Ivan Piñol: the story of a Catalan who has become a hero in Finland

El VendrellLife's twists and turns bring us together in the heart of El Vendrell. He's come to visit his family after a very intense year in Finland. Few believed he could make it. But with a fearless style and an extremely attacking mentality, 91 goals in 38 official matches, Ivan Piñol (1982) has overcome financial difficulties to achieve an unexpected promotion. Five years after being relegated, Turun Palloseura will once again compete in the Veikkausliiga, the top tier of Finnish football. It's been intense, but after many obstacles, he has found success in a country that has always welcomed him and embraces his courage. "Football is about emotions, and the greatest emotions arise when goals are celebrated. If we wanted to make some noise, we had to play rock 'n' roll. Attack, attack, and attack again," he says.

Ivan, who was born in El Vendrell, graduated in sports science from the University of Lleida. Coincidence or not, during that period he spent an Erasmus exchange in Finland, a country that years later served as a springboard for a career that began at the Barça academy. Two years later, Piñol packed his bags to embark on different training programs that took him to Gabon, South Africa, and Japan. And in August 2016, he had his first big opportunity. Gerard Nus, then at Rayo Vallecano, called him to head to the United States, to Oklahoma. "We arrived mid-season in a desperate situation. We even lost money. But it was the way to break into professional football." From there, experiences followed in Kazakhstan, Sweden, and India. A very volatile world. Experiences that ended prematurely and radically different cultures.

Piñol's next step was a return to Finland, now with his family. KuPS welcomed him as an assistant to the first team and coach of the reserve team. "It was a very busy time, but it was what I had to do if I wanted to go further." He would be in the shadow of Simo Valakari, the head coach, his role model as a coach, "because of his impact and the way he treated the players." He remembers it as a magical season that ended tragically. "We played for the league title in the last match against Helsinki, the Finnish Real Madrid. We drew, and that gave them the title. It was my first big disappointment."

Despite that unwanted ending, a unique offer came his way: a call from Hammarby in Sweden, one of the country's top teams. This meant he was forced to leave the Finnish team mid-season. "Things were going very well for us, and suddenly the coach met with me to tell me that that would be my last match." A decision he understood with time. "I understood that at these elite levels, there are things you can't control, that they're part of the game." Those methods, however, left him unemployed for several months, with a family to support and an uncertain future.

That's right. Finland has once again crossed paths with Iván and his family. "I'm very lucky to have my wife and my son Lars, and they've always adapted in tough times without the support we could have here in Catalonia." Ironically, he ended up in Lahti, the city he had chosen as a student years before. "I was looking for head coach positions and had opportunities in other countries, but I ultimately chose to return to Finland for the family stability it could offer." However, another shock. "Midway through the season, I got a call from my wife, who was pregnant. Her water had broken at 25 weeks, so as quickly as I could, I went to Tarragona." Two weeks later, Roc was born. "Those were hard days. We spent months in the NICU, which meant going on the minimum wage. I couldn't even explain how we managed; we just had to keep going." A complicated situation on the family front and a job far away. "I spoke with the club, I had an offer to be the coach the following season. When things improved at home, I traveled to meet with the club and finalize the agreement, but from one day to the next they told me they'd found someone else." And suddenly, Turun Palloseura appeared.

Cruyffism through and through

"A club with 103 years of history, in a dramatic financial situation and with hardly any players." And not only that. "When I arrived at the team, I found a staff "They don't like me. It was an aggressive environment, you know." Despite everything, and match after match, Piñol transmits energy to a team without hope, and he does so through what represents so much to him and his homeland. "I've used the castells (human towers) as an impact, motivation, and example for my players." "Identity with respect to values. My challenge was for our values as a team to be demonstrated with actions and not words." Through adversity, Turun Palloseura has returned, and just as Piñol's career has encountered obstacles, it seems they were destined to meet. "The connection with the stands and the team hadn't been like that for years, years, years, years, years. One of the most entertaining teams in the league. "I've always said that I'm very Cruyffian, that I prefer to win 5-4 than 1-0." Renewed until 2027, he will return to Finland to prepare for a new season.