Former Norwich City and Finland international striker Teemu Pukki has announced that he will retire from professional football at the age of 36. The prolific forward, who stepped down from international duty last year, is currently playing in his homeland for HJK Helsinki, having joined the club in 2025. Pukki's decorated career will formally come to an end following the conclusion of the Veikkausliiga season on 8 November.
Pukki established legendary status during his memorable five-year spell with Norwich between 2018 and 2023. Arriving on a free transfer to little fanfare after a prior stint in Britain with Celtic—where he scored nine goals in 38 games between 2013 and 2015—the Finnish striker proved doubters wrong. Pukki found the net 88 times in 210 appearances for the Canaries, elevating him to fourth on Norwich's all-time goalscoring list. He collected two Championship titles, secured two player of the season awards, and twice helped fire the club to Premier League promotion, famously striking up an attacking partnership with Emi Buendia that head coach Daniel Farke described as "magical."
Beyond his heroics in Norfolk, Pukki carved out an extraordinary resume at both club and international levels. In addition to his time with HJK, Norwich, and Celtic, his career featured spells with Schalke, Brondby, and Minnesota United. On the global stage, Pukki cemented his legacy as Finland's men's all-time top scorer, recording 43 goals across 133 international appearances, which also stands as the second-highest cap tally in the country's history.
Writing on Instagram to confirm his upcoming retirement, Pukki reflected on his time in the game: "I've gained a lot more from football than I ever dreamed of when I was a little boy. I've seen the world and gained experience because of football and I don't think I could have gotten anything like football anywhere else. It hasn't always been fun or I haven't been able to enjoy it, but the love for football has remained - always. Big thanks to the great clubs and their fans." Pukki will now see out the remainder of the league campaign with HJK before officially bringing his playing days to a close.