Matias Siltanen opened up about the challenges of the army. PDO
When talking about the biggest promises of Finnish football at the moment, Matias Siltanen’s name immediately comes to mind.
Siltanen, 19, who represents Djurgården in Sweden at the club team level, has been the subject of wild transfer rumors for a long time.
Siltas has been taken to the ranks of several big European clubs. In the wildest speculations, it has been speculated that Siltanen might even break Finland’s all-time transfer record, which is currently held by Roman Eremenko (12.9 million euros).
Siltanen last gave strong displays on Thursday, when he waved the goal nets in the Pikkuhuuhkajie’s 3–1 victory against Sweden.
Matias Siltanen scored the winning goal of the Cyprus match from the penalty spot. JUHA TAMMINEN / AOP
On Saturday, Siltanen appeared on the media side of the western neighbor when he opened up For Expressen about one of his big challenges, the army.
– I don’t know how I’m going to do it. I have to find a solution, Siltanen thought.
In an interview with Expressen, Siltanen reminds us how every Finnish man must complete military service before the age of 29, unless he is exempted.
Siltansen was told about how top-level athletes in Finland can apply to the Defense Forces’ sports school.
– It’s still a difficult tick. That’s why there have to be long stretches on the sidelines, Siltanen answered.
Siltanen refers in an interview to iltapäivälehti to how there has been a public discussion about athletes’ military service in Finland. The topic came up, for example, with NHL superstar Mikko Rantanen. Rantanen was sentenced to a ten-day fine for unauthorized absence when he did not register for service in the Guard’s jaeger regiment in the spring of 2024.
Rantanen was finally released from the army.
According to Siltanen, he is the only Finnish player at Djurgården who has not yet served in the army.
– Miro [Tenho] has happened, so has “Santi” [Santeri Haarala]Siltanen lists, admitting after:
– That will be a problem for another day. I’m not going to go there now though.
According to Siltanen, he recently applied for a postponement.
– I informed them that I am not coming now and my service was postponed for three years. After that, I have to make decisions again, says Siltanen.
Siltanen has already been selected once for the Finnish A national team. This happened in the summer of 2025.