Benjamin Källman (born 17 June 1998) is a Finnish professional footballer who plays as a forward for Ekstraklasa club Cracovia and the Finland national team.

Benjamin Källman
Källman with Cracovia in 2022
Personal information
Date of birth (1998-06-17) 17 June 1998 (age 26)
Place of birth Tammisaari, Finland
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)[1]
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
Cracovia
Number 9
Youth career
0000–2012 EIF
2012–2013 Honka
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2015 EIF 38 (6)
2016–2022 Inter Turku 122 (44)
2016EIF (loan) 7 (3)
2018–2019Dundee (loan) 18 (1)
2019Vendsyssel FF (loan) 7 (2)
2019Viking (loan) 11 (3)
2020Haugesund (loan) 10 (0)
2022– Cracovia 85 (26)
International career
2016–2017 Finland U19 5 (0)
2017–2020 Finland U21 19 (12)
2018– Finland 27 (7)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 8 December 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 18 November 2024

Club career

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Early career

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Born in Tammisaari, Källman started playing football in his hometown club Ekenäs IF (EIF). Growing up, he also played handball in BK-46.[2]

After a stint in a youth sector of FC Honka, Källman made his senior debut for EIF in the third-tier Kakkonen on 3 May 2014, at the age of 15.[1][3][4]

Inter Turku and loans

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On 25 November 2015, Källman signed his first contract with Inter Turku in Finnish top-tier Veikkausliiga, starting in 2016.[2]

In August 2018, he signed on loan for Scottish Premiership club Dundee, with an option to buy.[5][6]

On 30 January 2019, he was then loaned out to Vendsyssel FF in the Danish Superliga.[7]

In July 2019 he was loaned out to Eliteserien club Viking FK in Norway.[8]

In February 2020, Källman was sent on loan to Norwegian FK Haugesund.[9]

Källman returned to his parent club Inter in August 2020. Next 2021 Veikkausliiga season, Källman scored 14 goals and was the league's joint top scorer with Ariel Ngueukam. He left Inter at the end of June 2022.[10]

Cracovia

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Källman with Inter Turku in 2018

On 2 July 2022, Källman moved to Polish side Cracovia on a free transfer, signing a three-year contract with the club.[11] He scored his first goal in Ekstraklasa on 29 July 2022, in a 3–0 home win over Legia Warsaw.[12][13] On 22 April 2023, Källman scored his first brace in the league, in a 2–1 away win against Lechia Gdansk.[14] His second brace in Polish top tier occurred on 20 December 2023, defeating Legia Warsaw 2–0 at home.[15]

On 18 August 2024, Källman scored his first brace of the 2024–25 season, helping his side to a 4–2 away win against Jagiellonia Białystok.[16] At the turn of November, Källman scored two braces in two consecutive Ekstraklasa victories, against Motor Lublin[17] and Lechia Gdansk,[18] respectively. Subsequently, Polish media reported of a notable offer previously made by an unnamed Turkish club, which Cracovia had rejected.[19][20]

International career

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A former Finnish youth international,[21] Källman made his international debut for Finland in 2018.[22] He scored his first international goal in his second international appearance on 11 June 2019, in a UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying win against Liechtenstein.[23]

Personal life

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His father Mikael Källman is widely considered to be Finland's greatest handball player of all time.[24][25]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of 8 December 2024[1][26]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] Europe Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
EIF 2014 Kakkonen 13 1 1 1 14 2
2015 Ykkönen 25 5 1 0 26 5
Total 38 6 0 0 38 6
EIF Akademi 2015 Kolmonen 7 4 7 4
Inter Turku 2016 Veikkausliiga 22 2 5 1 0 0 27 3
2017 Veikkausliiga 31 9 6 3 37 12
2018 Veikkausliiga 20 8 7 8 27 16
2019 Veikkausliiga 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2020 Veikkausliiga 10 4 1 0 1[b] 0 12 4
2021 Veikkausliiga 27 14 5 0 2[c] 1 34 15
2022 Veikkausliiga 12 7 2 1 0 0 6[d] 6 20 14
Total 122 44 26 13 3 1 6 6 157 64
EIF (loan) 2016 Ykkönen 7 3 0 0 7 3
Dundee (loan) 2018–19 Scottish Premiership 18 1 1 0 19 1
Vendsyssel FF (loan) 2018–19 Danish Superliga 7 2 0 0 4[e] 0 11 2
Viking (loan) 2019 Eliteserien 11 3 2 1 13 4
Haugesund (loan) 2020 Eliteserien 10 0 10 0
Cracovia 2022–23 Ekstraklasa 34 6 2 0 36 6
2023–24 Ekstraklasa 33 9 3 0 36 9
2024–25 Ekstraklasa 18 11 1 0 19 11
Total 85 26 6 0 0 0 0 0 91 26
Career total 305 89 37 15 3 1 10 6 355 111
  1. ^ Includes Suomen Cup, Scottish Cup, Norwegian Football Cup and Polish Cup
  2. ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  3. ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League
  4. ^ Appearances in Finnish League Cup
  5. ^ Appearances in relegation play-offs.

