Arttu Matias Siltanen (born 29 March 2007) is a Finnish professional football player who plays as a central midfielder for Allsvenskan club Djurgårdens IF.
Early career Born in Kuopio, Siltanen started to play football in a youth team of the local club Kuopion Palloseura (KuPS). He made his senior debut in 2022 at the age of 15, with the club's reserve team KuPS II playing in the third-tier league Kakkonen. After the 2022 season, Siltanen received the Boy Player of the Year award from the Eastern Finland Football Association.Itäisellä alueella jaettiin jalkapallokauden 2022 palkinnot, Finnish FA, 6 February 2023
On 12 January 2023, Siltanen signed his first professional contract with the club, on a two-year deal with an option for an additional year.Matias Siltanen monivuotiseen sopimukseen Kuopion Palloseuran kanssa, KuPS, 12 January 2023 He made his first team debut with KuPS on 11 February 2023, in a Finnish League Cup loss against Ilves.ILVES VS. KUPS 3 - 0, int.soccerway.com In June, he spent time with Danish club AGF on trial.Nuori kuopiolaisjalkapalloilija on tyrkyllä yhteen Tanskan menestysseuroista – "Testijakso on ollut onnistunut", Savon Sanomat, Outi Poikonen, 12 June 2023Matias Siltanen testijaksolla Aarhus GF:ssä, KuPS, 12 June 2023KuPS-lupaus Matias Siltanen Tanskassa Aarhusin testissä, Veikkausliiga, 12 June 2023 After the 2023 season, Siltanen was named The Boy Player of the Year by the Football Association of Finland.Captain's Ball 2023 – Palkitut osa 1, Finnish FA, 1 December 2023Päävalmentaja Honkavaaralla selkeä näkemys KuPSin huippulupauksesta: ”Odotan, että hän ottaa paikkansa kokoonpanossa”, Savon Sanomat, 6 December 2023
Club career KuPS On 6 April 2024, at the age of 17, Siltanen debuted in Veikkausliiga with KuPS first team, as a starter in the opening game of the 2024 season, in a 3–1 home win against HJK Helsinki.KuPS – HJK, veikkausliiga.com He scored his first goal in the league on 7 July, in a 3–1 home win against IF Gnistan.KuPS nousi takaisin sarjataulukon kärkeen – huippulupaus Matias Siltanen iski uransa avausmaalin, Keski-Uusimaa, 7 July 2024 On 10 July, the club exercised his option for the 2025 season.Optio käytetty – Matias Siltanen jatkaa KuPSissa, kups.fi, 10 July 2024 On 21 September, Siltanen and KuPS won the 2024 Finnish Cup title with a 2–1 win over Inter Turku in the final. On 19 October, Siltanen and KuPS were crowned the Veikkausliiga champions, completing the club's first-ever double.
In late 2024, Siltanen was noted by the CIES Football Observatory in the list of the most notable under-20 players in the world.Ilveksestä ponnistanut Juho Talvitie ja KuPSin Matias Siltanen ylsivät kovalle listalle, Aamulehti, 15 September 2024Ulkomaisista seuroista matkustetaan Suomeen katsomaan 17-vuotiasta, joka rakentaa Veikkausliigan kärkijoukkueen peliä, Yle, 31 August 2024KuPSin superlupausta Siltasta, 17, tarkkailevat nyt seurat niin Pohjoismaista kuin myös huippuliigoista, Helsingin Sanomat, 14 August 2024 Subsequently, he was named among the top 60 young talents in world football by The Guardian.Next Generation 2024: 60 of the best young talents in world football, The Guardian, 15 October 2024Brittilehti The Guardian nosti jalkapalloilija Matias Siltasen maailman parhaiden nuorten lahjakkuuksien joukkoon, Yle, 16 October 2024 He became the third Finnish player to be mentioned in the said list, after Kaan Kairinen in 2015 and Sergei Eremenko in 2016.
During his debut season with KuPS first team, a 17-year-old Siltanen played in an important role and contributed in 42 matches, scoring a goal and providing five assists in total. He was also named Veikkausliiga Rookie of the Year.
