Mikael Forssell - The Finnish Finisher
An injury plagued career with one magic season
This week's Footballing Icon is a player who started as a highly rated wonder kid but was then plagued with persistent knee injuries. An excellent finisher, he played for two Premier League teams in Chelsea and Birmingham City. No matter where he played, Forssell was always a fan favourite with his boyish looks, strong work ethic and eye for goal, most football fans willed him to do well. He wasn't often popular with every Chelsea manager however, the club he was involved at between 1998 - 2005 but only brought 33 league appearances. A Premier League career of ups and downs.
Player Profile
Name: Mikael Forssell
Date of Birth: 15 March 1981
Nationality: Finnish
Position: Striker
Premier League Clubs: Chelsea, Birmingham
Premier League Appearances: 126
Premier League Goals: 34
Premier League Assists: 4
Overview
A Finnish striker, Mikael Forssell was what you would call a natural striker. A poachers instinct matched with a hard shot and accurate finishing, he was always going to be a striker. He was equally adept at scoring goals with both feet and was a hardworking player who would run the channels and chase down the opposition before pressing from the front became such a popular tactic that we see regularly today.
Memorable Moments
Forssell played just shy of 10 years in the Premier League amassing 126 league appearances and 34 goals. Whilst he's often associated with Chelsea, he struggled to get much game time, even with the incredible start he made as a young 17 year old. At that tender age he made his league debut against Arsenal in 1999, followed up by two goals against Oxford United in the FA cup that same week and his first league goal against Nottingham Forest a couple of weeks later. This run of games didn't last long though as he found himself competing with talented forwards such as Chris Sutton, Gianfranco Zola, and Jimmy Floyd-Hasselbaink.
His most memorable season was the 2003-2004 season while at Birmingham City. On loan from Chelsea, Forssell quickly became the focal point of Birmingham’s attack, showcasing his clinical finishing and ability to deliver in crucial moments. During that season, Forssell scored 17 league goals, making him the 5th highest scorer in the Premier League, behind Van Nistelrooy, Saha, Shearer and Henry. He scored more league goals than any other Chelsea player and in this breakout season he earnt the Premier League Player of the Month award in March 2004 after a brace against Leeds United in a 4-1 win. Forssell’s impact was undeniable; he was instrumental in Birmingham’s impressive top-half finish, and his performances earned him the club’s Player of the Season award. Check out some of his best goals in a Birmingham shirt.
That success however was short lived, as persistent knee injuries during his second loan year at Birmingham curtailed his playing time and forced him to return to Chelsea. Despite his injury struggles, Forssell made a brief appearance in Chelsea’s title-winning 2004-2005 season, featuring in the match against Charlton where the Blues lifted their first Premier League trophy. A rare high moment for him in an injury ravaged season. This would be his last appearance for Chelsea, marking the end of a chapter that had shown so much promise but struggled to consistently deliver.
Opinion
Its safe to say that Forssell would have scored a lot more Premier League goals had he managed to stay fit. As with many players, injuries severely hampered his career and stopped him getting that consistent game time a striker often needs to regularly score goals. We saw what he was capable of in that season with Birmingham and I think he would have produced more seasons like that had he managed to stay fit.
I always looked at Forssell as one of those difficult strikers who would always cause problems for the opposition and wouldn’t take no for an answer. He didn’t need the ball put on a plate for him to score goals and that meant in poor quality, scrappy games he could still be a real threat. I think that Birmingham team with Clinton Morrison next to him up front and battlers like Robbie Savage in midfield really suited Forssell’s style.
Did you know?
Forssell once missed training, after moving to VfL Bochum because a cat was sat next to his car. He came out of his house one morning to drive to training only to find a cat perched up against the wheel of his car. Due to a long term cat allergy, Forssell was forced to stay inside and wait for it to move rather than trying to deal with it himself. Unfortunately for Mikael, the Cat was quite comfortable and it was some hours before it buggered off.
Where are they now?
Forssell retired in 2018 ending his career at his boyhood club HJK. He has kept a fairly low profile since retiring. Forssell has spent most of his time coaching HJK's U19 youth team, and on 6th June 2024, he was appointed an assistant coach of HJK first team. Maybe we will see him coaching in the Premier League one day.
Tell us your memories
As always we want to hear from you. Was Forssell an underrated talent unlucky with injuries? Or a one hit wonder who couldn’t perform consistently? Hit the comments, and let us know.
Next week
Next week, a midfielder whose loyalty helped his team secure consistent top-half finishes in the late 90s. Known for his tireless work ethic and occasional spectacular goal, he was the heart and soul of his club's success. Any guesses?