Ilves (football)

Ilves
Full nameTampereen Ilves[1]
Nickname(s)Ipa
Founded1931; 93 years ago (1931)
GroundTammela Stadion, Tampere
Capacity8,000
ChairmanAri Ruuth
ManagerJoonas Rantanen
LeagueVeikkausliiga
2024Veikkausliiga, 2nd of 12
Websiteilvesedustus.fi

Tampereen Ilves (pronounced [ˈilʋes]; Finnish for "Lynx"; Swedish: Ilves Tammerfors), commonly referred to as Ilves, is a Finnish professional football club based in Tampere. They currently play in the Veikkausliiga, the highest level of professional football in Finland.

History

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They were formed in 1975 as a merger between Ilves-Kissat Tampere and Tampellan Palloilijat, and joined the Premier Division in 1979.[2]

Ilves won the Finnish League championship in 1983 and the Finnish Cup on four occasions in 1979, 1990, and 2019 and 2023.

In the late 1990s, Ilves suffered financial trouble and its professional team was reformed into Tampere United before the 1999 season. The initial plan was to join Ilves with TPV, but TPV decided to continue as its own team. As a result, Tampere United inherited Ilves' place in the second highest division, and Ilves dissolved their men's team. Thus the club did not have a men's team from 1999 to 2007.[3]

Their home ground is Tammelan Stadion. Between 2020 and 2023, they played at Tampere Stadium, while waiting for the new Tammelan stadion to be built.[1]

Honours

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Season to season

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Season to Season
Season Level Division Section Administration Position Movements
1932-38 Tampere District Leagues
1939-42 No men's team.
1945-46 Tier 3 SPL Maakuntasarja (Third Division) Group Häme Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 2nd
1946-47 Tier 3 SPL Maakuntasarja (Third Division) Group Tampere Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 3rd
1948-74 Tampere District Leagues
1975 Tier 2 I Divisioona (First Division) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 3rd Received league position from Ilves-Kissat
1976 Tier 2 I Divisioona (First Division) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 4th
1977 Tier 2 I Divisioona (First Division) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 5th
1978 Tier 2 I Divisioona (First Division) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 1st Promoted
1979 Tier 1 Mestaruussarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 10th Relegation Group 1st
1980 Tier 1 SM-Sarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 6th Championship Group 6th
1981 Tier 1 SM-Sarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 7th Championship Group 5th
1982 Tier 1 SM-Sarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 4th Championship Group 7th
1983 Tier 1 SM-Sarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 2nd Championship Group 1st - Champions
1984 Tier 1 SM-Sarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 4th Championship Playoffs 3rd
1985 Tier 1 SM-Sarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 4th Championship Playoffs 2nd
1986 Tier 1 SM-Sarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 6th
1987 Tier 1 SM-Sarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 4th
1988 Tier 1 SM-Sarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 8th Relegation Group 3rd
1989 Tier 1 SM-Sarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 6th Championship Group 6th
1990 Tier 1 Futisliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 9th
1991 Tier 1 Futisliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 6th
1992 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 8th
1993 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 12th Relegation Group 6th
1994 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 12th
1995 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 7th
1996 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 10th Relegation Group 4th - Relegated
1997 Tier 2 Ykkönen (First Division) North Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 8th Relegation Group North 2nd
1998 Tier 2 Ykkönen (First Division) North Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 2nd Relegation Group 5th, Promotion Playoff. First team continued as TamU
1999-2007 No men's team.
2008 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Group B Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 5th Received league spot from KooVee
2009 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Group B Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 3rd
2010 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Group B Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 1st Promotion Group 3rd
2011 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Group B Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 2nd Promotion Playoff
2012 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Group West Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 1st Promotion Playoff - Promoted
2013 Tier 2 Ykkönen (First Division) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 4th
2014 Tier 2 Ykkönen (First Division) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 3rd Promoted
2015 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 8th
2016 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 5th
2017 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 3rd
2018 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 5th
2019 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 4th
2020 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 5th
2021 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 5th
2022 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 9th
2023 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 8th
2024 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 2nd

[4]

European record

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Old Tammela Stadium in 2016
New Tammela Stadium in 2023
Season Competition Round Club 1st leg 2nd leg Aggregate
1980–81 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1R Netherlands Feyenoord 1–3 2–4 3–7
1984–85 European Cup 1R Italy Juventus 0–4 1–2 1–6
1986–87 UEFA Cup 1R Scotland Rangers 0–4 2–0 2–4
1991–92 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1R Northern Ireland Glenavon 2–3 2–1 4–4
2R Italy Roma 1–1 2–5 3–6
2018–19 UEFA Europa League 1QR Bulgaria PFC Slavia Sofia 0–1 1–2 1–3
2020–21 UEFA Europa League 1QR Republic of Ireland Shamrock Rovers 2–2 (11–12 p)
2024–25 UEFA Conference League 2QR Austria Austria Wien 2–1 3–4 (a.e.t.) 5–5 (5–4 p)
3QR Sweden Djurgården 1–1 1–3 2–4
2025–26 UEFA Conference League 2QR

Current squad

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As of 30 October.[5] Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Finland FIN Otso Virtanen
2 DF Finland FIN Matias Kivikko Arraño
3 DF Portugal POR Jorginho
5 DF Finland FIN Juhani Pikkarainen
6 MF Finland FIN Doni Arifi
7 MF Finland FIN Joona Veteli
8 MF Finland FIN Maksim Stjopin
9 FW Finland FIN Vincent Ulundu
10 FW Finland FIN Roope Riski
14 MF Finland FIN Anton Popovitch
15 MF Finland FIN Lauri Ala-Myllymäki
16 DF Finland FIN Tatu Miettunen (captain)
17 MF Finland FIN Marius Söderbäck
No. Pos. Nation Player
18 FW Nigeria NGA Adeleke Akinyemi
19 FW Finland FIN Oiva Jukkola
22 DF Finland FIN Aapo Mäenpää
23 MF Finland FIN Noel Hasa
24 MF France FRA Abdoulaye Kanté
25 MF Finland FIN Arttu Tulehmo
26 DF Finland FIN Tomas Sovelius
27 DF Finland FIN Jere Riissanen
28 MF Finland FIN Topi Ala
31 FW Finland FIN Danila Bulgakov
32 GK Finland FIN Lucas Väyrynen
42 DF Finland FIN Felipe Aspegren
— DF Finland FIN Teemu Hytönen

On loan

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Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
12 GK Finland FIN Johannes Viitala (at IFK Mariehamn until 31 December 2024)

Management and boardroom

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Management

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Active departments of Ilves
Floorball Football
(Men's)		 Football
(Women's)
Futsal
(Men's)		 Futsal
(Women's)		 Ice hockey
(Women's)
Ringette Ice hockey
(Men's)

As of 3 November 2023.[5]

Name Role
Finland Joonas Rantanen Head coach
Finland Joni Lehtonen Coach
Finland Pasi Tuutti Coach
Spain Guillem Santesmases Assistant coach/Reserve team coach
Finland Marko Pirilä Goalkeeping coach
Finland Heli Rekimies Fitness coach / Physiotherapist
Finland Ville Niemelä Kit manager / Team manager
Finland Jonne Väisänen Doctor

Scouting

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As of 28 August 2024[6]

Name Role
Finland Jyrki Ahola Scout
Finland Henri Määttä Scout
France Simon Garnier Scout

Boardroom

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As of 31 July 2020[7]

Name Role
Finland Pentti Kuusela Chairman
Finland Risto Niklas-Salminen CEO
Finland Toni Hevonkorpi Development Director / Vice CEO
Finland Miika Takkula Sporting director

Ilves/2

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Ilves/2 is the reserve team of Ilves. The team plays in Kakkonen in 2024 season. It is coached by Guillem Santesmases.[8]

Managers

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Tampereen Ilves". Soccerway. Perform. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  2. ^ Heikki Pietarinen (13 December 2018). "Finland - List of League First Level Tables". RSSSF. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
  3. ^ "Seura". ilvesedustus.fi (in Finnish). Archived from the original on 21 June 2018. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  4. ^ "Football Archive - Index of SPL Finnish League Suomen Cup Seasons". Football Archive. 13 December 2018. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  5. ^ a b "Joukkue - Ilves jalkapalloedustus". Archived from the original on 1 June 2023. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
  6. ^ Ilveksen urheilujohdon toimintaa tukeva scouting-tiimi vahvistui Henri Määtällä, ilvesfootball.com, 28 August 2024
  7. ^ "Yhteystiedot" (in Finnish). Ilves. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
  8. ^ ILVES/2 SAA UUDEN PÄÄVALMENTAJAN – TERVETULOA ILVEKSEEN, GUILLEM SANTESMASES!, Ilves
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