Aulis Rytkönen

Aulis Rytkönen

Personal information
Date of birth	5 January 1929 (1929-01-05)
Place of birth	Karttula, Finland
Playing position	Striker
Youth career
-1945	Kuopion työväen urheilijat
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1945–1952	KuPS	126	(66)
1952–1960	Toulouse	120	(33)
1960–1966	HJK Helsinki	85	(28)
National team
1948–1964	Finland	37	(7)
Teams managed
1960–1971	HJK Helsinki
1975–1978	Finland
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Taavi Aulis Rytkönen (born 5 January 1929 in Karttula) is a Finnish football legend. He became the country's first professional player when he signed for France's Toulouse FC in 1952.

In total Rytkönen spent eight seasons (1952–1960) in France, winning the French Cup in 1957. A forward, he started his career in Finland with KuPS Kuopio in 1945, and after returning from France he worked as player-coach of HJK Helsinki 1960–1966 and as coach 1967–1971.

Rytkönen earned 37 caps for the Finnish national team, scoring seven goals. He played for Finland at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki. He also worked as national coach from 1975 to 1978. He was chosen Finland's Player of the Year in 1949, 1950, and 1952.

References

• Barreaud, Marc (1998). Dictionnaire des footballeurs étrangers du championnat professionnel français (1932-1997). L'Harmattan, Paris. ISBN 2-7384-6608-7. 
• Alaja, Erkki (2009). Monsieur magic, Aulis Rytkönen. Teos, Helsinki. ISBN 978-951-851-185-7. 

Aulis Rytkönen Street in Kuopio. Kuopion keskuskenttä in the background.