title: Jari Niinimäki
text: # Jari Niinimäki
  
  Jari Olavi Niinimäki (1 December 1957 – 10 June 2023) was a Finnish footballer who played as a forward. He made three appearances for Finland national team.
  
  ## Club career
  
  Niinimäki played most of his career at his hometown club FC Ilves. The exceptions were only the first two seasons he played as senior, when he played with third-tier Finnish side TPV Tampere, and, later in 1986, when he played abroad in Sweden with AIK Solna in the 1986 Allsvenskan.
  
  Niinimäki spent short time in Yugoslavia with Serbian club FK Partizan. He failed to make a debut in an official game, but made one appearance and scored two goals in a friendly match.
  
  ## International career
  
  Niinimäki made nine appearances for Finland national team in 1986.
  
  ## Personal life and death
  
  His son, Jesse Niinimäki, became a professional ice hockey player.
  
  Niinimäki died on 10 June 2023, at the age of 65.
  
  ## Honours
  
  Ilves
  
  * Veikkausliiga: 1983
  * Finnish Cup: 1979
  