Sierra Leone international striker, Alie Conteh played a starring role on Sunday as Finnish side Inter Turku were crowned 2026 Veikkausliiga champions with a 2-0 victory over KuPS in Kuopio.
The 22-year-old Freetown-born forward headed home the opening goal in the 21st minute from a Seth Saarinen cross, putting his side on course for a famous win. Jasse Tuominen sealed the result with a spectacular long-range strike early in the second half.
Inter’s victory proved decisive after title rivals HJK could only manage a thrilling 3-3 draw at home to AC Oulu. The two clubs had entered the final matchday level on points, with HJK holding a superior goal difference, but the Helsinki side’s inability to take three points handed the championship to the Turku club.
The title is Inter Turku’s first since 2008 and only the second in the club’s history. It completed a remarkable treble for the season after the team had already lifted the Finnish League Cup and the Finnish Cup.
Conteh, on loan from Norwegian club Strømsgodset, has been one of the standout performers in Finland this year. The young forward, who wears the No. 10 shirt, contributed regularly throughout the campaign and finished among the league’s top scorers.
Born in Freetown on 29 October 2004, Conteh rose through the ranks of Sierra Leonean football with Goderich before starring on loan at Kallon FC, where he scored 20 goals in 19 league games during the 2022–23 season. His form earned a move to Norway, first with Mjøndalen and later Strømsgodset, before the loan switch to Inter Turku in February 2026.
He is already an established Sierra Leone international, with senior caps and goals for the Leone Stars, and remains one of the country’s brightest prospects abroad.
For Sierra Leonean fans, Conteh’s contribution on the final day of the Finnish season marks another proud moment for the nation’s footballers competing in Europe.
