# Mika Aaltonen

Mika Aaltonen (born 16 November 1965) is a Finnish futurologist and former footballer. His position was an attacking central midfielder. He also played for the Finnish national team. Aaltonen is a Ph.D. in economics, associate professor (Foresight and Complexity), founder of the Royal Society of Arts Helsinki Chapter, editorial board member of European Foresight Journal, and editorial board member of E:CO (Emergence: Complexity and Organisations journal).

## Playing career

After being selected the key player of the Finnish league and the best player of the under 21 national team, Aaltonen signed, at the age of 21 years, a three years contract with Inter Milan. He played for Inter one friendly game: Inter Milan (All. Trapattoni – Zenga – Bergomi, Baresi, Ferri, Brehme – Berti, Aaltonen, Mattheus – Rummenigge, Serena, Diaz) vs Soviet Union.
During his career (1982–1994) he played in Finland, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, and Israel for Turun Palloseura, Inter Milan, Bellinzona, Bologna, Hertha BSC, Hapoel Be'er Sheva F.C. and Tampereen Pallo-Veikot. Aaltonen won 1 gold, 2 silver, 1 bronze and 1 Cup in Finland; 1 bronze in Israeli league (Hapoel Beer Sheva) and 1 Second Bundesliga title (Hertha Berlin). He finished his career at a relatively young age because of a persistent ankle injury, and because of this, he ended up concentrating more on his studies. Aaltonen studied throughout his playing career, and after he retired from football, he earned a doctorate degree in economics.
Aaltonen is best remembered for a goal scored against Italian goalkeeper Walter Zenga in UEFA Cup in 1987 during a match between Turun Palloseura and Inter Milan at the San Siro stadium in Milan. This goal more or less earned him a transfer to Inter shortly afterwards.

## Later career

Aaltonen has worked as a visiting researcher at the London School of Economics (UK), the Conservatoire national des arts et métiers (France) and the Gregorian University (Italy).
He is a co-founder of PORT 2.0 Ltd., a company pioneering the design and construction of new logistics facilities to meet the increasing challenges of sustainability, safety and efficiency in near shore and onshore logistics.
Aaltonen is the chairman of Sustainable Nation Group, a company focused in building up new analytic capabilities to climate change transformation.
He has written 16 books and over 100 articles about foresight, complex adaptive systems, decision-making and societal change.

## Personal life

Aaltonen lives in Helsinki, but was born in Heideken, Turku, got married in Turku Cathedral, is an alumnus of the year at Turku School of Economics, and a hall of fame football player at FC Turku (TPS).
His son Anton Aaltonen is a professional footballer for FC Inter Turku.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of 31 December 2020
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | National cup | National cup | Continental | Continental | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| TPS | 1982 | Mestaruussarja | 3 | 0 | | | — | — | 3 | 0 |
| TPS | 1983 | Mestaruussarja | 9 | 1 | | | — | — | 9 | 1 |
| TPS | 1984 | Mestaruussarja | 18 | 1 | | | — | — | 18 | 1 |
| TPS | 1985 | Mestaruussarja | 17 | 1 | | | 1 | 0 | 18 | 1 |
| TPS | 1986 | Mestaruussarja | 19 | 3 | | | — | — | 19 | 3 |
| TPS | 1987 | Mestaruussarja | 20 | 8 | | | 4 | 3 | 24 | 11 |
| TPS | Total | Total | 86 | 14 | | | 5 | 3 | 91 | 17 |
| Inter Milan | 1987–88 | Serie A | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Inter Milan | 1988–89 | Serie A | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Inter Milan | Total | Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bellinzona (loan) | 1987–88 | Swiss Super League | 14 | 3 | — | — | — | — | 14 | 3 |
| Bologna (loan) | 1988–89 | Serie A | 3 | 0 | — | — | 4 | 1 | 7 | 1 |
| Hertha BSC | 1989–90 | 2. Bundesliga | 12 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 14 | 0 |
| TPS | 1990 | Veikkausliiga | 11 | 2 | — | — | 2 | 0 | 11 | 2 |
| TPS | 1991 | Veikkausliiga | 32 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 32 | 2 |
| TPS | 1992 | Veikkausliiga | 16 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 17 | 0 |
| TPS | 1993 | Veikkausliiga | 28 | 3 | — | — | — | — | 28 | 3 |
| TPS | Total | Total | 87 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 90 | 7 |
| Hapoel Be'er Sheva | 1993–94 | Liga Leumit | 14 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 14 | 0 |
| TPV | 1994 | Veikkausliiga | 5 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 5 | 1 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 220 | 21 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 4 | 234 | 25 |
* ↑ Includes Suomen Cup and DFB-Pokal
* 1 2 3 Includes UEFA Cup
* ↑ Includes Mitropa Cup
* ↑ Includes UEFA Cup Winners' Cup

### International

Appearances and goals by national team and year :
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
| Finland | 1988 | 3 | 0 |
| Finland | 1989 | 2 | 0 |
| Finland | 1990 | 3 | 1 |
| Finland | 1991 | 0 | 0 |
| Finland | 1992 | 0 | 0 |
| Finland | 1993 | 2 | 0 |
| Finland | 1994 | 8 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 18 | 1 |

### International goals

    As of match played 15 February 1990. Finland score listed first, score column indicates score after each Aaltonen goal.
List of international goals scored by Mika Aaltonen :
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1 | 15 February 1990 | Mohammed Al-Hamad Stadium, Hawally, Kuwait | Kuwait | 1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly |