Kai Nyyssönen

Kai Nyyssönen (born 10 June 1972) is a Finnish football coach and a former professional footballer who played as a forward. He was capped twice by Finland national team between 1996 and 1997. After retiring as a player, Nyyssönen became a coach.

Kai Nyyssönen

Nyyssönen (left) with KuPS
Personal information
Date of birth	(1972-06-10) 10 June 1972 (age 53)
Place of birth	Kuopio, Finland
Position(s)	Forward
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1990–1991	KuPS	27	(6)
1992–1995	Haka	88	(13)
1995–1998	RWD Molenbeek	46	(6)
1998	Córdoba	22	(2)
1998–1999	Motherwell	3	(1)
1999–2001	Haka	76	(22)
2001–2002	Chania	8	(1)
2002	Hämeenlinna	2	(0)
2003–2004	PP-70	35	(9)
2004–2006	KuPS	24	(1)
Total		300	(57)
International career
1996–1997	Finland	2	(0)
Managerial career
2007–2009	KuPS
2015–2016	Finland U20 (assistant)
2016	Finland U19
2016–2017	Finland U20
2017–2019	Finland U18
2018–2019	Finland U19
2020–2024	Finland U16
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

Born in Kuopio, Nyyssönen played club football in Finland for KuPS, Haka, Hämeenlinna and PP-70, in Belgium for RWD Molenbeek, in Spain for Córdoba, in Scotland for Motherwell (where he scored once against Dundee United),^[1] and in Greece for Chania.

International career

Nyyssönen earned two caps for Finland between 1996 and 1997.

Coaching career

Nyyssönen managed KuPS in Ykkönen and Veikkausliiga between 2007 and 2009.^[2][3]

Since 2016, he was the head coach of various Finnish youth national teams.^{[4][5][6][7][8][9]}

After working for the Football Association of Finland for 15 years, in November 2024 Nyyssönen was appointed by FIFA for their Talent Development Scheme program, as the first Finnish coach.^[10]

Personal life

His elder brother is fellow player Harri Nyyssönen.

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition^[11][12][13]

Club	Season	League			National cups[a]		Europe		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
KuPS	1990	Veikkausliiga	1	0	–		–		1	0
	1991	Veikkausliiga	26	6	–		–		26	6
	Total		27	6	0	0	0	0	27	6
Haka	1992	Veikkausliiga	32	8	–		–		32	8
	1992	Veikkausliiga	18	4	–		–		18	4
	1994	Veikkausliiga	16	0	–		–		16	0
	1995	Veikkausliiga	22	1	–		–		22	1
	Total		88	13	0	0	0	0	88	13
RWD Molenbeek	1995–96	Belgian First Division	13	3	1	1	–		14	4
	1996–97	Belgian First Division	28	3	0	0	2[b]	0	30	3
	1997–98	Belgian First Division	5	0	0	0	–		5	0
	Total		46	6	1	1	2	0	49	7
Córdoba	1998–99	Segunda División B	22	2	0	0	–		22	2
Motherwell	1998–99	Scottish Premier League	3	1	–		–		3	1
Haka	1999	Veikkausliiga	28	11	0	0	4[c]	1	32	12
	2000	Veikkausliiga	29	7	0	0	4[c]	0	33	7
	2001	Veikkausliiga	19	4	0	0	5[d]	0	24	4
	Total		66	22	0	0	13	1	79	23
Chania	2001–02	Alpha Ethniki	8	1	–		–		8	1
Hämeenlinna	2002	Veikkausliiga	2	0	–		–		2	0
PP-70	2003	Ykkönen
	2004	Ykkönen
	Total		35	9	0	0	0	0	35	9
KuPS	2005	Veikkausliiga	16	1	–		–		16	1
	2006	Veikkausliiga	8	0	–		–		8	0
	Total		24	1	0	0	0	0	24	1
Career total			321	62	1	1	15	1	337	64

1. Includes Suomen Cup and Belgian Cup
2. Includes UEFA Cup
3. Includes UEFA Champions League
4. Includes UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup

Honours

Haka

• Veikkausliiga: 1995, 1999, 2000^[14][15][16]