Photo Credit: Eemil Kari – HJK
Benji Michel is four months into his new chapter with Finnish top-flight side HJK Helsinki and the American attacker is loving life on and off the field.
Michel most recently was named Veikkausliiga Player of the Month for July, continuing what has been a positive spell abroad. The former Orlando City player scored three goals and added one assist in league play, helping HJK move up to fourth place in the table.
The 27-year-old reflected on his recent achievement, praising his teammates and the city itself for helping him earn the honor.
“It was very rewarding,” Michel said in an interview with SBI. “It’s no accident because every day after training, I do finishing with a lot of the guys. It’s not just me, the player of the month could have been anyone from our team. That’s how talented our team is. Without my teammates, I wouldn’t have the goal contributions. It was nice to earn the award and now we try and go and win it again.
“Life is good here,” Michel added. “Blessed as always, I’m healthy, I’m enjoying the city a bit, and most importantly, I’m enjoying what I get to do which is football.”
Michel originally made his name in MLS with Orlando City, playing four seasons in Florida before testing himself in Europe with Portuguese club Arouca. Injuries hampered his two seasons with Arouca, reducing him to only 19 appearances for the club and limiting his production to only one goal and one assist.
Not being able to reach his full potential at Arouca was a tough period for Michel, but he admitted that it helped him become stronger mentally.
“I think everywhere I’ve been has helped me,” Michel said. “In Portugal I tore my Achilles and it was one of my roughest moments of my career but mentally I had to focus on myself to be strong. It was not easy and I was there alone so mentally it just made me stronger as a footballer. I believe everything happens for a reason. I just take what I can take and move on.”
After getting back to full fitness with Real Salt Lake and its MLS NEXT Pro affiliate, Real Monarchs, Michel made the move back to Europe with HJK, teaming up with former MLS’ers Teemu Pukki and Alex Ring.
Fast forward four months to August, Michel credited Pukki and Ring’s impact on making his adjustment a smooth one in Finland.
“I’ve been here for four months,” Michel said. “It’s not easy coming to a new environment, but I think I’ve adjusted pretty quickly with the guys help. There’s a few familiar faces that I’ve played against in Alex and Teemu, who also played in MLS. They tried their best to make me comfortable and well adjusted. The other guys on the team as well have helped and everyone has done a great job. Everyone was trying to bring me on board as much as possible and making sure I’m comfortable. I feel like I’ve adjusted really well.
“It made it so much easier to have familiar faces instead of not knowing anyone,” he added. “They speak English as well so that’s also a big positive for me.”
Now in the fourth stop of his seven-year professional career, Michel is getting back his best as an offensive player. His seven goals in all competitions this season are a career-high for him, surpassing the six goals he scored in back-to-back campaigns in 2019 and 2020.
Michel’s strong run of form not only has boosted his individual confidence but has also kept HJK in the running for two trophies by season’s end. HJK sits eight points back of league-leading FC Inter Turku with four matches remaining before the league splits into the championship and relegation playoff groups.
In addition, HJK faces AC Oulu later this month in the semifinals of the Suomen Cup, a tournament that they haven’t won since 2020. Michel revealed his aspirations to win as much as he can at HJK and believes the consistent fan support can be play a large factor in that quest.
“That’s the goal, to win every trophy possible,” Michel said. “We got knocked out of Europe, so right now we can focus on those two competitions in Finland. I think our only goals are to win the Suomen Cup and the Veikkausliiga League title. That would be in my first year in Finland and that would be an accomplishment. It’s always to leave a place better than when you found it so adding two more trophies to the club would be the goal.
“In the first couple matches of the season, there was some conflict with the fans, but you can tell they play a big part of the club,” he added. “They make themselves known and we feel that energy on the field. I always try and show them how important they are to us, whether that is going to them after the match, taking pictures, or something else. They are a big part of our success and we know how much they want us to do well.”
Since Michel began his professional career as a 22-year-old, the landscape of American soccer has changed greatly. The U.S. men’s national team player pool has increased, several dual-nationals have committed their futures to the program, and the list of players taking their talents to Europe is growing each and every month.
Canada, Mexico, and the United States will also be hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup next summer, welcoming the largest international competition to its shores for what should be a stellar event.
Michel, who previously as part of the USMNT U-23 squad back in 2020, is still eligible to make his senior debut for his country. He still has dreams of representing the USMNT on the World Cup stage, reaffirming the impact it could have on the next generation of players.
“It is really exciting that the World Cup will be in the U.S.,” Michel said. “My goal is always to start small so I made a few U.S. camps before but never made my debut so that is why I am back in Europe. Being here could help my chances of being part of the national team and that is my dream.
“I feel it’s very important for us as American players to go abroad because a lot of kids want to go abroad too. A lot of kids want to play for the biggest European soccer teams. I think it’s good to show young players that it’s very possible for them to make the jump. It is not impossible and maybe we can help change that mindset.”
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