Finland Football Mix-Up: 51-Year-Old Accidentally Recalled for National Team

In a humorous mix-up, the manager of Finland's women's national football team, Outi Saarinen, mistakenly included a 51-year-old former player in the lineup for a match against Serbia. Stina Ruuskanen, who retired years ago, found herself on the roster in place of the intended 23-year-old Nanne Ruuskanen.

The error was only discovered past the deadline for team submissions, causing quite a stir. Stina took the comedic mistake in stride, jokingly telling the Finnish newspaper Ilta-Sanomat about her readiness to play due to her recent hobby league matches.

The younger Ruuskanen, unrelated to Stina, expressed disappointment but accepted the situation with grace. Manager Saarinen issued an apology, acknowledging the unusual confusion in a statement released by the Finnish Football Association.

(With inputs from agencies.)