# Walter Viitala

Walter Viitala (born 9 January 1992) is a Finnish former professional footballer who last played as goalkeeper for Inter Turku.

## Club career

After winning the Finnish championship title with IFK Mariehamn, on 15 December 2016, Viitala signed a 2.5-year contract with Viborg FF on a free transfer. He made his debut in a 1–0 victory against AaB on 8 April 2017.
On 11 August 2018 Viitala signed for Swedish champions Malmö FF. He signed a short-term contract for the rest of the year to replace injured back-up goalkeeper Fredrik Andersson. He made his first appearance for Malmö FF on 23 September 2018, when he replaced an injured Johan Dahlin at halftime in a 4–0 victory over Kalmar FF. He made his first start a week later in a 0–0 draw against GIF Sundsvall.
On 2 December 2021, he joined Inter Turku on a two-year contract. He retired after the 2023 season.

## International career

Viitala is a former youth international for Finland, and represented his country from under-16 to under-21 level.
In November 2016, Viitala received his first call-up to the senior Finland squad for the match against Ukraine. He made a debut on 9 January 2017 in a 1–0 win against Morocco in Al Ain.

## Coaching career

After retiring as a player, on 24 October 2023, it was announced that Viitala starts as a goalkeeping coach in his former youth club PPJ.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of 31 December 2023.
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | Cup | Cup | League cup | League cup | Europe | Europe | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Honka | 2011 | Veikkausliiga | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 |
| Honka | 2012 | Veikkausliiga | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 12 | 0 |
| Honka | 2013 | Veikkausliiga | 27 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 30 | 0 |
| Honka | 2014 | Veikkausliiga | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 18 | 0 |
| Honka | Total | Total | 52 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 65 | 0 |
| HIFK (loan) | 2011 | Ykkönen | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 17 | 0 |
| Pallohonka | 2012 | Kakkonen | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 |
| IFK Mariehamn | 2015 | Veikkausliiga | 8 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 13 | 0 |
| IFK Mariehamn | 2016 | Veikkausliiga | 33 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 39 | 0 |
| IFK Mariehamn | Total | Total | 41 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 52 | 0 |
| Viborg FF | 2016–17 | Danish Superliga | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 6 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| Viborg FF | 2017–18 | Danish 1st Division | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 13 | 0 |
| Viborg FF | 2018–19 | Danish 1st Division | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 |
| Viborg FF | Total | Total | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 26 | 0 |
| Malmö FF | 2018 | Allsvenskan | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 |
| Sandefjord | 2019 | 1. divisjon | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 13 | 0 |
| Sandefjord 2 | 2019 | 4. divisjon | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| SJK | 2020 | Veikkausliiga | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 8 | 0 |
| SJK | 2021 | Veikkausliiga | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 0 |
| SJK | Total | Total | 8 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| SJK Akatemia | 2021 | Kakkonen | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| Inter Turku | 2022 | Veikkausliiga | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 21 | 0 |
| Inter Turku | 2023 | Veikkausliiga | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| Inter Turku | Total | Total | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 0 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 177 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 211 | 0 |
* ↑ Includes Suomen Cup
* ↑ Includes Finnish League Cup
* ↑ Appearances in the Danish Superliga relegation play-offs

### International

    As of match played 11 January 2019
Finland :
| Year | Apps | Goals |
| 2017 | 2 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 3 | 0 |

## Honours
### IFK Mariehamn

* Veikkausliiga (1): 2016
* Finnish Cup: 2015
Individual
* Veikkausliiga Player of the Month: April 2016
* Veikkausliiga Goalkeeper of the Year: 2016
* Veikkausliiga Team of the Year: 2016