A remarkable administrative blunder saw Finland's women's football team mistakenly summon a 51-year-old retired player for international duty ahead of their Nations League encounter with Serbia.
The mix-up occurred when manager Outi Saarinen intended to select 23-year-old defender Nanne Ruuskanen, who currently plays for Djurgården.
Instead, the team sheet listed Stina Ruuskanen, a former international who earned two caps for Finland in the 1990s and last represented her country 29 years ago.
The two players share the same surname but are not related. The error stemmed from Uefa's database system, which still contained the retired player's details.
Nanne Ruuskanen was supposed to be called up
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By the time officials discovered the mistake, the team sheet deadline had passed, making it impossible to rectify the situation.
Consequently, the younger Ruuskanen was denied her senior international debut in the 1-1 draw.
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Manager Saarinen acknowledged the unfortunate error and offered a heartfelt apology to the young defender who missed out on her international debut.
"Nanne was, of course, disappointed but took the news very well considering the circumstances," Saarinen said. "I am very sorry for the mistake."
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Her namesake last played internationally 29 years ago
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The administrative mishap meant that one of Finland's final matches before Euro 2025 took place without the promising young defender.
The incident left the 23-year-old Djurgården defender watching from the sidelines as her country secured a draw against Serbia, postponing what would have been a significant milestone in her career.
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The retired Stina Ruuskanen responded to the unexpected call-up with good humour, embracing the absurdity of the situation.
"It's amazing to still be called up to the national team at this age," she told Finnish reporters. "It's a must-win match tonight so that's probably why I've been selected."
The 51-year-old, who last played for Finland in the 1990s, joked about her readiness to answer her country's call if required. "I'm definitely ready if the call comes," she said. "Just yesterday I was playing in a hobby league match... so my game feel is good."
Her lighthearted response to the administrative error provided a moment of levity in what was otherwise an embarrassing mistake for Finnish football officials.
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