As England prepares to face Finland, players will be reminded of an iconic national football figure in a rather unusual manner.
The Three Lions aim to secure their second consecutive victory under Lee Carsley in the upcoming Nations League match on Tuesday. However, one of their Finnish rivals will have a unique motivation to halt their momentum.
Topi Keskinen, a 21-year-old forward, recently received his first senior call-up for Finland, making his debut off the bench in their last fixture, which ended in a 3-0 defeat to Greece.
Keskinen’s international debut comes shortly after he joined Scottish Premiership team Aberdeen for £850,000 from HJK Helsinki, making him the club’s second most expensive signing.
While his name may not be well-known to England’s players, his tattoo features someone they certainly recognize.
The Dons forward has a tattoo on his arm depicting England and Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney holding a fishing rod.
Though this may come across as a peculiar choice for a tattoo, Keskinen explained that the design, which he created himself, holds significant meaning for him.
In a recent interview with the Daily Mirror, he shared, “To be honest, it is not such a wonderful tattoo because I designed it myself. It has become a bigger deal than I thought it would, especially since I moved to Scotland. I have always admired the style of British football. When I get tattoos, I want them to have meaning. I was a United fan as a kid and have always looked up to Rooney, and I also love fishing.”
Keskinen’s notable tattoo isn’t the only thing the England team should be wary of; he is also recognized for his speed and dribbling skills, which he displayed in Europa Conference League group matches last season between his former and current clubs.
Last season, Keskinen scored seven goals in 23 matches, contributing to his team’s triumph as Finnish champions, which subsequently attracted interest from Blackburn and Middlesbrough before he chose to move to Pittodrie.
He made an impressive start in Scotland, netting the winning goal on his debut in a 1-0 victory over Queen’s Park in the Scottish Cup.
With two goals for Finland at the Under-21 level, Keskinen will be looking to draw inspiration from his footballing idol as he aims to make a name for himself on the international stage against England.
The most capped outfield player in Three Lions history, Wayne Rooney made 120 appearances and was the country’s all-time record goalscorer until recently. In 2015, he broke Sir Bobby Charlton‘s long-standing record.
Having retired from international play in 2018 with 53 goals, his record has since been surpassed by current skipper Harry Kane, who is poised to achieve his own milestone against Keskinen and his teammates.
Kane is expected to earn his 100th cap in the upcoming match at Wembley, as England looks to build on their 2-0 win over the Republic of Ireland.
Goals from former Irish international Declan Rice and ex-Ireland youth player Jack Grealish provided a perfect start for Carsley as interim coach, as he seeks to secure the role permanently.
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https://talksport.com/football/2040223/finland-england-topi-keskinen-wayne-rooney-tattoo-nations-league/