Niklas Moisander

Niklas Moisander
Personal information
Full name	Niklas Moisander
Date of birth	29 September 1985 (age 38)
Place of birth	Turku, Finland
Height	1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s)	Defender
Team information
Current team	Ajax
Number	4
Youth career
2001–2002	Turun palloseura
Senior career*
Years	Team
2002–2003	Turun Palloseura
2003–2006	Ajax
2006–2008	PEC Zwolle
2008–2012	AZ
2012–	Ajax
International career‡
1997–2001	Finland U-17
1999–2002	Finland U-19
2001–2003	Finland U-21
2008–	Finland
Medal record
AZ Alkmaar
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19 April 2013; ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 26 March 2013

Niklas Moisander, (born 29 September 1985 in Turku) is a Finnish footballer who plays as a central defender or left fullback for Dutch team Ajax and current captain of the national team of Finland, He is the twin brother of the Goalkeeper Henrik Moisander.

Club career

TPS

He started his career with TPS and played 17 times for them, from 2002 to June 2003, he was a regular with his home club.

Ajax

Moisander then moved to Ajax, but never actually played any matches for them and was playing for the reserves for the majority of his 3 year stay there.

Zwolle

In July 2006, he went to Zwolle and during his time there, he made 75 appearances, scoring 5 times, Moisander was an instrumental player for them.

AZ Alkmaar

On 1 July 2008, after having impressed AZ, he moved there the following summer. He was made the team captain for the 2011−2012 season.

Return to Ajax

On August 21 of 2012 he returned to AFC Ajax on a three year contract as a replacement for Jan Vertonghen who was sold to Tottenham Hotspur. On 3 October 2012, Moisander scored a header in the Champions League, in a 4−1 home defeat against Real Madrid. He scored the winner in the Champions League game against Manchester City on 24 October 2012 again with a header.

International career

Moisander made his debut for the Finnish national team on 29 May 2008 in a friendly match against Turkey. On 10 October 2009, he scored the winning goal in a World Cup qualifier win over Wales.^[1] In 2011, under Mixu Paatelainen, Moisander gained the captains armband from Petri Pasanen.

Career statistics

Club performance

Statistics accurate as of matches played on 28 March 2013^[2]

Club	League	Season	League		Cup		Europe¹		Other²		Total
Club	League	Season	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Turun Palloseura	Ykkönen	2002	8	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	8	0
Turun Palloseura	Ykkönen	2003	9	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	9	0
Ajax	Eredivisie	2004–05	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Ajax	Eredivisie	2005–06	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Zwolle	Eerste Divisie	2006–07	34	1	1	0	0	0	2	0	37	1
Zwolle	Eerste Divisie	2007–08	37	4	4	0	0	0	5	0	46	4
AZ	Eredivisie	2008–09	22	1	2	0	0	0	0	0	24	1
		2009–10	28	1	3	0	5	0	1	0	37	1
		2010–11	29	0	3	0	8	0	0	0	40	0
		2011–12	30	1	5	1	14	1	0	0	49	3
		2012–13	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
Ajax		2012–13	22	4	4	0	8	2	0	0	34	6
Career total			218	12	22	1	35	3	8	0	283	16