Mika Aaltonen member of sports team Hertha BSC
Career
Football
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.
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