Oops! Finland mistakenly call up 51-year-old footballer for international duty
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Finland players celebrating during their Nations League soccer match against Serbia on June 3.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
HELSINKI - Finland women's national team manager has apologised for mistakenly calling up a long-retired 51-year-old for this week's game against Serbia.
When submitting the lineup, manager Outi Saarinen mistakenly entered former player Stina Ruuskanen instead of 23-year-old Djurgarden defender Nanne Ruuskanen.
The error was not discovered until past deadline.
Ruuskanen, who received her call-up 29 years after playing two senior internationals for Finland, took the mix-up in good humour.
"I'm definitely ready if the call comes! Just yesterday, I was playing in a hobby league match... so my game feel is good," she told the Finnish newspaper Ilta-Sanomat.
The younger Ruuskanen, who is no relation, was unable to take part in the Nations League match, a 1-1 draw in Helsinki on June 3.
"Nanne was, of course, disappointed but took the news very well considering the circumstances," Saarinen said in a statement from the Finnish Football Association.
"I am very sorry for the mistake." REUTERS