International

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As of match played 17 November 2024[3]
Finland
Year Apps Goals
2018 1 0
2019 1 1
2020 0 0
2021 0 0
2022 8 3
2023 7 2
2024 10 1
Total 27 7

International goals

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Scores and results list Finland's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Källman goal.
List of international goals scored by Benjamin Källman[22][27]
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 11 June 2019 Rheinpark Stadion, Vaduz, Liechtenstein   Liechtenstein 2–0 2–0 UEFA Euro 2020 qualification
2 14 June 2022 Bilino Polje Stadium, Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina   Bosnia and Herzegovina 2–1 2–3 2022–23 UEFA Nations League B
3 26 September 2022 City Stadium, Podgorica, Montenegro   Montenegro 2–0 2–0 2022–23 UEFA Nations League B
4 20 November 2022 Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway   Norway 1–0 1–1 Friendly
5 26 March 2023 Windsor Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland   Northern Ireland 1–0 1–0 UEFA Euro 2024 qualification
6 19 June 2023 Helsinki Olympic Stadium, Helsinki, Finland   San Marino 2–0 6–0 UEFA Euro 2024 qualification
7 7 June 2024 Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland   Scotland 1–2 2–2 Friendly

Honours

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Inter Turku

Viking

Individual

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Benjamin Källman at Soccerway. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  2. ^ a b Käsipallolegendan kuopus Interiin, Turun Sanomat
  3. ^ a b Tulospalvelu Palloliitto, Finnish FA
  4. ^ Huuhkajatähti Benjamin Källman muistaa taustansa: "EIF:n nousu Veikkausliigaan olisi tosi iso juttu", Veikkausliiga, 11 September 2023
  5. ^ "Kallman signs". Dundee F.C. 17 August 2018. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
  6. ^ Sebastian Backman (17 August 2018). "IS: Benjamin Källman nära flytt till Skottland" (in Swedish). HBL. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
  7. ^ TALENTFULD, UNG FINSK ANGRIBER TIL VENDSYSSEL FF, vendsysselff.dk, 30 January 2019
  8. ^ Fornes, Fredrik. "Finsk landslagsspiss nærmer seg Viking". Aftenposten.
  9. ^ Benjamin Källman lainalle norjalaiseen FK Haugesundiin, fcinter.fi
  10. ^ Maalikuningas Benjamin Källman jättää Interin ensi viikolla, jonka jälkeen edessä on uran tärkein päätös, Turun Sanomat, 21 June 2022
  11. ^ "Benjamin Källman nowym zawodnikiem Cracovii!" (in Polish). Cracovia. 2 July 2022.
  12. ^ CRACOVIA VS. LEGIA WARSAW 3 - 0, int.soccerway.com
  13. ^ Benjamin Källman iskee maaleja Puolassa: ”Olen löytänyt omaa tapaani pelata”, Yle, 8 October 2024
  14. ^ Benjamin Källman po meczu z Lechią Gdańsk (22.04.2023), youtube.com, 22 April 2023
  15. ^ Katso: Benjamin Källman iski upean maalin Puolassa, suomifutis.com, 21 December 2023
  16. ^ BENJAMIN KÄLLMAN LIEKITTI EKSTRAKLASASSA – UPOTTI PALLON KAHDESTI JAGIELLONIAN VERKKOON, pallomeri.net, 18 August 2024
  17. ^ Benjamin Källmanin loistava alkukausi sai jatkoa, Football Association of Finland, 28 October 2024
  18. ^ Video: Benjamin Källman huippuvireessä Puolan pääsarjassa – taas kaksi maalia, puoliaika.com, 4 November 2024
  19. ^ Benjamin Källman dostał „bardzo poważną propozycję”. Może trafić do topowej ligi, transfery.info, 4 November 2024
  20. ^ Gwiazda Ekstraklasy szykuje się do wyjazdu z Polski, meczyki.pl, 4 November 2024
  21. ^ "Benjamin Källman". 10 July 2023.
  22. ^ a b "Benjamin Källman". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
  23. ^ Kolme pistettä! Pukki ja Källman osuivat, Liechtenstein kaatui komeasti EM-karsinnoissa – Yle seurasi hetki hetkeltä, Yle, 11 June 2019
  24. ^ ""Ei vain urheilun ehdoilla" – Benjamin Källman sai tärkeän ohjeen legenda-isältään" (in Finnish). Veikkausliiga. 15 January 2022. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  25. ^ Ylpeitä toisistaan, Helsingin Sanomat, Ari Virtanen, 26 March 2024
  26. ^ Benjamin Källman stats, Football Association of Finland
  27. ^ "Benjamin Källman". WorldFootball.
  28. ^ Veikkausliiga.com
  29. ^ Liimatta, Ville (3 December 2021). "Tässä suomalaisen jalkapallon vuoden 2021 parhaat - katso kaikki Captain's Ball -gaalassa palkitut". SuomiFutis (in Finnish). Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  30. ^ "Perinteinen Koplajoukkue nimetty Veikkausliigakauden 2021 osalta". www.veikkausliiga.com (in Finnish). Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  31. ^ Benjamin Källman Veikkausliigan kuukauden pelaaja, JPY, July 2022
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