Miska Ylitolva, 17, started football just seven years ago. The young winger moved from Rovaniemi to Helsinki in the winter – and now he was invited to the men’s A-national team.
Head coach of the Finnish A national team Markku Kanerva surprised many of the national teams following by naming the 17-year-old Miska Ylitolvan To the group of owls. Last season, Ylitolva still played football in Rovaniemi mainly from Ykkö and Kakko.
– Awesome feeling, although undeniably the choice was a surprise to myself. Of course, the dream has always been to get to play in Huuhkaji. Now at least I can join the group, Ylitolva is happy.
In January, Ylitolva moved to Veikkausliiga’s top club HJK, even though there were other winners up in line – especially in Ykkönen.
Ylitolva, who enjoys being a real winger or wing-back, is physically strong, fast and running for his age.
– I played wing-back at HJK. It is good to know how to play up and down. In my opinion, I am dangerous when attacking and defending for sure. When playing in both directions, I am able to be involved in the game.
– The training matches have gone really well for my part, it must be admitted. The big jump has come from their matches. Development has taken place, Ylitolva admits.
In recent years, Owners have longed for new players specifically for the role of wing-back or winger. No constant face has yet been found, especially on the right side.
17-year-old Ylitolva will hardly solve this problem right away, but in the future the situation may be different.
– I already talked a little with “Riven” (Heather). Maybe I know now roughly where to go. The competition is fierce in HJK alone, and work has to be done to get a place even in the opening line-up, reminds Ylitolva.
Talent refined in Rovaniemi
Born in Espoo, Ylitolva moved to Rovaniemi when she went to third grade. He didn’t start football until he was ten years old in fourth grade.
The athletics, swimming and scaffolding that had been involved until then were allowed to recede when the football spark blew properly.
– I wasn’t even interested in football at first. Through a couple of elementary school classmates, I started football, but the sports were allowed to stay. I started in Rovaniemi at FC Santa Claus, from where I switched to RoPS as a B-junior, Ylitolva says.
Overtolva is already doing well against physically experienced adult players. The promise is that he enjoys the banging of iron.
– At the age of 15, I started at RoPS with a club physics coach to do a program for myself. That’s when I started going to the gym actively. I am very grateful that RoPS invested quite well in this, Ylitolva praises.
RoPS dropped to Kakkonen due to financial difficulties, and Ylitolva was recommended to change clubs. On January 20, 2022, he moved to the HJK ring.
The first born in the 21st century in Huuhkaji?
Something about the attitude and character of the cold-nerved young man is also shown by the fact that just a few hours after the announcement of the national team, he played in the HJK ranks in the practice game against IFK Mariehamn, excelling in the 2-0 victory as a goal scorer.
– I’m a pretty calm guy, and I’m not that much of a voice. In vain do I get excited or afraid of things in advance. My own attitude is that “let’s go and take care of things as best we can.” It will have the best possible outcome, I have noticed. No invitation to the Owls affected my play in any way.
If Ylitolva gets to play in the practice matches against Iceland and Slovakia at the end of March, he will become the third youngest debutant in national team history. Pasi Rautiainen and Eino Soinion after.
Over the top, Ylihtolva will become the first player born in Huuhkaji in the 21st century – he was born in May 2004.
– Self-confidence rises when you find that you are doing well in dueling. The game performance improves through itself. My goal was to make a breakthrough in the Veikkausliiga and then one day be the best in the series. For the rest of this season, I didn’t even dare to pursue an Owl shirt, I didn’t realize it at all, Ylitolva grins.
“Brave Rive’s way of working”
‘s football expert Olli Huttunen admits that the general public may not have heard anything about Miska Ylitolva. The national team coaching led by Markku Kanerva sees great potential in the young talent to take a place in the national team in the future.
– He doesn’t even have betting league experience. This is already thinking about the future. When it comes to winter national matches, these games have been valuable in the sense that there have always been new players on the national team – not necessarily right now, but in the years to come.
– I think that the goal for Miska is to get to feel the atmosphere of the national team, to get to know its patterns, the way of playing and at some point he will be seen on the national team. It is good to dare to map the young generation in this way, this is Rive’s bold way of working, Huttunen praises.