Matias Siltanen (born 29 March 2007) is a Finnish professional football player who plays as a central midfielder for Allsvenskan club Djurgårdens IF.

Early career

Born in Kuopio, Siltanen started to play football in a youth team of the local club Kuopion Palloseura (KuPS). He made his senior debut in 2022 at the age of 15, with the club's reserve team KuPS II playing in the third tier league Kakkonen. After the 2022 season, Siltanen received the Boy Player of the Year award from the Eastern Finland Football Association.[1]

On 12 January 2023, Siltanen signed his first professional contract with the club, on a two-year deal with an option for an additional year.[2] He made his first team debut with KuPS on 11 February 2023, in a Finnish League Cup loss against Ilves.[3] In June, he spent time with Danish club AGF on trial.[4][5][6] After the 2023 season, Siltanen was named The Boy Player of the Year by the Football Association of Finland.[7][8]

Club career

KuPS

On 6 April 2024, at the age of 17, Siltanen debuted in Veikkausliiga with KuPS first team, as a starter in the opening game of the 2024 season, in a 3–1 home win against HJK Helsinki.[9] He scored his first goal in the league on 7 July, in a 3–1 home win against IF Gnistan.[10] On 10 July, the club exercised his option for the 2025 season.[11] On 21 September, Siltanen and KuPS won the 2024 Finnish Cup title with a 2–1 win over Inter Turku in the final. On 19 October, Siltanen and KuPS were crowned the Veikkausliiga champions, completing the club's first-ever double.

In late 2024, Siltanen was noted by the CIES Football Observatory in the list of the most notable under-20 players in the world.[12][13][14] Subsequently he was named among the top 60 young talents in world football by The Guardian.[15][16] He became the third Finnish player to be mentioned in the said list, after Kaan Kairinen in 2015 and Sergei Eremenko in 2016.

During his debut season with KuPS first team, a 17-year-old Siltanen played in an important role and contributed in 42 matches, scoring a goal and providing five assists in total. He was also named Veikkausliiga Rookie of the Year.

Djurgården

On 23 January 2025, Siltanen officially joined Allsvenskan club Djurgårdens IF in Sweden,[17][18] initially signing a three-year deal, for a transfer fee of €1.2 million plus bonuses.[19][20] One month later on 23 February, he made his debut for Djurgården in a Svenska Cupen match against IK Oddevold.

International career

Siltanen was part of the Finland U16 squad that won the friendly tournament Baltic Cup in July 2023.[21]

On 4 October 2023, he was named the captain of the Finland U17 squad in the 2024 UEFA European Under-17 Championship qualification tournament.[22][23] In the tournament Finland drew with Ukraine 2–2[24] and with Germany 1–1, before winning Liechtenstein 3–0, placing 2nd in the group and advancing to the Elite round.[25] Siltanen played in first two games and scored a goal against Ukraine.

Siltanen was called-up to the Finland U19 team for two friendly matches against Romania in September 2024.[26]

Personal life

His father Marko Siltanen is a former footballer who played also for KuPS in the 1990s.[27][28][29][30]

Career statistics

As of 23 February 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup[a] League cup Europe Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
KuPS Akatemia 2022 Kakkonen 11 0 — — — 11 0
2023 Kakkonen 15 2 — — — 15 2
Total 26 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 26 2
KuPS 2023 Veikkausliiga 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0
2024 Veikkausliiga 27 1 5 0 6 0 4[b] 0 42 1
Total 27 1 5 0 7 0 4 0 43 1
Djurgårdens IF 2025 Allsvenskan 0 0 1 0 – 0 0 1 0
Career total 53 3 6 0 7 0 4 0 70 3
  1. ^ Includes Suomen Cup and Svenska Cupen
  2. ^ Includes UEFA Conference League

