Anne Mäkinen
Encyclopedia
Anne Maarit Mäkinen is a former Finnish
football (soccer) player, who last played for Swedish
club AIK in Stockholm
. She was a central midfielder.
Following her debut in June 1991, Mäkinen represented Finland a record 118 times, with 16 goals as of her retirement in 2009. She was the first Finnish player to play in the WUSA
, and played collegiately at the University of Notre Dame
. Mäkinen played for Washington Freedom
, Philadelphia Charge
and New Jersey Wildcats
. While with Notre Dame, she was the Rookie of the Year in 1997 and the most valuable player
in 2000, and was selected to the All Stars of University soccer four years in a row. In 2005, Mäkinen vice-captained Finland
to the bronze medals in the European Championship finals, which stands as her nations's best achievement in this sport. While with Umeå IK
in Sweden, she twice won the Swedish top league, Damallsvenskan
, in 2005 and 2006.
Mäkinen's playing style was very powerful. She was skilful with the ball, and dictated the run of her team's play from central midfield with her effective tackling and telling passes.
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
football (soccer) player, who last played for Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
club AIK in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
. She was a central midfielder.
Following her debut in June 1991, Mäkinen represented Finland a record 118 times, with 16 goals as of her retirement in 2009. She was the first Finnish player to play in the WUSA
Women's United Soccer Association
The Women's United Soccer Association, often abbreviated to the WUSA, was the world's first women's soccer league in which all the players were paid as professionals. Founded in February 2000, the league began its first season in April 2001 with eight teams in the United States...
, and played collegiately at the University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Notre Dame's nickname is inherited from Irish immigrant soldiers who fought in the Civil War with the Union's Irish Brigade, , recollected among other places in the poetry of Joyce Kilmer who served with one of the Irish Brigade regiments during World War I...
. Mäkinen played for Washington Freedom
Washington Freedom
The Washington Freedom was an American professional soccer club based in the Washington, D.C. suburb of Germantown, Maryland that participated in Women's Professional Soccer. The Freedom was originally founded in 2001 as a member of the defunct Women's United Soccer Association. Since 2004, the...
, Philadelphia Charge
Philadelphia Charge
The Philadelphia Charge was an American women's professional soccer team that played in the Women's United Soccer Association.The team played at Villanova Stadium on the campus of Villanova University near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The team began play in 2001. The league announced on September...
and New Jersey Wildcats
New Jersey Wildcats
New Jersey Wildcats is an American women’s soccer team, founded by Vincent Baldino in 1996. The team is a member of the United Soccer Leagues W-League, the second tier of women’s soccer in the United States and Canada. The team plays in the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference against the D.C...
. While with Notre Dame, she was the Rookie of the Year in 1997 and the most valuable player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
in 2000, and was selected to the All Stars of University soccer four years in a row. In 2005, Mäkinen vice-captained Finland
Finland women's national football team
The Finland women's national football team represents Finland in international women's football. The team, controlled by the Football Association of Finland , reached the semi-finals of the 2005 European Championship, surprising the female football world having drawn with Sweden and beaten Denmark...
to the bronze medals in the European Championship finals, which stands as her nations's best achievement in this sport. While with Umeå IK
Umeå IK
Umeå IK is a prominent women's association football club based in the city of Umeå, Sweden. The club was established in 1917 as a general sports club, and started competing in women's in 1985. In 1996 the team reached the premier division, the Damallsvenskan but was relegated the following year. In...
in Sweden, she twice won the Swedish top league, Damallsvenskan
Damallsvenskan
The Damallsvenskan, Swedish for ladies' all-Swedish, is the highest division of women's football in Sweden. It is also referred as to the women's Allsvenskan, this term being used alone to refer to the men's division....
, in 2005 and 2006.
Mäkinen's playing style was very powerful. She was skilful with the ball, and dictated the run of her team's play from central midfield with her effective tackling and telling passes.