Verner Eklöf

Verner Eklöf was a Finnish sportsman who played football, ice hockey, and competed in Nordic combined skiing.

Eklöf joined the football club HIFK when he was 16-years-old. After impressive performances for his club, Eklöf got the call-up to join Finland’s first national football team in 1919. Eklöf moved from HIFK to HJK in 1920. This was considered as the first major transfer in the history of Finnish football. Also in 1920, Eklöf scored his first international goal for the national team. Three years later, Eklöf captained Finland for the first time. Eklöf played for the national team until 1926 and for HJK until 1927. He played in 32 international matches and scored 17 goals.

As well as playing football for HIFK, Eklöf also represented their ice hockey team from 1916 to 1920. Mirroring his football career, Eklöf played ice hockey for HJK from 1921 to 1924. With HJK Eklöf won the national ice hockey championships in 1921, 1923, and 1924. Eklöf also represented the national ice hockey team on three occasions.

On the snow Eklöf won the first edition of the Salpausselän kisat in 1923, Finland’s international skiing completion. Eklöf competed in the Nordic combined at the 1924 Chamonix Olympics where he finished in ninth place. Eklöf was also scheduled to compete in the ski jump but he did not start the event.