox football biography Kari Ukkonen (born 19 February 1961) is a Finnish former football manager and former football player. As a player, Ukkonen was fielded as defender as well as midfielder.

He was inducted to the Finnish Football Hall of Fame in 2022.

Club career

Ukkonen started playing football in his hometown club Kuopion Palloseura (KuPS) in top-tier Mestaruussarja in 1979. In 1982, Ukkonen moved from Finland to Belgium, when he was bought by Cercle Brugge. Ukkonen made his Belgian début on 13 November, when Cercle defeated SV Waregem with 2–1. Ukkonen would go on to win the Belgian Cup with Cercle in 1985. Ukkonen would spend most of his career in Belgium, also playing for other First division teams as Lokeren, Anderlecht and Royal Antwerp. Ukkonen ended his playing career with French side LB Châteauroux.

International career

Ukkonen represented Finland at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow. Three years later, he earned his first cap for Finland in a 1–1 draw against Poland. The same year, Ukkonen was voted Finnish Footballer of the Year by sports journalists and the Football Association of Finland. He made 59 appearances for the Finland national team, scoring four goals.

Coaching career

He stayed in football as manager. First he was coach of Finland's national youth team. He was head coach of Finland at the 2001 World Youth Championship in Argentina.

His next job was the manager of Turun Palloseura (TPS) in 2004–2006.

Career statistics

Club

As of 16 May 2024.

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			Domestic CupsTemplate:Efn		Europe		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
KuPS	1979	Mestaruussarja	12	0					12	0
	1980	Mestaruussarja	26	2			2Template:Efn	0	28	2
	1981	Mestaruussarja	25	7					25	7
	1982	Mestaruussarja	28	4					28	4
	Total		91	13	–	–	2	0	93	13
Cercle Brugge	1982–83	Belgian First Division	21	2	–		–		21	2
	1983–84	Belgian First Division	30	1	1	0	–		31	1
	1984–85	Belgian First Division	25	3	7	2	–		32	5
	1985–86	Belgian First Division	31	10	13	1	2Template:Efn	0	46	11
	Total		107	16	21	3	2	0	130	19
Lokeren	1986–87	Belgian First Division	32	8	2	1	–		34	9
RSC Anderlecht	1987–88	Belgian First Division	14	1	4	0	–		18	1
	1988–89	Belgian First Division	15	0	3	0	3Template:Efn	0	21	0
	1989–90	Belgian First Division	8	2	2	0	2Template:Efn	1	12	3
	1990–91	Belgian First Division	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
	Total		39	3	9	0	5	1	53	4
Royal Antwerp	1991–92	Belgian First Division	27	0	5	0	–		32	0
	1992–93	Belgian First Division	11	1	1	0	1Template:Efn	0	13	1
	Total		38	1	6	0	1	0	45	1
Châteauroux	1993–94	Division 2	0	0	1	1	–		1	1
	1994–95	Division 2	37	1	7	1	–		44	2
	1995–96	Division 2	15	0	1	0	–		16	0
	Total		52	1	9	2	–	–	61	3
Career total			359	42	47	6	10	1	416	49

International goals

As of match played 9 October 1991. Finland score listed first, score column indicates score after each Ukkonen goal.

List of international goals scored by Kari Ukkonen

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	17 April 1985	Odra Opole Stadium, Opole, Poland	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Poland	flag alias = Flag of Poland.svg	flag alias-state = Flag of Poland (with coat of arms).svg	flag alias-1815 = Flag of the Congress of Poland.svg	flag alias-1919 = Flag of Poland (1919-1928).svg	flag alias-1928 = Flag of Poland (1928–1980).svg	flag alias-1955 = Flag of Poland (with coat of arms, 1955-1980).svg	flag alias-1980 = Flag of Poland (with coat of arms, 1980-1990).svg	flag alias-1990 = Flag of Poland (with coat of arms).svg	flag alias-naval = PL navy flag IIIRP.svg	border-naval =	flag alias-naval-1919 = Naval Ensign of IIRP v1.svg	border-naval-1919 =	flag alias-naval-1946 = Naval Ensign of PRL v1.svg	border-naval-1946 =	flag alias-naval-auxiliary = Flaga pomocniczych jednostek pływających Polskiej Marynarki Wojennej.svg	flag alias-naval-auxiliary-1955 = POL Bandera pjp PRL v1.svg	link alias-naval = Polish Navy	flag alias-navy = Naval Ensign of Poland.svg	border-navy =	link alias-navy = Polish Navy	flag alias-marines = Flag of the Polish Land Forces.svg	border-marines =	link alias-marines = Polish 7th Coastal Defense Brigade	flag alias-air force = Flag of the Polish Air Force.svg	border-air force =	link alias-air force = Polish Air Force	flag alias-army = Flag of the Polish Land Forces.svg	border-army =	link alias-army = Polish Land Forces	size =	size flag alias-naval = 25px	size flag alias-naval-1919 = 25px	size flag alias-naval-1946 = 25px	size flag alias-air force = 25px	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }}||align=center|1–2||align=center|1–2||Friendly
2	19 October 1988	Vetch Field, Swansea, Wales	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Wales	flag alias = Flag of Wales (1959–present).svg	flag alias-1807 = Flag of Wales (1807–1953).svg	flag alias-1953 = Flag of Wales (1953–1959).svg	flag alias-1959 = Flag of Wales (1959).svg	size =	name =	variant =	altlink = national football team }}||align=center|2–2||align=center|2–2||1990 FIFA World Cup qualification
3	23 August 1989	Väinölänniemen Stadium, Kuopio, Finland	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia	shortname alias = Yugoslavia	flag alias = Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg	flag alias-shs = Flag of the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs.svg	flag alias-army = Yugoslavia Infantry flag.svg	flag alias-naval = Naval Ensign of Yugoslavia (1949–1993).svg	flag alias-navy = Naval Ensign of Yugoslavia (1949–1993).svg	link alias-military = Yugoslav People's Army	link alias-army = Yugoslav Ground Forces	link alias-naval = Yugoslav Navy	link alias-air force = Yugoslav Air Force	link alias-navy = Yugoslav Navy	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }}||align=center|1–1||align=center|2–2||Friendly
4	9 October 1991	Helsinki Olympic Stadium, Helsinki, Finland	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Greece	flag alias = Flag of Greece.svg	flag alias-old = Flag of Greece (1822-1978).svg	flag alias-1970 = Flag of Greece (1970-1975).svg	flag alias-royal = State flag of Greece (1863–1924;1935–73).svg	flag alias-otto = Naval Royal Standard of Greece (1858-1862).svg	flag alias-army = Hellenic Army War Flag.svg	link alias-army = Hellenic Army	border-army=	flag alias-air force=Fin Flash of Greece.svg	link alias-air force=Hellenic Air Force	flag alias-royalnavy = Naval Ensign of Kingdom of Greece.svg	link alias-naval = Hellenic Navy	flag alias-navy = Flag of Greece.svg	link alias-navy = Hellenic Navy	link alias-military = Hellenic Armed Forces	link alias-royalnavy = Royal Hellenic Navy	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }}||align=center|1–1||align=center|1–1||UEFA Euro 1992 qualifying

Honours

• Belgian Cup:
  • Winner (4): 1985, 1988, 1989, 1992
  • Runner-up (1): 1986
• Belgian First Division:
  • Winner (1): 1990–91
  • Runner-up (2): 1988–89, 1989–90

References

• Cerclemuseum.be Template:In lang
• Kari Ukkonen player profile Template:In lang
• Template:PAGENAMEBASE at National-Football-Teams.com