Maija Karoliina Saari is a Finnish international footballer. She currently plays in the Norwegian Toppserien for Kolbotn.

A strong, left–sided defender, Saari won three consecutive domestic titles with FC Honka

FC Honka

FC Honka is a Finnish football club, based in Tapiola, Espoo. It was promoted into the Finnish premier division , for the first time in its history, at the end of the 2005 season. The club's manager is Mika Lehkosuo, and it plays its home matches at Tapiolan urheilupuisto...

 in 2006, 2007 and 2008. She joined the club aged 10 after moving to Helsinki

Helsinki

Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...

 from her birthplace of Vaasa

Vaasa

Vaasa is a city on the west coast of Finland. It received its charter in 1606, during the reign of Charles IX of Sweden and is named after the Royal House of Vasa...

 and rose to captain the club. In December 2008 Saari signed a two year contract with Swedish club Umeå IK

Umeå IK

Umeå IK is a prominent women's association football club based in the city of Umeå, Sweden. The club was established in 1917 as a general sports club, and started competing in women's in 1985. In 1996 the team reached the premier division, the Damallsvenskan but was relegated the following year. In...

.

She made her debut for the senior Finland

Finland women's national football team

The Finland women's national football team represents Finland in international women's football. The team, controlled by the Football Association of Finland , reached the semi-finals of the 2005 European Championship, surprising the female football world having drawn with Sweden and beaten Denmark...

 team on 7 March 2007; playing 90 minutes against Sweden

Sweden women's national football team

Sweden women's national football team are a football team officially representing Sweden in women's football. They won the unofficial European Championships in 1984, a success the team has not managed to repeat, it has however won one World Cup-silver as well as three European Cup-silvers...

 in the Algarve Cup

Algarve Cup

The Algarve Cup is a global invitational tournament for national teams in women's football . Held annually in the Algarve region of Portugal since 1994, it is one of the most prestigious women's football events, alongside the Women's World Cup and Women's Olympic Football...

. Saari also played in all four of Finland's matches at UEFA Women's Euro 2009, including the quarter final defeat to England

England women's national football team

The England women's national football team represents England in international women's football. The side has been quite successful of late, qualifying for three World Cups, 1995, 2007 and 2011...

.

External links

• Maija Saari Kolbotn IL profile
• Maija Saari Svensk Fotboll profile