Football promise, dual citizen Tomas Galvez, 17, is choosing the Finnish national team instead of England. The matter will be sealed if the full-back makes his debut in Huuhkajie’s crew today against Sweden.
Huuhkajie and Sweden practice game live at Areena on Monday at 20:40.
The Finnish men’s national football team is camping in Portugal’s Algarve, where they will face Sweden and Estonia in practice matches. There are a lot of national team first-timers.
The head coach Markku Kanerva wants to see, for example, how a player with the qualities of a wingback is comfortable in the position of a left wingback Tomas Galvez will do well at the A national team level.
– Galvez has mainly played U18 games for Manchester City, but was already on the bench in one of City’s men’s training matches. He has been part of the Finnish U19 national team and now it has been great to get to know the guy at the camp in Portugal. He has the opportunity to make choices between England and Finland. If he plays in the match against Sweden, then the matter will be clear, Kanerva explains.
Tomas Galvez, Robert Ivanov, Niilo Mäenpää and Richard Jensen are available to the national team only in the match against Sweden.
– Playing in the national team is an honor, and I’m really excited about it. I hope I get a chance in the Sweden match and I can show my skills in it. After the match, I will go to England, confirmed Galvez.
“If it succeeds here, the shares will definitely rise”
Coach Kanerva emphasizes that Portugal’s winter camp and especially the two official international matches played there are big showcases. They are the last step for new, up-and-coming Finnish talents to show their level before the European Championship qualifiers starting in March.
– If you succeed in these games, the shares will definitely rise. Above all, it is a sample window for those who long for a club transfer, Kanerva specified and referred to Aston Villa’s “three-keeper” in his speech, for example Viljami Sinisaloo21, and to FC Honga’s 19-year-old goalscorer, who longs to go abroad Agon Sadikuu.
One of the most memorable moments of Galvez’s short career, who joined City’s team from Watford’s junior academy in the summer of 2021, was in December, when he was able to join the training ring of Manchester City’s representative team. He didn’t get on the field in the Girona game, but got to know him during the trip Erling Braut to Haaland, to Kevin De Bruyne and partners.
– It was a really rewarding experience. They were all nice, fair, professional and always ready to help. I also talked to the coach Pep Guardiola’s with. If you ask me, he’s the best (coach) in the world,” Galvez beamed.
Huuhkajie and Sweden practice game live at Areena on Monday at 20:40. will also show the match between Huuhkajie and Estonia on Thursday at 18:00.