Jari Litmanen, a Finnish former footballer, is widely regarded as one of Finland’s greatest footballers of all time. He captained the Finland national team for over a decade and had an impressive club career, playing for renowned teams such as Barcelona, Ajax, and Liverpool. Born into a family of footballers, Litmanen followed in his parents’ footsteps and made his debut at the age of 16. He earned the nickname “The King” and was recognized as the 53rd best footballer ever by the Association of Football Statisticians. In 2010, he became the first Finnish team sport player to have a statue unveiled in his honor.
Quick Facts
- Also Known As: Jari Olavi Litmanen
- Age: 52 Years, 52 Year Old Males
- Family:
- Spouse/Ex-: Ly Jürgenson (m. 2015)
- Father: Olavi Litmanen
- Mother: Alice Litmanen
- Children: Bruno Litmanen, Caro Litmanen
- Born Country: Finland
- Football Players
- Finnish Men
- Height: 5’11” (180 cm), 5’11” Males
Childhood & Early Life
Jari Litmanen was born on 20 February 1971, in Lahti, Finland, to footballers Olavi and Alice Litmanen. Owing to his parents’ profession, the young boy was exposed to football at a tender age.
Club Career
Jari Litmanen started his club career in 1987, playing for Reipas in the then-top division Mestaruussarja. In 1991, he joined Finland’s biggest club HJK. The following year, he was acquired by MyPa where he played under the guidance of coach Harri Kampman and helped his team win the Finnish Cup. After he was released by MyPa, he was acquired by Ajax, and he became the league’s top scorer in the 1993–94 season. In the 1995 Champions League final, Ajax beat Milan, and Litmanen became the first Finnish footballer to win the European Cup. That year, he also lifted the Intercontinental Cup after defeating Grêmio. In the 1995–96 UEFA Champions League, he was the league’s top scorer with 9 goals, including the equalizer in the final against Juventus that his team eventually lost. The footballer ended his contract with Ajax and moved to Barcelona and eventually Liverpool on a free transfer. Although he was part of Liverpool when it won the “cup treble” of the FA Cup, Worthington Cup and UEFA Cup in 2001, he didn’t appear in all the three finals. During his tenure with the team, Litmanen scored 9 goals in a total of 43 official matches. For the 2002-03 season, he once again played for Ajax and helped them reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League. After the season’s end, he was released and joined Lahti. He then played for Hansa Rostock and Malmö FF until January 2008 when Fulham signed him. The footballer made his team debut on 31 March 2008 in a match against Tottenham. He was later released by Fulham in May that year. For the remainder of the 2008 season, he played for Lahti, helping them qualify for Europe for the very first time. On 16 April 2009, he extended his contract with Lahti and went on to score his first ever European goal for them in a 2–0 win against Gorica.
International Career
Jari Litmanen made his international debut on 22 October 1989 in a match against Trinidad and Tobago. On 16 May 1991, he scored his first goal against Malta. He served as the captain of the Finland national team from 1996 to 2008. On 25 January 2006, he earned his 100th cap in a match against South Korea and became one of the only four Finnish players to reach the milestone. On 17 November 2010, Litmanen netted a penalty in an 8–0 victory over San Marino and became the oldest footballer overall to score a goal in the qualifying rounds for the UEFA European Championship.
Family & Personal Life
In 2005, Jari Litmanen welcomed his son, Caro, with his girlfriend Ly Jürgenson. The couple’s second child, a son named Bruno, was born in 2007. A documentary based on his career, “The King – Jari Litmanen,” was released in 2012.