Djurgården On 23 January 2025, after attracting interest in several clubs, Manchester City and Bournemouth among others, Siltanen decided to join Allsvenskan club Djurgårdens IF in Sweden,VÄLKOMMEN MATIAS SILTANEN!, dif.se, 23 January 2025Matias Siltanen siirtyy Djurgårdeniin, kups.fi, 23 January 2025 initially signing a three-year deal for a transfer fee of €1.2 million plus bonuses.Klart: Djurgården värvar Siltanen, fotbollskanalen.se, 23 January 2025Jättisiirto! Matias Siltanen Ruotsin suurseuraan, Ilta-Sanomat, 23 January 2025 However, he could not be registered to the squad for the club's Conference League matches as his young age delayed the transfer registration in UEFA.Suomalaisiin futisvalloittajiin kohdistuu nyt ”järkyttävän iso huomio” Ruotsissa – asiantuntija näkee myös ikävän puolen, Yle, 10 April 2025 One month later on 23 February, he made his debut for Djurgården in a Svenska Cupen match against IK Oddevold. On 29 March, Siltanen debuted in Allsvenskan, in a season opening match against Malmö FF.
International career Siltanen was part of the Finland U16 squad that won the friendly tournament Baltic Cup in July 2023.U16-pojat marssi Baltic Cupin mestaruuteen, Football Association of Finland/ Palloliitto, 2 July 2023
On 4 October 2023, he was named the captain of the Finland U17 squad in the 2024 UEFA European Under-17 Championship qualification tournament.Minihuuhkajiin valitut KuPSin kasvatit pääsevät mittaamaan osaamistaan lajin todellista jättiläistä vastaan, Savon Sanomat, Outi Poikonen, 4 October 2023U17-pojat nimetty lokakuun EM-karsintaturnaukseen, Football Association of Finland/ Palloliitto, 4 October 2023 In the tournament Finland drew with Ukraine 2–2U17-pojat joutui tyytymään tasapeliin Ukrainaa vastaan, Finnish FA, 15 October 2023 and with Germany 1–1, before winning Liechtenstein 3–0, placing 2nd in the group and advancing to the Elite round.U17-pojat selvitti tiensä EM-jatkokarsintoihin, Football Association of Finland/ Palloliitto, 21 October 2023 Siltanen played in first two games and scored a goal against Ukraine.
Siltanen was called up to the Finland U19 team for two friendly matches against Romania in September 2024.Siltanen ja Ruoppi pelasivat U19-maajoukkueessa, kups.fi, 9 September 2024
On 30 May 2025, Siltanen received his first call-up to the Finland national football team, for the World Cup qualifying matches against Nerherlands and Poland.Jymypaukku! Kuopion ihmepoika sai kutsun Huuhkajiin, Savon Sanomat, 30 May 2025
Personal life His father Marko Siltanen is a former footballer who played also for KuPS in the 1990s.Ihmepoika Kuopiosta, Helsingin Sanomat, Ari Virtanen, 8 May 2024Kättely, joka ei koskaan unohdu: Kuopiolainen jalkapalloilija kohtasi legendaarisen Pelén yllättäen, Savon Sanomat, 30 December 2022Miljoonan euron ihmepoika, Ilta-Sanomat, 18 May 2024100 tarinaa KuPSista - Osa 68 - Matias ja Marko Siltanen, Savon Sanomat, 6 April 2024
Career statistics
+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueNational cupLeague cupEuropeTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsKuPS Akatemia2022Kakkonen110———1102023Kakkonen152———152Total262000000262KuPS2023Veikkausliiga00001000102024Veikkausliiga271506040421Total271507040431Djurgårdens IF2025Allsvenskan29030–003202026Allsvenskan1040–0050Total300700000370Career total83312070401063
Honours KuPS Veikkausliiga: 2024Kuopio villiintyi KuPSin mestaruudesta – Eini ilmestyi juhlahumuun, Yle, 19 October 2024 Finnish Cup: 2024KuPS nousi takaa ohi Suomen Cupin voittoon – Petteri Pennanen ratkaisi pelin upealla laukauksella, Yle, 21 September 2024 Finnish League Cup runner-up: 2024 Finland U16 Baltic Cup: 2023 Individual Veikkausliiga Rookie of the Year 2024 Kakkonen Group C, Midfielder of the Year: 2023𝗠𝗜𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗡 𝗞𝗔𝗞𝗞𝗢𝗡𝗘𝗡 𝗟𝗢𝗛𝗞𝗢 𝗖 | 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗵𝗮𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗸𝗸𝗮𝗸𝗼𝗵𝘁𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗹𝗮𝗮𝗷𝗮𝘁, instagram.com, 1 December 2023 Finnish FA: Boy Player of the Year 2023 Eastern Finnish FA: Boy Player of the Year 2022
References
External links