Joonas Kekarainen

Joonas Kekarainen
Personal information
Date of birth (2005-05-03) 3 May 2005 (age 19)
Place of birth Finland
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Attacking midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Inter Turku
Youth career
2012–2022 KäPa
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022–2023 KäPa 51 (8)
2024– Inter Turku II 7 (3)
2024– Inter Turku 20 (3)
International career‡
2021–2022 Finland U17 9 (1)
2022–2023 Finland U18 11 (0)
2023– Finland U19 3 (0)
Medal record
Finland U18
First place Baltic Cup 2023[1]
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23 October 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 30 October 2023

Joonas Kekarainen (born 3 May 2005) is a Finnish professional football midfielder for Veikkausliiga side Inter Turku and the Finland U19 national team.[2]

Club career

Käpylän Pallo

Kekarainen is a product of the renowned Käpylän Pallo youth academy.

He made his senior debut with the club in the third-tier Kakkonen in 2022. In the end of the season, KäPa gained a promotion to the second-tier Ykkönen, and Kekarainen stayed with the team.[3][4] After the 2023 Ykkönen season, KäPa announced that Kekarainen would depart the club,[5] after having represented KäPa for over 10 years.

Inter Turku

On 1 November 2023, FC Inter Turku in Veikkausliiga announced that they had signed with Kekarainen on a two-year deal, with an option for an additional year.[6][7] He debuted with his new club on 27 January 2024, in a Finnish League Cup win against FC Lahti.[8] Kekarainen scored his first league goal on 27 May 2024, in a 3–1 away loss against Vaasan Palloseura (VPS).

International career

A regular Finnish youth international, Kekarainen has represented Finland at under-17, under-18 and under-19 youth national team levels.[9]

Kekarainen was part of the Finland U18 squad winning the friendly tournament Baltic Cup in June 2023.[10]

In October 2023, Kekarainen was part of the Finland U19 squad in the 2024 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualification tournament, in three games against Romania, Czech Republic and San Marino.[11]

Career statistics

As of 23 October 2024
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
KäPa 2022 Kakkonen 25 6 0 0 — — 25 6
2023 Ykkönen 26 2 2 2 4 2 — 32 6
Total 51 8 2 2 4 2 0 0 57 12
Inter Turku II 2024 Kakkonen 7 3 — — — 7 3
Inter Turku 2024 Veikkausliiga 20 3 5 1 6 0 — 31 4
Career total 78 14 7 1 10 2 0 0 95 19
  1. ^ Includes Suomen Cup
  2. ^ Includes Ykkönen Cup and Finnish League Cup

Honours

KäPa

Inter Turku

References

  1. ^ Finnish FA
  2. ^ Tulospalvelu Palloliitto, Finnish FA
  3. ^ Joonas Kekarainen jatkaa joukkueessa, KäPa, 8 December 2022
  4. ^ J. Kekarainen, player profile
  5. ^ KäPa-kasvatit Aaro Soiniemi ja Joonas Kekarainen jatkavat uraansa Veikkausliigassa, KäPa, 1.11.2023
  6. ^ 18-VUOTIAS JOONAS KEKARAINEN SIIRTYY INTERIIN, Inter Turku, 1 November 2023
  7. ^ Nuorten maajoukkuepelaaja Joonas Kekarainen vahvistaa Interiä – "Hän on työteliäs ja monikäyttöinen", Turun Sanomat, Joonas Jussila, 1 November 2023
  8. ^ VUODEN ENSIMMÄISET PISTEET KOTIIN LIIGACUPIN AVAUSOTTELUSTA, fcinter.fi, 27 January 2024
  9. ^ Joonas Kekarainen toivoo U18-pojilta ehjää 90-minuuttista, Finnish FA, 25 March 2023
  10. ^ U18-pojat nimetty kesäkuun Baltic Cupiin, Football Association of Finland, 30 May 2023
  11. ^ U19-pojat nimetty lokakuun EM-karsintaturnaukseen, Finnish FA/ Palloliitto, 25 September 2023
  12. ^ Liigacupin voitto ratkesi rangaistuspotkukisassa: 17-vuotiaasta maalivahdista sankari, mtvuutiset.fi, MTV Oy, 30 March 2024