Sami Hyypiä

The towering Sami Hyypiä is a former footballer, who most famously played at the heart of defence for Liverpool over a decade. He now works as a football manager and coach, and he also competes in motocross. He has been named the Finnish Footballer of the Year ten times, as well as the Finnish Sportsperson of the Year in 2001, and the Liverpool Player of the Season 2001-02.

Born and raised in Finland to footballing parents, it was no surprise that Hyypiä followed in their footsteps, albeit that he was also a promising ice hockey player. He began playing football as a youth for Kumu in 1977, remaining at the club until 1988. He began his senior career at PaPe in 1989, returning to Kumu for the 1990-91 season, and then on to MyPa. He spent four years at the club, helping them to lift the Finnish Cup in 1992 and 1995. He moved to German side Willem II in 1995, where over four years he became the team captain and helped them qualify for the UEFA Champions League. In 1999, he was signed by Liverpool, the side he had supported as a boy, for £2.6 million, and quickly established himself as an integral part of the team partnering Stéphane Henchoz in defence. By 2001, he was a regular captain and helped the team win their unique treble of the League Cup, the FA Cup and the UEFA Cup. He became first choice captain in the 2001-02 season, and also helped the team win their fifth Champions League campaign in 2004-05. After a decade, he left to return to German football, and signed with Bayer Leverkusen, eventually retiring from the game in 2011. On the international stage he was a prominent member of the Finland national side, winning 105 caps between 1992-2010.

After retiring from playing he turned his attentions to coaching, firstly working as an assistant for the Finland U-21s from 2011-12, and then returning to Leverkusen as manager. After two successful seasons in Germany, he took on the job at Brighton & Hove Albion for a brief spell, before going on to manage the Swiss side FC Zürich for a season. In 2020 he returned to his native Finland to join FC Haka as an assistant.

Hyypiä regularly connects with his legions of followers and fans through Instagram, posting pictures and videos about his life around football and motocross.