Last Line of Duty

Finland’s goalkeeper and captain Tinja-Riikka Korpela, now at West Ham, picks up a conversation she began with She Kicks before EURO 2022 about savouring the moment, only this time she genuinely believes it will be her last major tournament. She describes leadership spread widely through the squad: Natalia Kuikka back from injury, Eveliina Summanen gaining experience at Spurs, and Oona Siren and Eva Nystrom alongside her, which lets her stay calm about her own performances and input. Tactically she says Finland have always defended as a team starting from the strikers, and have since worked on being more versatile with the ball, with most of the squad now tournament-tested. On recognition at home she traces a slow build since Finland’s first Euros in 2005, and notes how many more people stop her in the street.