Dario Naamo

Dario Naamo

Personal information
Full name	Dario Felix Naamo
Date of birth	(2005-05-14) 14 May 2005 (age 19)
Height	1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s)	Right-back
Team information
Current team	St. Pölten
Youth career
	TiPS
0000–2018	KäPa
2018–2022	Honka
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2022–2023	Honka II	16	(1)
2022–2023	Honka	24	(1)
2024–	SJK	21	(0)
2024–	→ St. Pölten (loan)	2	(0)
International career^‡
2019	Finland U15	3	(0)
2021–2022	Finland U17	8	(0)
2022–2023	Finland U18	7	(0)
2023–	Finland U19	4	(0)
2023–	Finland U21	3	(0)
Medal record Honka Finnish Cup 2023 Finland U18 Baltic Cup 2023[1]
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 1 October 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 10 September 2024

Dario Felix Naamo (born 14 May 2005) is a Finnish professional footballer who plays as a right-back for Austrian 2. Liga club St. Pölten, on loan from SJK Seinäjoki, and the Finland U21 national team.^[2][3]

Early career

Naamo started playing football for Tikkurilan Palloseura (TiPS)^[4] in Vantaa, before he moved to the renowned Käpylän Pallo (KäPa) youth academy in Helsinki.^[5] In 2018, he joined the youth sector of Honka in Espoo.

Club career

Honka

Naamo made his debut with Honka first team in Veikkausliiga on 2 July 2022 at the age of 17, in a 1–1 home draw against IFK Mariehamn.^[6] On 5 September 2023, he extended his contract with Honka, signing "a new long-term deal", according to the club.^[7] He scored his first goal in the league on 28 October 2023, the opening goal on the 3rd minute in a 5–0 home win against AC Oulu.^[8]

SJK

After Honka was declared bankruptcy after the 2023 season,^[9] it was announced that Naamo had signed a two-year deal with fellow Veikkausliiga club SJK on 27 November 2023.^[10][11][12]

St. Pölten (loan)

On 9 September 2024, Naamo was loaned out to Austrian Second League club SKN St. Pölten, with an obligation to buy.^[13]

International career

A regular Finnish youth international, Naamo has represented Finland at various youth national team levels.

He was named in the Finland U17 squad for the 2022 UEFA European Under-17 Championship qualification tournament in October 2021, against Bosnia-Herzegovina, Switzerland and Gibraltar. Finland finished 2nd in the group and advanced to the Elite round. In March 2022, Naamo was part of the Finland U17 squad in the Elite round matches against Portugal, Bulgaria and Ireland.^[14]

Naamo was part of the Finland U18 squad winning the friendly tournament Baltic Cup in June 2023.^[15]

In October 2023, Naamo was named in the Finland U19 squad in the 2024 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualification tournament, in three games against Romania, Czech Republic and San Marino.^[16]

On 7 November 2023, Naamo got his first call-up to the Finland under-21 national team, for a friendly match against Sweden, and for a UEFA Under-21 Euro Championship qualifying match against Armenia.^[17] He made his U21 debut in a 3–0 friendly loss to Sweden on 16 November 2023.

Personal life

Born and raised in Finland, Naamo is also eligible to represent Iraq. He holds a dual Finnish-Iraqi citizenship.^[12] After Naamo was allegedly contacted by the Iraq Football Association,^[18] he confirmed this in an interview in April 2024, and stated that his main goal is to represent Finland.^[19]

Career statistics

As of 1 October 2024

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			Cup[a]		League cup[b]		Europe		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Honka Akatemia	2022	Kakkonen	14	1	0	0	—		—		14	1
	2023	Kakkonen	2	0	0	0	—		—		2	0
	Total		16	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	16	1
Honka	2022	Veikkausliiga	1	0	0	0	0	0	—		1	0
	2023	Veikkausliiga	23	1	5	1	2	0	0	0	30	2
	Total		24	1	5	1	2	0	0	0	31	2
SJK	2024	Veikkausliiga	21	0	6	0	3	0	—		30	0
St. Pölten (loan)	2024–25	Austrian Second League	2	0	0	0	—		—		2	0
Career total			63	2	11	1	5	0	0	0	79	3

1. Includes Suomen Cup
2. Appearance(s) in Finnish League Cup

Honours

Honka

• Finnish Cup runner-up: 2023

Finland U18

• Baltic Cup: 2023

References

1. Finnish FA
2. "FC Hongan Naamo nauttii pääsystä avaukseen - "Tuntui hyvältä saada enemmän vastuuta"". Veikkausliiga (in Finnish). 25 May 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
3. "Dario Naamo jatkaa Hongassa - 18-vuotias puolustaja noussut jo nyt isoon rooliin". Veikkausliiga (in Finnish). 5 September 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
4. "U19-pojat ja Wales kohtaavat Eerikkilän perjantai-illassa". Finnish FA (in Finnish). 7 September 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
5. Tulospalvelu Palloliitto
6. HONKA VS. MARIEHAMN 1-1, soccerway
7. Dario Naamo jatkaa Hongassa, Honka, 5 September 2023
8. HONKA VS. OULU 5-0, soccerway
9. Espoon sokki-ilmoitus mullistaa markkinan – Nämä pelaajat viedään käsistä, Iltalehti, Anssi Karjalainen, 19 November 2023
10. Dario Naamo pukee ylleen Kerhon paidan, sjk.fi, 27 November 2023/
11. SJK kaappasi todellisen timantin riveihinsä, sportti.com, 27 November 2023
12. Kova kaappaus! SJK hankki Veikkausliigan huippulupauksen, suomifutis.com, Eetu Ikola, 27 November 2023
13. Dario Naamo siirtyy SJK:sta Itävaltaan, sjk.fi, 9 September 2024
14. EM-karsinnat U17-pojat MAAOTTELUT 2022, Finnish FA/ Palloliitto
15. U18-pojat nimetty kesäkuun Baltic Cupiin, Football Association of Finland, 30 May 2023
16. U19-pojat nimetty lokakuun EM-karsintaturnaukseen, Finnish FA/ Palloliitto, 25 September 2023
17. Pikkuhuuhkajat nimetty marraskuun otteluihin, Finnish FA/Palloliitto, 7 November 2023
18. Suomen maajoukkue vaarassa menettää superlahjakkuutensa, mtvuutiset.fi, MTV Oy, Eetu Ikola, 20 February 2024
19. Irakin maajoukkue yrittää kaapata suomalaisen superlupauksen – 18-vuotias kommentoi nyt tilannettaan, MTV Oy, mtvuutiset.fi, Eetu Ikola, 7 April 2024

External links

• Dario Naamo at Soccerway
• Dario Naamo at WorldFootball.net