# Jari Niemi

Jari Niemi (born 2 February 1977 in Nokia) is a retired Finnish footballer. He has played for R.A.E.C. Mons, Standard Liège and K. Sint-Truidense V.V. in Belgium. In the Finnish Veikkausliiga Niemi has also played for TPV Tampere, FC Haka and Tampere United, and has won five Finnish championships. During the second qualifying round of the 2007/2008 Champions League edition, Niemi scored the only goal in Tampere's prestigious 1:0 away win against Bulgarian champions Levski Sofia. As Tampere had attained a 1:0 win in their home game, they became the first Finnish side to eliminate a Bulgarian club from the high-profile competition. However, the Finns were unable to qualify for the group stages of the Champions League, as they were eliminated by Norwegian side Rosenborg BK in the third qualifying round.
Niemi was able to play either as a right midfielder/winger or a striker.

## Career statistics

    As of 1 September 2024.
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | Cup | Cup | League cup | League cup | Europe | Europe | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| TPV | 1994 | Veikkausliiga | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 0 |
| TPV | 1995 | Veikkausliiga | 12 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 2 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| TPV | 1996 | Ykkönen | 21 | 6 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 21 | 6 |
| TPV | 1997 | Ykkönen | 26 | 8 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 26 | 8 |
| TPV | Total | Total | 60 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 62 | 14 |
| Haka | 1998 | Veikkausliiga | 26 | 3 | – | – | – | – | 4 | 1 | 30 | 4 |
| Haka | 1999 | Veikkausliiga | 28 | 3 | – | – | – | – | 4 | 1 | 32 | 4 |
| Haka | Total | Total | 54 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 62 | 8 |
| Tampere United | 2000 | Veikkausliiga | 31 | 14 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 31 | 14 |
| Tampere United | 2001 | Veikkausliiga | 32 | 3 | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 33 | 3 |
| Tampere United | 2002 | Veikkausliiga | 28 | 9 | – | – | – | – | 1 | 0 | 29 | 9 |
| Tampere United | 2003 | Veikkausliiga | 20 | 10 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 20 | 10 |
| Tampere United | Total | Total | 111 | 36 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 113 | 36 |
| Mons | 2003–04 | Belgian First Division | 17 | 4 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 17 | 4 |
| Standard Liège | 2004–05 | Belgian First Division | 9 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 4 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| Sint-Truiden | 2004–05 | Belgian First Division | 16 | 1 | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 17 | 1 |
| Sint-Truiden | 2005–06 | Belgian First Division | 27 | 0 | 3 | 1 | – | – | – | – | 30 | 1 |
| Sint-Truiden | Total | Total | 43 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 47 | 2 |
| Tampere United | 2006 | Veikkausliiga | 15 | 7 | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | – | 16 | 8 |
| Tampere United | 2007 | Veikkausliiga | 21 | 7 | – | – | – | – | 7 | 4 | 28 | 11 |
| Tampere United | 2008 | Veikkausliiga | 19 | 4 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 3 | 2 | 23 | 6 |
| Tampere United | 2009 | Veikkausliiga | 24 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 5 | – | – | 36 | 8 |
| Tampere United | 2010 | Veikkausliiga | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 23 | 0 |
| Tampere United | Total | Total | 101 | 19 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 5 | 10 | 6 | 126 | 33 |
| Ilves | 2011 | Kakkonen | 10 | 3 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 10 | 3 |
| Ilves | 2012 | Kakkonen | 20 | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 20 | 2 |
| Ilves | Total | Total | 30 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 5 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 425 | 85 | 11 | 4 | 9 | 5 | 25 | 8 | 470 | 102 |
* ↑ Includes Suomen Cup and Belgian Cup
* ↑ Includes Finnish League Cup
* 1 2 Appearances in UEFA Cup
* ↑ Appearances in UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
* 1 2 3 Appearances in UEFA Champions League
* ↑ Appearances in UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup

### International

    As of match played 9 February 2005
Finland :
| Year | Apps | Goals |
| 2000 | 3 | 0 |
| 2001 | 8 | 1 |
| 2002 | 4 | 1 |
| 2003 | 4 | 1 |
| 2004 | 2 | 0 |
| 2005 | 2 | 0 |
| Total | 23 | 3 |

### International goals

    As of match played 29 January 2003. Finland score listed first, score column indicates score after each Niemi goal.
List of international goals scored by Jari Niemi :
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1 | 20 February 2001 | Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex, Muscat, Oman | Oman | 2–0 | 2–0 | Friendly |
| 1 | 10 January 2002 | Bahrain National Stadium, Riffa, Bahrain | North Macedonia | 2–0 | 3–0 | Friendly |
| 1 | 29 January 2003 | Hasely Crawford Stadium, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago | Trinidad and Tobago | 2–1 | 2–1 | Friendly |

## Honours

TPV
* Veikkausliiga: 1994
Haka
* Veikkausliiga: 1998, 1999
Tampere United
* Veikkausliiga: 2001, 2006, 2007
* Finnish Cup: 2007