Marcus Forss
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Marcus Forss[1] | ||
Date of birth | 18 June 1999 | ||
Place of birth | Turku, Finland[2] | ||
Height | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)[3] | ||
Position(s) | Forward | ||
Team information | |||
Current team | Brentford | ||
Number | 15 | ||
Youth career | |||
Ruskon Pallo | |||
TuWe | |||
–2012 | FDS-WBA Finland | ||
2012–2017 | West Bromwich Albion | ||
2017–2018 | Brentford | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2018– | Brentford | 47 | (8) |
2019–2020 | → AFC Wimbledon (loan) | 18 | (11) |
International career‡ | |||
Finland U17 | 4 | (2) | |
2016–2017 | Finland U18 | 5 | (4) |
2017–2018 | Finland U19 | 6 | (3) |
2018– | Finland U21 | 5 | (2) |
2020– | Finland | 5 | (1) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 00:04, 30 May 2021 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19:21, 4 June 2021 (UTC) |
Marcus Forss (born 18 June 1999) is a Finnish professional footballer who plays as a forward for Premier League club Brentford. He is a product of the West Bromwich Albion academy and is a current Finland international.
Club career
Early years
A forward, Forss began his career in his native Finland with spells at FC Ruskon Pallo, TuWe and the FDS-Suomi football school.[4] At age 13,[5] he moved to England to join the academy at Premier League club West Bromwich Albion and progressed to sign a two-year scholarship deal in 2015.[6] He was called into the U21 squad for two EFL Trophy matches in the first half of the 2016–17 season and made one appearance,[7] with a start in a 2–0 group stage defeat to Gillingham on 8 November 2016.[8] Forss was released when his scholarship ended in May 2017.[9]
Brentford
On 22 June 2017, Forss joined the B team at Championship club Brentford on a two-year contract.[9] After scoring 11 goals in his first 23 B team appearances, he signed a new 3+1⁄2-year contract in February 2018.[10] He finished the 2017–18 season as the B team's top scorer with 21 goals and won the team's Player of the Year award.[11] Forss was promoted into the first team squad for the 2018–19 season and despite missing five months of the campaign with a back injury,[12][13][14] he was a regular inclusion in matchday squads when fit and finished the season with 9 appearances and two goals.[15]
After one goal in three early-2019–20 season appearances,[16] Forss signed a new four-year contract and departed Griffin Park on a season-long loan.[17] The loan was ended early in January 2020,[18] due to a torn hamstring,[19] which required surgery and ended his season.[20] Forss returned fit for the 2020–21 season and the departures of Ollie Watkins and Saïd Benrahma elevated him to second-choice behind incoming forward Ivan Toney.[21][22][23] For two-thirds of the season he served predominantly as a substitute,[15] playing forward and wing roles.[24] Off the back of a spell of seven goals in 13 appearances,[23] Forss signed a new 5+1⁄2-year contract in December 2020.[25] In April 2021, a change in formation allowed Forss to break into the starting lineup,[15] as one of two forwards alongside Ivan Toney.[26] His first appearance as part of the new formation saw him score his first goal for over five months, in a 5–0 win over Preston North End.[23] Brentford qualified for the end-of-season promotion playoffs and playing as a substitute in the semi-final second leg versus Bournemouth,[27] Forss scored the 81st-minute goal which secured a 3–2 aggregate victory and sent the Bees to a second consecutive playoff Final.[28] Forss' 2020–21 season ended with 50 appearances, 10 goals and promotion to the Premier League after a 2–0 victory over Swansea City in the playoff Final.[23][29]
AFC Wimbledon (loan)
On 2 September 2019, Forss joined League One club AFC Wimbledon on loan until the end of the 2019–20 season.[17] He scored seven goals in his first seven appearances for the club and scored the first senior hat-trick of his career in a 4–1 victory over Southend United on 12 October.[16] Four goals in five appearances in October 2019 won Forss the EFL Young Player of the Month award.[30] Four further goals in December 2019 saw him nominated for the League One Player of the Month award.[31] By the time his spell was ended early by injury on 14 January 2020, he had scored 11 goals in 19 appearances.[32] Forss' performances during the season were recognised with the club's Young Player of the Year award.[33]
International career
Forss was capped by Finland at U17, U18, U19 and U21 level.[9][15] He captained the U19 team,[34] but was not included in the squad for the 2018 European U19 Championship on home soil due to club commitments.[35] Good goalscoring form at club level saw Forss receive his maiden call up to the senior team for a series of three matches in November 2020.[23][36] He made his debut with a start in a friendly versus France and scored the opening goal in the 2–0 victory.[37] Forss was named in Finland's Euro 2020 squad.[38]
Personal life
Forss hails from a football family.[39] His father (Tero) and brother (Niclas) are both involved in football and his grandfather is former Finland international Rainer Forss.[39] He is a Manchester United supporter.[5]
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played 29 May 2021
Club | Season | League | FA Cup | EFL Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
West Bromwich Albion U21 | 2016–17[8] | — | — | — | 1[a] | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||||
Brentford | 2018–19[40] | Championship | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | 9 | 2 | |
2019–20[16] | Championship | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | |
2020–21[23] | Championship | 39 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 3[b] | 1 | 50 | 10 | |
Total | 47 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 62 | 13 | ||
AFC Wimbledon (loan) | 2019–20[16] | League One | 18 | 11 | 0 | 0 | — | 1[a] | 0 | 19 | 11 | |
Career total | 65 | 19 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 82 | 24 |
- ^ a b Appearance in EFL Trophy
- ^ Appearances in Championship play-offs
International
- As of match played 4 June 2021[37]
National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
---|---|---|---|
Finland | 2020 | 3 | 1 |
2021 | 2 | 0 | |
Total | 5 | 1 |
- Scores and results list Finland's goal tally first.
No | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 11 November 2020 | Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France | 1 | ![]() |
1–0 | 2–0 | Friendly |
Honours
Brentford
Individual
- Brentford B Player of the Year: 2017–18[11]
- AFC Wimbledon Young Player of the Year: 2019–20[33]
- EFL Young Player of the Month: October 2019[30]
References
- ^ "List of Players under Written Contract Registered Between 01/06/2017 and 30/06/2017" (PDF). The FA. p. 4. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
- ^ "Marcus Forss". www.thefinalball.com. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
- ^ "Marcus Forss – Forward – First Team". Brentford F.C. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
- ^ "U19 (1999) maajoukkue". Suomen Palloliitto. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
- ^ a b Slavin, Chris. "Debut goal provides 'massive' boost for Marcus ahead of Shrewsbury". AFC Wimbledon. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
- ^ Whaling, James. "See the full West Brom Premier League squad list". mirror. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
- ^ "Marcus Forss Player Profile". ESPN FC. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
- ^ a b "Games played by Marcus Forss in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
- ^ a b c "Brentford B add Marcus Forss to squad". brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
- ^ "Marcus Forss signs new contract". Brentford FC. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
- ^ a b "Marcus Forss scoops Mary Halder Award". Retrieved 13 June 2018.
- ^ "Mads and Marcus promoted to First Team". Retrieved 5 September 2018.
- ^ "Head of Medical Neil Greig provides an injury update". Retrieved 16 October 2018.
- ^ "Sheffield Wednesday vs Brentford preview". Sky Sports. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
- ^ a b c d Marcus Forss at Soccerway. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
- ^ a b c d "Games played by Marcus Forss in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
- ^ a b "Marcus Forss signs new long-term contract and joins AFC Wimbledon on loan". Brentford F.C. Retrieved 2 September 2019.
- ^ "Marcus Forss returns to Brentford". Brentford F.C. Retrieved 14 January 2020.
- ^ Fifield, Dominic. "Brentford B: the globetrotting reserve team who rebelled..." The Athletic. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
- ^ "Going with youth pays dividends at AFC Wimbledon – as Hodges would like to sign replacement for Brentford striker". Retrieved 31 January 2020.
- ^ "Ivan Toney interview: Brentford striker on exceeding expectations, proving doubters wrong and competition with Marcus Forss". Sky Sports. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
- ^ "Levy eager not to miss out as Tottenham join race for Championship striker". teamtalk.com. 8 December 2020. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f "Games played by Marcus Forss in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
- ^ "Brentford knappar in på Norwichs försprång efter segermål av Marcus Forss: "Han är en killer i boxen – nätar varje gång jag sätter honom på planen"". svenska.yle.fi (in Swedish). Retrieved 22 December 2020.
- ^ "Forss signs new long-term contract". Brentford F.C. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
- ^ Westbrook, Ian (10 April 2021). "Bees return to form by destroying Preston". West London Sport. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
- ^ "Brentford confirmed in Sky Bet Championship Play-Offs". Brentford F.C. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
- ^ "Brentford come from behind to reach final". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
- ^ a b Vincent, Gareth (29 May 2021). "Brentford 2–0 Swansea City". BBC Sport. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
- ^ a b "Marcus Forss wins Young Player of the Month prize". Brentford F.C. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
- ^ "Marcus Forss misses out on Sky Bet League One Player of the Month prize". Brentford F.C. Retrieved 10 January 2020.
- ^ "Update: Marcus returns to Brentford after suffering injury". AFC Wimbledon. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
- ^ a b "Terell and Joe join a long list of Dons heroes". AFC Wimbledon. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
- ^ "Marcus Forss captains Finland Under-19". Retrieved 4 June 2018.
- ^ "Jaakko named in Finland Under-19 squad". Retrieved 12 July 2018.
- ^ "Marcus Forss gets Finland call-up". Brentford F.C. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
- ^ a b "Marcus Forss". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
- ^ "Tässä on Huuhkajien EM-kisajoukkue!". www.palloliitto.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 1 June 2021.
- ^ a b "Två generationer Forss fortsätter i BK-46" (in Swedish). Retrieved 22 June 2017.
- ^ "Games played by Marcus Forss in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
External links
- Marcus Forss – SPL competition record
- Marcus Forss – UEFA competition record (archive)
- Marcus Forss at Soccerbase
- Marcus Forss at brentfordfc.com
- Marcus Forss at palloliitto.fi
- 1999 births
- Living people
- Sportspeople from Turku
- Finnish footballers
- Finland youth international footballers
- Finland under-21 international footballers
- Finland international footballers
- Association football forwards
- Brentford F.C. players
- AFC Wimbledon players
- English Football League players
- UEFA Euro 2020 players
- Finnish expatriate footballers
- Expatriate footballers in England
- Finnish expatriate sportspeople in England