Akseli Puukko

Akseli Puukko
Personal information
Date of birth (2006-08-24) 24 August 2006 (age 18)
Place of birth Lahti, Finland
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Full-back
Team information
Current team
 Bologna U20
Youth career
Reipas Lahti
–2022 Lahti
2024– Bologna
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022–2024 Reipas Lahti 9 (0)
2022–2024 Lahti 31 (0)
International career‡
2021–2022 Finland U16 5 (0)
2022–2023 Finland U17 15 (0)
2023– Finland U18 5 (0)
2023– Finland U19 9 (1)
Medal record
Finland U18
First place Baltic Cup 2023
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 6 September 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 16 October 2024

Akseli Puukko (born 24 August 2006) is a Finnish professional footballer who plays as a right-back for U20 team of Serie A club Bologna, and the Finland U19 national team.[1]

Club career

FC Lahti

After playing in the youth sector of his hometown club FC Lahti organisation, Puukko signed his first professional contract with the club on 30 September 2022, on a three-year deal.[2] Puukko made his Veikkausliiga debut at the age of 16, on 16 October 2022 at home against HIFK, after being named in the starting line-up.[3] He played 77 minutes in a 6–1 victory.[4]

On 16 November 2023, FC Lahti announced that Puukko had extended his contract with the club, signing a deal until the end of the 2026 season.[5]

Bologna

On 30 August 2024, it was confirmed that Puukko would join the Italian Serie A club Bologna for an undisclosed fee.[6][7][8] However, he was first assigned to the youth academy team, competing in Primavera.[9] He also represented Bologna in the UEFA Youth League.

International career

Puukko is a regular Finnish youth international, having represented Finland at under-16, under-17, under-18 and under-19 youth national team levels.[10]

In September 2022, Puukko was named in the Finland U17 squad for the 2023 UEFA European Under-17 Championship qualification tournament against Greece, Italy and Kosovo, playing in all three games. Finland finished 2nd in the group and qualified to the elite round in March 2023.[11]

Puukko was part of the Finland U18 squad winning the friendly tournament Baltic Cup in June 2023.[12]

In October 2023, Puukko was part of the Finland U19 squad in the 2024 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualification tournament, scoring one goal in three games against Romania, Czech Republic and San Marino.

Career statistics

As of 19 August 2024[13]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup[a] League cup[b] Europe Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Reipas Lahti 2022 Kakkonen 1 0 — — — 1 0
2023 Kakkonen 7 0 — — — 7 0
2024 Kakkonen 1 0 — — — 1 0
Total 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 0
Lahti 2022 Veikkausliiga 1 0 0 0 0 0 — 1 0
2023 Veikkausliiga 15 0 3 0 4 0 — 22 0
2024 Veikkausliiga 15 0 3 0 6 0 — 24 0
Total 31 0 6 0 10 0 0 0 47 0
Career total 40 0 6 0 10 0 0 0 56 0
  1. ^ Includes Finnish Cup
  2. ^ Includes Finnish League Cup

Honours

Finland U18

References

  1. ^ Hoikkala, Mikael (2023-09-16). "FC Lahti karisti ankeuden, ja rohkea peli tuottaa tulosta - "Tätä ilmettä yleisökin varmasti haluaa"". Etelä-Suomen Sanomat (in Finnish). Retrieved 2023-10-02.
  2. ^ "Akseli Puukko ja FC Lahti sopimukseen". FC Lahti (in Finnish). 2022-09-30. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
  3. ^ Lyytikäinen, Eerikki (2022-10-16). ""Ei ollut minulle ihan perussunnuntaipäivä" - 16-vuotias Akseli Puukko debytoi Veikkausliigassa, kun FC Lahti lähetti HIFK:n murskalukemin divariin". Etelä-Suomen Sanomat (in Finnish). Retrieved 2023-10-02.
  4. ^ "LAHTI VS. HIFK 6 - 1". soccerway. 2022-10-16. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
  5. ^ Akseli Puukolle jatkosopimus, fclahti.fi, 16 November 2023
  6. ^ MTV Urheilun tiedot: Veikkausliigan huippulupaus siirtyy Serie A -seuraan, mtvuutiset.fi, MTV Oy, 23 August 2024
  7. ^ Primavera, Puukko e Labedzki sono rossoblù, OneFootball, 30 August 2024
  8. ^ Akseli Puukko siirtyy Bolognaan, fclahti.fi, 30 August 2024
  9. ^ 18-vuotias jalkapalloilija Akseli Puukko siirtyi Lahdesta Italian liigan kynnykselle, Yle, 8 October 2024
  10. ^ "Lahtelaisduo jalkapallon alle 17-vuotiaiden maajoukkueleirille". Etelä-Suomen Sanomat (in Finnish). 2023-01-10. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
  11. ^ U17-pojat päättää EM-karsinnat tiistaina, Finnish FA/ Palloliitto, 10 October 2022
  12. ^ U18-pojat nimetty kesäkuun Baltic Cupiin, Football Association of Finland, 30 May 2023
  13. ^ Player profile, A.PUUKKO, int.soccerway.com
  14. ^ Finnish FA