Jussi Niska

Last updated
Jussi Niska
Personal information
Full name Jussi Erkki Niska [1]
Date of birth (2002-08-15) 15 August 2002 (age 22)
Place of birth Rovaniemi, Finland
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Left-back
Team information
Current team
Inter Turku
Number 2
Youth career
FC Santa Claus
–2019 RoPS
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2019–2020 RoPS II 7 (0)
2020–2021 RoPS 36 (0)
2022– Inter Turku 78 (4)
International career
2018 Finland U16 2 (0)
2018 Finland U17 4 (0)
2023–2025 Finland U21 8 (0)
Medal record
RoPS
Silver medal icon.svg Ykkönen 2021
Inter Turku
Silver medal icon.svg Finnish League Cup 2022
Silver medal icon.svg Finnish Cup 2022
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23 June 2025
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 10 September 2024

Jussi Erkki Niska (born 15 August 2002) is a Finnish professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Veikkausliiga club Inter Turku and the Finland U21 national team. [2]

Contents

Club career

RoPS

Born in Rovaniemi, Niska played for the youth teams of FC Lynx, who later became part of FC Santa Claus, [3] and RoPS. He debuted in Veikkausliiga for the RoPS first team on 2 July 2020 at the age of 17, in a 3–1 away defeat against Inter Turku. [4]

After RoPS got relegated in 2020, Niska stayed with the club in Ykkönen in the 2021 season, [3] finishing 2nd in the division, but eventually falling short to AC Oulu in the promotion play-offs. [5] [6]

FC Inter Turku

Niska signed a three-year deal with Inter Turku in Veikkausliiga on 23 December 2021, [7] after RoPS faced some serious financial difficulties and were relegated to Kakkonen. On 6 July 2022, Niska scored the winning goal as Inter Turku defeated Drita 1–0 in the 1st leg of the 2022–23 UEFA Europa Conference League 1st round qualifying match. [8] [9] On 8 October 2024, his contract was extended for the 2025 with an option for 2026. [10]

International career

A regular Finnish youth international, Niska has represented Finland in various age brackets. [11]

Career statistics

As of 23 June 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueCup [a] League cup [b] EuropeTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
RoPS II2019 Kakkonen 6060
2020 Kakkonen1010
Total7000000070
RoPS 2020 Veikkausliiga 20050250
2021 Ykkönen 16040200
Total360900000450
Inter Turku 2022 Veikkausliiga21121602 [c] 1313
2023 Veikkausliiga2202060300
2024 Veikkausliiga2406020320
2025 Veikkausliiga1131070193
Total784111210211126
Career total1214201210211646

Honours

RoPS

Inter Turku

References

  1. Urheilukouluun valittiin 79 kesälajien urheilijaa lokakuun 2022 saapumiserään, intti.fi, 17 May 2022
  2. "Tehoja saisi tulla enemmän" - Jussi Niska noussut isoon rooliin Interissä, Veikkausliiga, 14 May 2022
  3. 1 2 Saukko, Markku (24 March 2021). "RoPS on nuori ja yhtä rovaniemeläinen kuin 1980-luvulla - 18-vuotias johtohahmo Jussi Niska tähtää RoPSin kanssa takaisin Liigaan ja sitten Eurooppaan". Lapin Kansa (in Finnish). Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  4. Inter RoPS, Veikkausliiga
  5. REF soccerway
  6. AC Oulu säilytti sarjapaikkansa – RoPS-hyökkääjä ei sulattanut joukkuekaverin ulosajoa: "Se oli tuomarivirhe", Yle, Hinni Hirvonen, 7 November 2021
  7. JUSSI NISKA JA LUKA KUITTINEN PITKILLÄ SOPIMUKSILLA FC INTERIIN, Inter Turku
  8. Inter Turku (FIN) 1 - 0 Drita (KOS), UEFA
  9. Laine, Rauno (2022-07-06). "Jussi Niska ratkaisi Turun Interin voiton Europelien avauksessa". Lapin Kansa (in Finnish). Retrieved 2023-10-01.
  10. Jussi Niska jatkaa Interin puolustuksessa, fcinter.fi, 8 October 2024
  11. "Interin Jussi Niska innolla Pikkuhuuhkajiin. "Valinnasta saa luottamusta omaan tekemiseen"". Veikkausliiga (in Finnish). Retrieved 2023-10-01.