Brian Hämäläinen Explained

Brian Hämäläinen
Fullname:Brian Tømming Hämäläinen
Birth Date:29 May 1989
Birth Place:Lillerød, Denmark
Height:1.76 m[1]
Position:Left-back
Currentclub:Lyngby
Clubnumber:3
Youthyears1:1994–2003
Youthclubs1:Allerød FK
Youthyears2:2003–2007
Youthclubs2:Lyngby
Years1:2007–2011
Clubs1:Lyngby
Caps1:97
Goals1:4
Years2:2011–2012
Caps2:39
Goals2:2
Years3:2012–2016
Clubs3:Genk
Caps3:42
Goals3:0
Years4:2016–2018
Caps4:67
Goals4:6
Years5:2018–2020
Clubs5:Dynamo Dresden
Caps5:39
Goals5:1
Years6:2020–
Clubs6:Lyngby
Caps6:69
Goals6:0
Nationalyears1:2004
Nationalteam1:Denmark U16
Nationalcaps1:3
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:2005
Nationalteam2:Denmark U17
Nationalcaps2:14
Nationalgoals2:1
Nationalyears3:2006
Nationalteam3:Denmark U18
Nationalcaps3:2
Nationalgoals3:0
Nationalyears4:2006
Nationalteam4:Denmark U19
Nationalcaps4:3
Nationalgoals4:0
Nationalyears5:2008–2011
Nationalteam5:Denmark U21
Nationalcaps5:10
Nationalgoals5:1
Pcupdate:29 May 2024

Brian Tømming Hämäläinen (born 29 May 1989) is a Danish professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Danish Superliga club Lyngby Boldklub.

A former Denmark youth international, Hämäläinen made his breakthrough as part of Lyngby Boldklub before moving to Belgian Pro League club Zulte Waregem in 2011. After one season, he moved to Genk where he failed to establish himself as a starter. After four years, he returned to Zulte Waregem, before playing two years for Dynamo Dresden in the German 2. Bundesliga. He returned to Lyngby in 2020.

Career

Lyngby

Hämäläinen began playing in the youth department of Allerød FK from 1994. In 2003, he moved to the youth academy of Lyngby. On 20 August 2007, he made his debut in a 1–6 loss to Esbjerg fB, coming on as a substitute for Andreas Bjelland in the 82nd minute.[2]

He impressed and grew into a starter at the club, reaching almost 100 matches in the top two Danish leagues. In May 2009, he went on trial with Lille but later declined an offer to sign with the French side.[3] [4]

Zulte Waregem

In July 2011, Hämäläinen was signed by Belgian Pro League club Zulte Waregem.[5] He started all matches in his first season at Zulte, and made five more appearances for the club the following season.

Genk

In August 2012, Hämäläinen moved to Genk.[6] In the 2013–14 season, he made four appearances in the UEFA Europa League – where Genk were eliminated in the round of 32 against VfB Stuttgart – and ten games in the league, in which his club finished third. Thereby, the club took part in the championship play-offs and finished fifth. There, Hämäläinen was used in four games. He made three appearances in the Belgian Cup, which Genk won.[7] In the following season, Hämäläinen played in two games in the Belgian Cup and was eliminated with Genk in the quarter-finals, while in the UEFA Europa League the club reached the last sixteen.

At Genk, Hämäläinen appeared in only 31 league matches during his four-year spell there.

Return to Zulte Waregem

In June 2016, Hämäläinen returned to Zulte Waregem on a two-year contract.[8] He made three appearances in the Belgian cup competition, in which the club were eliminated by Standard Liège, and 16 total appearances in the league.

In the 2016–17 season, Hämäläinen won his second Belgian Cup as part of Zulte Waregem, beating Oostende in the final.[9]

Dynamo Dresden

Between 2018 and 2020 he played for German 2. Bundesliga club Dynamo Dresden.[10]

Return to Lyngby

In September 2020, Hämäläinen returned to Lyngby BK on a deal until the summer 2022.[11] [12] In January 2021, he suffered a knee injury in practice; tests later confirmed that he had sustained ligament damage which would sideline him for an extended period of time.[13] At the end of the season, Lyngby suffered relegation to the Danish 1st Division after a loss to last placed AC Horsens.[14]

On 4 March 2022, Hämäläinen made his first appearance for Lyngby since returning from injury, coming off the bench in injury time for Adam Sørensen in a 3–0 away win over Fremad Amager.[15] [16] After the club had won promotion back to the Superliga, Hämäläinen signed a one-year contract extension, keeping him in Lyngby until 2023.[17]

