# Arto Tolsa

Arto Vilho Tolsa (9 August 1945 – 30 March 1989) was a Finnish footballer.

## Career

Tolsa started his career in his hometown of Kotka, playing for Kotkan Työväen Palloilijat. He was promoted to first team as a 16 year old for 1962 second division season after successful match in a local competition in previous fall. Playing as a striker he scored an impressive 43 goals in 22 matches in his first season. He scored in 21 out 22 to matches in that season and still holds the most goals in a single season record for second level of football in Finland. As an amateur he also worked at the local port. In 1964 he was a top goalscorer in Mestaruussarja. In 1969 he moved to Beerschot and turned professional. In Belgium He first played as a winger but was later transferred to central defender and became one of the key players for his team. He also played as a captain for Beerschot. In his last season for Beerschot he scored a winner in Belgian Cup final. After 1979 he returned to Kotkan Työväen Palloilijat where he ended his career in 1982. During his last years he suffered from alcoholism. He committed suicide in 1989, at the age of 43. Football stadium in Kotka is named after him.

## Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | Cup | Cup | Europe | Europe | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| KTP | 1962 | Suomensarja | 22 | 43 | – | – | – | – | 22 | 43 |
| KTP | 1963 | Mestaruussarja | 20 | 13 | – | – | – | – | 20 | 13 |
| KTP | 1964 | Mestaruussarja | 19 | 26 | – | – | – | – | 19 | 26 |
| KTP | 1965 | Mestaruussarja | 20 | 16 | – | – | – | – | 20 | 16 |
| KTP | 1966 | Mestaruussarja | 20 | 15 | – | – | – | – | 20 | 15 |
| KTP | 1967 | Mestaruussarja | 18 | 11 | – | – | – | – | 18 | 11 |
| KTP | 1968 | Mestaruussarja | 22 | 19 | – | – | – | – | 22 | 19 |
| KTP | 1969 | Mestaruussarja | 11 | 8 | – | – | – | – | 11 | 8 |
| KTP | Total | Total | 152 | 151 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 152 | 151 |
| Beerschot | 1969–70 | Belgian First Division | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 1 | 0 |
| Beerschot | 1970–71 | Belgian First Division | 13 | 5 | 3 | 2 | – | – | 16 | 7 |
| Beerschot | 1971–72 | Belgian First Division | 22 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 25 | 5 |
| Beerschot | 1972–73 | Belgian First Division | 30 | 1 | 3 | 0 | – | – | 33 | 1 |
| Beerschot | 1973–74 | Belgian First Division | 30 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 35 | 0 |
| Beerschot | 1974–75 | Belgian First Division | 31 | 2 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 32 | 2 |
| Beerschot | 1975–76 | Belgian First Division | 33 | 3 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 33 | 3 |
| Beerschot | 1976–77 | Belgian First Division | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 1 | 0 |
| Beerschot | 1977–78 | Belgian First Division | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 14 | 0 |
| Beerschot | 1978–79 | Belgian First Division | 28 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 38 | 0 |
| Beerschot | Total | Total | 203 | 14 | 16 | 2 | 9 | 2 | 228 | 18 |
| KTP | 1979 | Mestaruussarja | 18 | 2 | – | – | – | – | 18 | 2 |
| KTP | 1980 | Mestaruussarja | 26 | 9 | – | – | – | – | 26 | 9 |
| KTP | 1981 | Mestaruussarja | 26 | 6 | – | – | 2 | 0 | 28 | 6 |
| KTP | 1982 | Mestaruussarja | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 1 | 0 |
| KTP | Total | Total | 71 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 73 | 17 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 426 | 183 | 16 | 2 | 11 | 2 | 453 | 187 |
* 1 2 Appearances in UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
* ↑ Appearances in UEFA Cup
* ↑ Appearances in UEFA Intertoto Cup

## Honours

KTP
* Finnish Cup: 1967, 1980
Beerschot
* Belgian Cup: 1970–71, 1978–79
Individual
* Mestaruussarja Top Goalscorer: 1964
* Finnish Footballer of the Year: 1971, 1974, 1977
* Finnish Football Hall of Fame inductee

## External links and references

* Arto Tolsa at National-Football-Teams.com
* Finland - International Player Records
Specific
* ↑ "Arto Tolsan huikea maaliputki 1962 :: Suomen Urheilutietäjät ry".
* ↑ "Arto Tolsa oli tähti ja legenda, jonka elämänlangan katkaisi vain 43-vuotiaana alkoholi". 20 November 2020.
* ↑ "Kirjat | Arto Tolsa oli Belgiassa kuningas, mutta Suomessa hän sai kunniaa vasta kuolemansa jälkeen "Vielä 1990-luvulla Arton nimen mainitseminen aiheutti kotkalaisissa häpeää ja vaikenemista"". 9 August 2020.
* ↑ Kanerva, Juha (6 September 2020). "Uutuuskirja: Arto Tolsan viimeiseksi jäänyttä maaottelua edelsi viikkojen ryyppyputki – karkasi kesken pelin kittaamaan olutta". Ilta-Sanomat (in Finnish). Retrieved 3 December 2024. Maaliskuun lopussa 1989 Tolsa päätti elämänsä oman käden kautta.
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