Finland’s Euro 2020 captain Tim Sparv retires

HELSINKI: Tim Sparv, who captained Finland to their first major finals at Euro 2020, announced his retirement from football on Monday.

“I have given everything that I was physically able to and gone as far as I possibly could,” the 34-year-old said in a video message.

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Sparv made his debut for Finland in 2009 and went on to win 84 caps, helping the “Eagle Owls” to make history as they qualified for their first ever major finals.

He led them against Denmark in the Euro 2020 opener, a game they won but which was overshadowed by the collapse on the field of Danish playmaker Christian Eriksen, who suffered a heart attack.

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Finland went on to lose to Russia and Belgium to finish third in their group, missing out to the Danes on goal difference for a place in the last 16.

The midfielder, who spent six seasons at Danish Superliga club Midtjylland, scored only once for Finland, during a 2012 friendly against Northern Ireland.

“At least I got one!” Sparv joked in his farewell video.