Personal life

Hämäläinen is of Finnish descent through his maternal great-grandfather. He was approached by Hasse Backe, coach of the Finland national team in 2016, but expressed that he did not consider himself Finnish.[18]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational cupEuropeOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Lyngby2007–08Danish Superliga12000120
2008–091st Division25130281
2009–101st Division27100271
2010–11Superliga33220342
Total974501034
Zulte Waregem2011–12Pro League34220362
2012–13Pro League500050
Total39220412
Genk2012–13Pro League1403040210
2013–14Pro League110203000160
2014–15Pro League100010
2015–16Pro League1602010190
Total420707010570
Zulte Waregem2016–17First Division A35241393
2017–18First Division A324216120426
Total676626120819
Dynamo Dresden2018–192. Bundesliga21110221
2019–202. Bundesliga18020203
Total39120411
Lyngby2020–21Superliga13010140
2021–221st Division10000100
2022–23Superliga12000120
Total35010360
Career total319132321313035816

Honours

Genk

2012–13

Zulte Waregem

2016–17

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Brian Hamalainen – Lyngby Boldklub . Lyngby Boldklub . 3 October 2020 . 11 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220810234317/https://lyngby-boldklub.dk/foersteholdstruppen/brian-hamalainen/ . 10 August 2022 . da-DK . live.
  2. Web site: Lyngby BK - Esbjerg fB 1:6 (Superligaen 2007/2008, 6. Spieltag) . weltfussball.de . 20 August 2021 . de.
  3. Web site: Brian Hamalainen til Lille OSC . 12 May 2009 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110719130658/http://lyngby-boldklub.dk/Nyheder/Seneste_nyt/Brian_Hamalainen_til_Lille_OSC/ . 19 July 2011 .
  4. News: Helmin . Jesper . Lyngby afviser Lille-bud . bold.dk . 21 July 2009 . da.
  5. News: Otzen . Theis . Brian Hamalainen solgt til belgiske Zulte Waregem . sn.dk . 6 September 2010 . da.
  6. News: Lefevre . Eddy . Brian Hamalainen ruilt SV Zulte Waregem voor KRC Genk . Het Nieuwsblad . 31 August 2012 . nl-BE.
  7. News: RC Genk zet zijn vierde beker in de kast . sporza.be . 9 May 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130608002738/http://www.sporza.be/cm/sporza/matchcenter/mc_voetbal/bekervanbelgie_1213/MG_BVB_finale/1.1623150 . 8 June 2013 . nl-BE.
  8. News: Brian Hamalainen keert terug naar Zulte Waregem . Het Nieuwsblad . 6 June 2016 . nl-BE.
  9. News: Van Lindt . Aernout . De Volder . Cédric . Europa in! Sammy Bossut held van de avond na ontzettend beklijvende bekerfinale, inclusief strafschoppen . Voetbalkrant.com . 18 March 2017 . nl.
  10. Web site: e.V . Sportgemeinschaft Dynamo Dresden . Dynamo verpflichtet Brian Hamalainen . dynamo-dresden.de . de-DE . 14 June 2018 . 20 August 2021 . 18 April 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220418183608/https://www.dynamo-dresden.de/saison/news/newsdetails/dynamo-verpflichtet-brian-hamalainen.html . dead .
  11. Web site: Dalgård . Jonas . Lyngby skriver kontrakt med klubbens medejer . bold.dk . 11 September 2020 . 11 September 2020.
  12. https://lyngby-boldklub.dk/2020/09/12/brian-hamalainen-skifter-hjem-til-kongens-lyngby/ Brian Hamalainen skifter hjem til Kongens Lyngby
  13. News: Margren . Sara . Lyngby-bet: Hamalainen alvorligt skadet . 9 April 2022 . bold.dk . 1 February 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210201172502/https://www.bold.dk/fodbold/nyheder/lyngby-bet-hamalainen-alvorligt-skadet/ . 1 February 2021 . da.
  14. News: Lage . Jacob Nordestgaard . Lyngby rykker ud af Superligaen - TV 2 . sport.tv2.dk . 9 May 2021 . da-DK.
  15. News: Murphy . Cillian . Hamalainen er tilbage efter langtidsskade . 9 April 2022 . bold.dk . 26 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220202170618/https://www.bold.dk/fodbold/nyheder/hamalainen-er-tilbage-efter-langtidsskade/ . 2 February 2022 . da.
  16. Web site: Fremad Amager vs. Lyngby – 4 March 2022 . Soccerway . Perform Group . 9 April 2022.
  17. Web site: Fischer . Theis . Lyngby forlænger kontrakten med Brian Hamalainen - Lyngby Boldklub . Lyngby Boldklub . 18 June 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220521140014/https://lyngby-boldklub.dk/2022/05/21/lyngby-forlaenger-kontrakten-med-brian-hamalainen/ . 21 May 2022 . da-DK . 21 May 2022 . live.
  18. News: Dalsten . Casper . Deja vu: Endnu en dansker tilbudt at spille for et andet landshold . Footy . 5 March 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170222201023/http://footy.dk/2016/03/05/deja-vu-endnu-en-dansker-tilbudt-at-spille-for-et-andet-landshold/ . 22 February 2017 . da.