Honours

KuPS

Finland U16

Individual

References

  1. ^ a b Itäisellä alueella jaettiin jalkapallokauden 2022 palkinnot, Finnish FA, 6 February 2023
  2. ^ Matias Siltanen monivuotiseen sopimukseen Kuopion Palloseuran kanssa, KuPS, 12 January 2023
  3. ^ ILVES VS. KUPS 3 - 0, int.soccerway.com
  4. ^ Nuori kuopiolaisjalkapalloilija on tyrkyllä yhteen Tanskan menestysseuroista – "Testijakso on ollut onnistunut", Savon Sanomat, Outi Poikonen, 12 June 2023
  5. ^ Matias Siltanen testijaksolla Aarhus GF:ssä, KuPS, 12 June 2023
  6. ^ KuPS-lupaus Matias Siltanen Tanskassa Aarhusin testissä, Veikkausliiga, 12 June 2023
  7. ^ a b Captain's Ball 2023 – Palkitut osa 1, Finnish FA, 1 December 2023
  8. ^ Päävalmentaja Honkavaaralla selkeä näkemys KuPSin huippulupauksesta: ”Odotan, että hän ottaa paikkansa kokoonpanossa”, Savon Sanomat, 6 December 2023
  9. ^ KuPS – HJK, veikkausliiga.com
  10. ^ KuPS nousi takaisin sarjataulukon kärkeen – huippulupaus Matias Siltanen iski uransa avausmaalin, Keski-Uusimaa, 7 July 2024
  11. ^ Optio käytetty – Matias Siltanen jatkaa KuPSissa, kups.fi, 10 July 2024
  12. ^ Ilveksestä ponnistanut Juho Talvitie ja KuPSin Matias Siltanen ylsivät kovalle listalle, Aamulehti, 15 September 2024
  13. ^ Ulkomaisista seuroista matkustetaan Suomeen katsomaan 17-vuotiasta, joka rakentaa Veikkausliigan kärkijoukkueen peliä, Yle, 31 August 2024
  14. ^ KuPSin superlupausta Siltasta, 17, tarkkailevat nyt seurat niin Pohjoismaista kuin myös huippuliigoista, Helsingin Sanomat, 14 August 2024
  15. ^ Next Generation 2024: 60 of the best young talents in world football, The Guardian, 15 October 2024
  16. ^ Brittilehti The Guardian nosti jalkapalloilija Matias Siltasen maailman parhaiden nuorten lahjakkuuksien joukkoon, Yle, 16 October 2024
  17. ^ VÄLKOMMEN MATIAS SILTANEN!, dif.se, 23 January 2025
  18. ^ Ma­tias Sil­ta­nen siir­tyy Djur­går­de­niin, kups.fi, 23 January 2025
  19. ^ Klart: Djurgården värvar Siltanen, fotbollskanalen.se, 23 January 2025
  20. ^ Jättisiirto! Matias Siltanen Ruotsin suurseuraan, Ilta-Sanomat, 23 January 2025
  21. ^ a b U16-pojat marssi Baltic Cupin mestaruuteen, Football Association of Finland/ Palloliitto, 2 July 2023
  22. ^ Minihuuhkajiin valitut KuPSin kasvatit pääsevät mittaamaan osaamistaan lajin todellista jättiläistä vastaan, Savon Sanomat, Outi Poikonen, 4 October 2023
  23. ^ U17-pojat nimetty lokakuun EM-karsintaturnaukseen, Football Association of Finland/ Palloliitto, 4 October 2023
  24. ^ U17-pojat joutui tyytymään tasapeliin Ukrainaa vastaan, Finnish FA, 15 October 2023
  25. ^ U17-pojat selvitti tiensä EM-jatkokarsintoihin, Football Association of Finland/ Palloliitto, 21 October 2023
  26. ^ Sil­ta­nen ja Ruop­pi pe­la­si­vat U19-maa­jouk­kuees­sa, kups.fi, 9 September 2024
  27. ^ Ihmepoika Kuopiosta, Helsingin Sanomat, Ari Virtanen, 8 May 2024
  28. ^ Kättely, joka ei koskaan unohdu: Kuopiolainen jalkapalloilija kohtasi legendaarisen Pelén yllättäen, Savon Sanomat, 30 December 2022
  29. ^ Miljoonan euron ihmepoika, Ilta-Sanomat, 18 May 2024
  30. ^ 100 tarinaa KuPSista - Osa 68 - Matias ja Marko Siltanen, Savon Sanomat, 6 April 2024
  31. ^ Kuopio villiintyi KuPSin mestaruudesta – Eini ilmestyi juhlahumuun, Yle, 19 October 2024
  32. ^ KuPS nousi takaa ohi Suomen Cupin voittoon – Petteri Pennanen ratkaisi pelin upealla laukauksella, Yle, 21 September 2024
  33. ^ 𝗠𝗜𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗡 𝗞𝗔𝗞𝗞𝗢𝗡𝗘𝗡 𝗟𝗢𝗛𝗞𝗢 𝗖 | 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗵𝗮𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗸𝗸𝗮𝗸𝗼𝗵𝘁𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗹𝗮𝗮𝗷𝗮𝘁, instagram.com, 1 December 2023
Allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matias_Siltanen
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