# Mika Nurmela

Mika Nurmela (born 26 December 1971) is a Finnish football coach and former professional footballer, who played as a midfielder or winger. He was most recently the assistant head coach of Finland national team.
After his playing career, he also worked as the sporting director of his hometown club AC Oulu, when they played in Ykkönen in 2010s.

## Club career

While playing for Heerenveen in Eredivisie during the 1999–2000 season, Nurmela was awarded for the joint-most assists of the season with 12 contributions.

## International

Nurmela was capped 71 times for the Finland national team, scoring four goals. He ended his international career in January 2008.

## Personal life

His son Anselmi Nurmela is also a professional footballer who plays for OLS.

## Career statistics
### Club

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 |
| OLS Oulu | 1988 | Kakkonen | 15 | 3 | – | – | – | – | 15 | 3 |
| OLS Oulu | 1989 | Kakkonen | 21 | 1 | – | – | – | – | 21 | 1 |
| OLS Oulu | Total | Total | 36 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 4 |
| Rauman Pallo | 1990 | Kakkonen | 21 | 6 | – | – | – | – | 21 | 6 |
| Haka | 1991 | Veikkausliiga | 33 | 5 | – | – | – | – | 33 | 5 |
| Haka | 1992 | Veikkausliiga | 32 | 3 | – | – | – | – | 32 | 3 |
| Haka | Total | Total | 65 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 65 | 8 |
| Malmö FF | 1993 | Allsvenskan | 16 | 3 | – | – | 1 | 0 | 17 | 3 |
| Malmö FF | 1994 | Allsvenskan | 5 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 5 | 0 |
| Malmö FF | 1995 | Allsvenskan | 10 | 0 | – | – | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Malmö FF | Total | Total | 31 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 32 | 3 |
| TPS (loan) | 1994 | Veikkausliiga | 6 | 2 | – | – | – | – | 6 | 2 |
| Emmen | 1995–96 | Eerste Divisie | 25 | 5 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 25 | 5 |
| Emmen | 1996–97 | Eerste Divisie | 34 | 4 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 34 | 4 |
| Emmen | 1997–98 | Eerste Divisie | 31 | 7 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 32 | 7 |
| Emmen | 1998–99 | Eerste Divisie | 38 | 3 | 4 | 2 | – | – | 42 | 5 |
| Emmen | Total | Total | 128 | 19 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 133 | 21 |
| Heerenveen | 1999–00 | Eredivisie | 34 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 40 | 8 |
| Heerenveen | 2000–01 | Eredivisie | 33 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 40 | 5 |
| Heerenveen | 2001–02 | Eredivisie | 34 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 40 | 6 |
| Heerenveen | 2002–03 | Eredivisie | 32 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 36 | 9 |
| Heerenveen | Total | Total | 133 | 26 | 7 | 1 | 16 | 1 | 156 | 28 |
| 1. FC Kaiserslautern | 2003–04 | Bundesliga | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 23 | 0 |
| 1. FC Kaiserslautern | 2004–05 | Bundesliga | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 8 | 0 |
| 1. FC Kaiserslautern | Total | Total | 28 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 31 | 0 |
| OLS Oulu | 2005 | Ykkönen | 2 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 2 | 0 |
| HJK Helsinki | 2005 | Veikkausliiga | 7 | 2 | – | – | – | – | 7 | 2 |
| Heracles Almelo | 2005–06 | Eredivisie | 24 | 2 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 24 | 2 |
| AC Oulu | 2006 | Ykkönen | 4 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 4 | 0 |
| HJK Helsinki | 2006 | Veikkausliiga | 15 | 2 | – | – | 2 | 0 | 17 | 2 |
| HJK Helsinki | 2007 | Veikkausliiga | 25 | 2 | – | – | 3 | 0 | 28 | 2 |
| HJK Helsinki | Total | Total | 40 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 45 | 4 |
| RoPS | 2008 | Veikkausliiga | 25 | 1 | – | – | – | – | 25 | 1 |
| AC Oulu | 2009 | Ykkönen | 26 | 4 | – | – | – | – | 26 | 4 |
| AC Oulu | 2010 | Veikkausliiga | 25 | 6 | – | – | – | – | 25 | 6 |
| AC Oulu | 2011 | Ykkönen | 24 | 5 | 2 | 0 | – | – | 26 | 5 |
| AC Oulu | 2012 | Ykkönen | 25 | 3 | 2 | 0 | – | – | 27 | 3 |
| AC Oulu | 2013 | Ykkönen | 26 | 3 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 27 | 3 |
| AC Oulu | 2014 | Ykkönen | 27 | 4 | 2 | 0 | – | – | 29 | 4 |
| AC Oulu | Total | Total | 153 | 25 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 160 | 25 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 603 | 102 | 20 | 3 | 24 | 1 | 647 | 106 |
* ↑ Includes KNVB Cup, DFB-Pokal, Suomen Cup and Finnish League Cup
* 1 2 3 Appearance(s) in UEFA Intertoto Cup
* ↑ Appearances in UEFA Champions League
* 1 2 3 4 Appearances in UEFA Cup

### International goals

    Scores and results list Finland's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Nurmela goal.
List of international goals scored by Mika Nurmela :
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Result | Competition |
| 1 | 6 September 2003 | Shafa Stadium, Baku, Azerbaijan | Azerbaijan | 2–1 | Euro 2004 qualifying |
| 2 | 19 November 2003 | Estadio Alejandro Morera Soto, Alajuela, Costa Rica | Costa Rica | 1–2 | Friendly |
| 3 | 18 March 2005 | Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium, Dammam, Saudi Arabia | Saudi Arabia | 4–1 | Friendly |
| 4 | 15 November 2006 | Finnair Stadium, Helsinki, Finland | Armenia | 1–0 | Euro 2008 qualifying |

## Honours

* Finnish Cup: 1994, 2006