Vilho Huovila

Vilho Huovila
Personal information
Date of birth (2006-07-10) 10 July 2006 (age 18)
Place of birth Kouvola, Finland
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Winger
Team information
Current team
 Lahti
Number 28
Youth career
Sudet
Valkealan Kajo
2021 Kuusysi
2021–2022 Lahti
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022– Reipas Lahti 20 (7)
2022– Lahti 5 (1)
2024 → MP (loan) 13 (1)
International career‡
2021–2022 Finland U16 5 (2)
2022–2023 Finland U17 15 (1)
2023– Finland U18 7 (3)
2024– Finland U19 3 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21 October 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 12 October 2024

Vilho Huovila (born 10 July 2006) is a Finnish professional footballer who plays as a winger for Ykkösliiga club Lahti, and the Finland U19 national team.

Early years

Huovila was born in Kouvola, and started playing football in his hometown clubs Sudet and Valkealan Kajo. He moved to Lahti in 2021 to join the FC Lahti organisation.[1]

Club career

FC Lahti

Since 2022, Huovila has played for FC Lahti's reserve team Reipas Lahti in the third tier Kakkonen.

On 18 October 2022, Huovila signed his first professional contract with the club at the age of 16, on a deal until the end of 2025.[2][3][4] On 21 October 2023, Huovila scored a goal in his Veikkausliiga debut for FC Lahti first team, in a home loss against Ilves.[5]

On 9 July 2024, Huovila was sent on loan to Mikkelin Palloilijat (MP) in second-tier Ykkösliiga for the rest of the season.[6]

International career

Huovila is a regular Finnish youth international and has represented Finland at various youth national team levels.[7][8][9]

In September 2022, Huovila was named in the Finland U17 squad for the 2023 UEFA European Under-17 Championship qualification tournament against Greece, Italy and Kosovo, scoring one goal in three games. Finland finished 2nd in the group and qualified to the Elite round in March 2023.[10]

Career statistics

As of 21 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
Reipas Lahti 2022 Kakkonen 1 0 — — — 1 0
2023 Kakkonen 14 6 — — — 14 6
2024 Kakkonen 5 1 — — — 5 1
Total 20 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 20 7
Lahti 2023 Veikkausliiga 1 1 2 0 1 0 — 4 1
2024 Veikkausliiga 4 0 2 4 3 0 — 9 4
Total 5 1 4 4 4 0 0 0 13 5
MP (loan) 2024 Ykkösliiga 13 1 — — — 13 1
Career total 38 9 4 4 4 0 0 0 46 13
  1. ^ Includes Finnish Cup
  2. ^ Includes Finnish League Cup

References

  1. ^ Tulospalvelu Palloliitto, V.Huovila, Finnish FA/Palloliitto
  2. ^ FC Lahti ja Vilho Huovila sopimukseen, FC Lahti, 18 October 2022
  3. ^ FC Lahti kiinnitti 16-vuotiaan lupauksen hyökkäykseensä, Etelä-Suomen Sanomat, 18 October 2022
  4. ^ Huippulupaus teki ratkaisunsa – sopimus Veikkausliiga-seuran kanssa: "Työ on vasta alussa", sportti.com, 18 October 2022
  5. ^ LAHTI VS. ILVES 1-5, soccerway
  6. ^ EDUSTUS: MP lainaa nuorten maajoukkuehyökkääjä Vilho Huovilan, mikkelinpalloilijat.fi
  7. ^ U18-pojat nimetty Itävalta-otteluihin - Veikkausliigakokemusta mukana, Veikkausliiga, 31 October 2023
  8. ^ Minihuuhkajat selvitti tiensä EM-jatkokarsintoihin – joukkueessa tiukka lahtelaiskolmikko, Yle, Petri Niemi, 14 October 2022
  9. ^ Vilho Huovila mukaan U15-maajoukkueeseen, Reipas Lahti, 18 May 2021
  10. ^ U17-pojat päättää EM-karsinnat tiistaina, Finnish FA/ Palloliitto, 10 October 2022