Finland against England is one of the more one-sided fixtures in international football, but the two sides have met twice recently in the UEFA Nations League. This article covers the lineups from those matches, what they showed tactically, and the full head-to-head record.
Here we will discuss the high lights or top players list of Finland National Football Team vs England National Football Team Lineups.
Head-to-Head Overview
Before 2024, Finland had never beaten England in a senior international, with England winning nine of eleven meetings and drawing two. The 2024 Nations League games added two more England wins, so the all-time record stands at 11 wins and 2 draws for England, and no defeats. The first meeting was a 8-0 England win in May 1937.
England vs Finland, 10 September 2024 (Wembley)
This was Lee Carsley’s second game as interim England manager and Harry Kane’s 100th cap. Angel Gomes made his full England debut in the XI, with four changes from the previous match.
| Position | England XI | Finland XI (as reported pre-match) |
|---|---|---|
| GK | Jordan Pickford | Lukas Hradecky |
| RB | Trent Alexander-Arnold | Adam Stahl |
| CB | John Stones | Arttu Hoskonen |
| CB | Ezri Konsa | Robert Ivanov |
| LB | Rico Lewis | Jere Uronen |
| Midfield | Declan Rice, Angel Gomes | Matti Peltola, Rasmus Schuller, Glen Kamara |
| Attack | Bukayo Saka, Jack Grealish, Anthony Gordon | Fredrik Jensen, Teemu Pukki, Topi Keskinen |
| Striker | Harry Kane (c) | – |
England’s starters were confirmed on the official site. Finland’s XI comes from pre-match lineup reports, apart from Pukki and Kamara, whose starts match-day coverage confirmed. Kane broke the deadlock in the 57th minute, lashing the ball in off the underside of the bar. He added a second after a cut-back from substitute Noni Madueke. Final score: England 2-0 Finland.
Finland vs England, 13 October 2024 (Helsinki)
The return fixture followed England’s defeat to Greece, and Carsley made big changes. This is the confirmed lineup from the match data:
| Position | Finland XI (4-3-3) | England XI (4-2-1-3) |
|---|---|---|
| GK | Lukas Hradecky | Dean Henderson |
| RB | Nikolai Alho | Trent Alexander-Arnold |
| CB | Arttu Hoskonen | John Stones |
| CB | Robert Ivanov | Marc Guehi |
| LB | Jere Uronen | Kyle Walker |
| Midfield | Glen Kamara, Rasmus Schuller, Matti Peltola | Declan Rice, Angel Gomes |
| Attacking mid / wide | Fredrik Jensen, Topi Keskinen | Cole Palmer, Jack Grealish, Jude Bellingham |
| Striker | Benjamin Källman | Harry Kane |
Source: the match data centre lineup for the game.
Substitutions mattered. Ollie Watkins replaced Kane and Noni Madueke replaced Palmer, while Phil Foden, Rico Lewis and Conor Gallagher also came on for England. For Finland, Joel Pohjanpalo, Teemu Pukki, Robin Lod and Oliver Antman all came off the bench.
Grealish scored in the 18th minute, Alexander-Arnold added a second in the 74th, and Rice scored in the 84th. Hoskonen pulled one back for Finland in the 87th minute. Final score: Finland 1-3 England.
Tactical Takeaways from the Lineups
England’s flexibility. Carsley changed the XI between the two games, but the core stayed the same: Rice in midfield, Alexander-Arnold and Stones in defence, and a front line built on Kane, Grealish and creative wide players. In September, Saka and Gordon provided width. In October, Palmer and Bellingham played closer to the central striker. England kept most of the ball in both games, with 69% possession in Helsinki.
Finland’s structure. Finland, managed by Markku Kanerva, kept a stable core in both games: Hradecky in goal, Hoskonen and Ivanov at centre-back, Uronen at left-back, and Kamara and Peltola in midfield. Their approach is compact and built around Hradecky’s shot-stopping. The September match showed this, as Hradecky stopped several early England efforts. The main attacking changes were Pukki in the first game and Källman in the second.
Key individual battles. Kane against the Finnish centre-backs decided the Wembley game. In Helsinki, England’s midfield overload of Rice, Gomes, Palmer and Bellingham gave Finland’s three-man midfield little control.
Finland vs England: Latest 10 Matches (Head-to-Head)
| # | Date | Fixture | Score | Competition | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13 Oct 2024 | Finland v England | 1-3 | UEFA Nations League | England |
| 2 | 10 Sep 2024 | England v Finland | 2-0 | UEFA Nations League | England |
| 3 | 24 Mar 2001 | England v Finland | 2-1 | World Cup qualifier | England |
| 4 | 11 Oct 2000 | Finland v England | 0-0 | World Cup qualifier | Draw |
| 5 | 3 Jun 1992 | Finland v England | 1-2 | International friendly | England |
| 6 | 22 May 1985 | Finland v England | 1-1 | World Cup qualifier | Draw |
| 7 | 17 Oct 1984 | England v Finland | 5-0 | World Cup qualifier | England |
| 8 | 3 Jun 1982 | Finland v England | 1-4 | International friendly | England |
| 9 | 13 Oct 1976 | England v Finland | 2-1 | World Cup qualifier | England |
| 10 | 13 Jun 1976 | Finland v England | 1-4 | World Cup qualifier | England |
Source: 11v11 head-to-head records for England. Check the official FA and Finnish FA sites for any fixtures after the dates above.
Final Thoughts
Across 13 meetings, England have won 11 and drawn 2, with Finland yet to record a win. The 2024 Nations League games repeated that pattern, with England’s attacking depth outweighing a disciplined Finnish side. Because the managers rotate players between games, the lineups for a future meeting will depend on form, injuries and tournament context, so check team sheets on match day.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Has Finland ever beaten England?
No. In 13 senior meetings England have won 11 and drawn 2. Finland’s best results are the 1-1 draw in 1985 and the 0-0 draw in 2000.
2. Who scored in the 2024 Nations League games between the two teams?
Harry Kane scored twice in England’s 2-0 win at Wembley on 10 September 2024. In Helsinki on 13 October 2024, Jack Grealish, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Declan Rice scored for England, and Arttu Hoskonen scored Finland’s goal in a 3-1 England win.
3. Who managed England in the 2024 games against Finland?
Lee Carsley, as interim manager. Finland were managed by Markku Kanerva.
4. Which players started both 2024 games for Finland?
Goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky, defenders Arttu Hoskonen, Robert Ivanov and Jere Uronen, and midfielders Glen Kamara, Rasmus Schuller and Matti Peltola started both games, along with Fredrik Jensen and Topi Keskinen in attack.
5. Where can I find the confirmed lineup for the next Finland vs England game?
Official team sheets are usually published about an hour before kick-off on the England (englandfootball.com) and Finnish FA websites, UEFA.com for competitive games, and match-tracking apps such as FotMob.
