Liverpool FC former player profile - Sami Hyypia

Sami Tuomas Hyypiä, more widely known as Liverpool FC and Finland footballer Sami Hyypiä, was born on 07 October 1973 in Porvoo, Finland. Sami Hyypiä was raised in Voikkaa, Finland by a mother who played amateur football and a father who played for local Finnish side Pallo Peikot, the team who Sami Hyypiä first played football with as a seven year old. In 1990 after leaving Pallo Peikot Sami Hyypiä started playing for youth side KuMu where he remained for 2 years until joining Finnish Premier League side MyPa. In his three years with MyPa Sami Hyypiä won the Finnish Cup twice. in 1992 and 1995, it was also during this time that he made his international debut for Finland in a match against Tunisia on 07 November 1992. Sami Hyypiä got his first taste of an English football club in 1995 when he had a two week trial with Premiership side Newcastle United before signing for Dutch Eredivisie league club Willem II. He remained with Willem II for the next four years in which time he became club captain and steered the side to UEFA Champions League qualification.

Sami Hyypiä had always supported Liverpool FC as a boy and on 19 May 1999 the Premiership club signed him for a transfer fee of £2.6 million. At Liverpool FC Sami Hyypiä soon formed a successful defensive partnership with Stephane Henchoz and became a regular in the first team, by the time the 00/01 season came around Sami Hyypiä was sharing the captaincy of the side with Robbie Fowler. It was during this 00/01 season that Sami Hyypiä tasted his first success with Liverpool FC and it came in the form of an impressive cup treble as the reds won the 2001 League Cup, FA Cup and UEFA Cup. Sami Hyypiä was installed as permanent captain in 2002 following the departure of previous captains Jamie Redknapp and Robbie Fowler but this honour was then passed on to Steven Gerrard the following season.

Rafael Benitez became the new Liverpool FC manager in 2004 and his reshuffling of the side led to Sami Hyypiä being partnered with Jamie Carragher in central defence, a partnership which proved to be very successful as Liverpool FC went on to win the 2005 UEFA Champions League. The following year, 2005, saw Sami Hyypiä sign a new contract with the club for a further three years keeping him at anfield until 2008. In April 2008 Sami Hyypiä signed a further one year extension to his contract, and celebrated his tenth season with the club. Sami Hyypiä's final match for Liverpool FC came on the final day of the 08/09 season when he came on as a late substitute in the Premier League match against Tottenham Hotspur, he said an emotional farewell to the fans and moved to Bayer Leverkusen of the German Bundesliga during summer 2009.