Jirijoonas Kanth

Jirijoonas Kanth (born 16 June 1987) is a Finnish former footballer who last played as a midfielder for HIFK.

Early life

Kanth started playing football at the age of five. His great-grandmother is Sami. He was childhood friends with Finland international Perparim Hetemaj.

College career

Kanth attended the University of Helsinki's Teacher Education Institute.

Club career

Kanth started his career with Finnish side HIFK, where he was regarded as an important player for the club. He was suspended for four games due to alleged racist behavior. The decision was later overturned. After that, he signed for Finnish side FC Kiffen 08. Before the 2018 season, he returned to Finnish side HIFK. He helped the club earn promotion to the Finnish top flight before retiring.

International career

Kanth played for the Sápmi football team at the 2014 ConIFA World Football Cup, where he was regarded as the team's most important player. He was one of few Finnish players to play for the Sapmi team. He previously represented Finland internationally at youth level.

Managerial career

Kanth is a qualified teacher and worked as manager of the HIFK women's team after retiring from professional football.

Style of play

Kanth mainly operates as a midfielder and has operated as left-back.

Personal life

He is of Sami descent but does not speak the language. He is from Utsjoki, Finland. He is nicknamed "Innu". He has two sisters and two brothers.