Finland

Finland have a long history in women's football and played their first international in 1973 but it is only in the last decade they have stepped up from minnow status.

The appointment of Michael Käld as coach in 2001 proved the catalyst along with the run of HJK Helsinki to the UEFA Women's Cup semi-finals the following year. With players like Anne Mäkinen, Laura Kalmari, Sanna Valkonen and Jessica Julin, Finland beat Russia in a play-off to reach UEFA Women's EURO 2005 and on their debut made the semi-finals. They were appointed 2009 hosts and topped their group, only to lose 3-2 to England in an epic quarter-final.

At the end of 2009, Käld opted to retire along with a number of key players. Swedish coach Andrée Jeglertz took over, and has gradually built a new squad, which gelled in 2013 qualifying where their only defeat, at home to Ukraine, came when first place was already certain. Linda Sällström has emerged as the key forward but she missed much of 2012 through injury, Sanna Talonen stepping up to replace her. Sällström will now miss the finals and they have also lost captain Maja Saari.

Qualifying round: Group 5 winners, P8 W6 D1 L1 F22 A4 Pts19

Key players
Katri Nokso-Koivisto (midfielder, Lillestrøm SK), Sanna Talonen (forward, KIF Örebro)

Coach: Andrée Jeglertz

Date of birth: 14 February 1972

Playing career: Malmö FF, IFK Trelleborg, Umeå FC, IFK Hasselholm, Gimonäs CK

Coaching career: Gimonäs CK, Umeå IK (women), Djurgårdens IF (men), Finland (women)

Malmo-born Jeglertz will be back in his home country for the finals. Having played in the Allsvenskan for his local side as well as three Sweden Under-21 games, he then spent a long spell at Umeå, a city he was to return to as a coach. Moving into management as Gimonäs player-coach, on ending his playing career, he was appointed by UEFA Women's Cup holders Umeå in 2004.

He immediately helped them retain that trophy, and reached further finals in 2007 and 2008, as well as winning league titles every year from 2005 to 2008. At the end of that season, Jeglertz was appointed by men's club Djurgårdens, initially as joint-coach with Zoran Lukić and then in sole control. He soon stepped down, however, and at the start of 2010, succeeded the long-serving Käld as Finland women's coach, having shown a preference for players from that nation at Umeå. They narrowly missed out on the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup play-offs but comfortably qualified for UEFA Women's EURO 2013.

Qualifying top scorer
Sanna Talonen 6

Tournament record
2009: quarter-finals
2005: semi-finals
2001: qualifying play-offs
1997: qualifying play-offs
1995: did not qualify
1993: did not qualify
1991: did not qualify
1989: did not qualify
1987: did not qualify
1984: did not qualify