Joni Kauko

Joni Ensio Kauko (born 12 July 1990) is a Finnish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Indian Super League club Mohun Bagan and the Finland national team.[1][2]

Joni Kauko
Personal information
Full name Joni Ensio Kauko
Date of birth (1990-07-12) 12 July 1990
Place of birth Turku, Finland
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Central Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Mohun Bagan
Youth career
1995–2001 Runosmäen Nappulat
2002–2005 TPS
2006–2009 Inter Turku
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2012 Inter Turku 98 (10)
2013 Lahti 9 (0)
2013–2015 FSV Frankfurt 48 (3)
2015–2016 Energie Cottbus 34 (4)
2016–2018 Randers 51 (3)
2018–2021 Esbjerg 91 (22)
2021– Mohun Bagan 26 (5)
International career‡
2006 Finland U16 5 (0)
2007–2008 Finland U18 11 (0)
2009 Finland U19 4 (0)
2009–2012 Finland U21 23 (3)
2012– Finland 28 (0)
Medal record
Finland national football team
Third placeBaltic Cup2014
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 04:00, 2 January 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 22 June 2021

Kauko made his international debut for Finland in January 2012, at the age of 21. He was a regular member of the team that won League C group 2 in 2018–19 UEFA Nations League.

Club career

A product of local Inter Turku's youth system, Kauko signed his professional contract on 27 November 2007 at the age of 17. He made his Veikkausliiga debut six months later on 26 June 2008 against IFK Mariehamn. During his first season with the Turku-based club, he made only eight appearances, but helped his team to win the Finnish championship. He scored his first senior goal for Inter on 3 May 2009 against MYPA. After representing Inter for five seasons, his contract was not renewed after the 2012 season and he signed with FC Lahti for one season.[3]

Six months after signing with Lahti, it was announced that Kauko had signed a two-year contract with an option to a third, with German 2. Bundesliga side FSV Frankfurt.[4] Upon expiry of his contract with FSV Frankfurt Kauko signed a two-year contract with German 3. Liga side FC Energie Cottbus.[5]

In July 2016, Kauko signed a two-year contract with Danish club Randers FC.[6] Two years later, on 28 June 2018, Kauko signed a contract with Esbjerg fB ahead of the 2018–19 Danish Superliga season.[7]

Mohun Bagan SG

On 24 June 2021, shortly after Finland's elimination from the Euro 2020, Kauko joined Indian Super League club ATK Mohun Bagan on a two-year deal, making him the first ever major international footballer to play in India while still representing the national team.[8][9][10] He was included in the twenty-two men squad by head coach Antonio Lopez Habas for the team's 2021 AFC Cup inter-zonal semifinal match against Uzbek side Nasaf,[11] but they lost 6–0 and were eliminated from the tournament, in which he made his debut for the club.[12][13]

On 19 November, Kauko made his Indian Super League debut against Kerala Blasters, in a 4–2 win.[14][15] He scored his first goal for the club against NorthEast United, on 12 February, in a 3–1 win. He fired home from outside the box, which left goalkeeper Subhasish Chowdhury rooted to the spot.[16][17] He ended the league season with three goals in twenty appearances, as Mohun Bagan AC finished third in the standings and were eliminated in the semi-final playoffs.[18]

Kauko scored a brace each against Blue Star, on 12 April, and against Maziya S&RC on 24 May in AFC Cup Preliminary round and Group stage respectively.[19] As 2022–23 season began, he appeared with the club on 20 August against Rajasthan United at the 131st edition of Durand Cup, but lost the match by 3–2.[20]

International career

Kauko was a regular member for the Finland's U21 during 2009–2012, making in total of 23 appearances and scoring three goals. He has also served as a captain for the Finland U-21 team.

He made his senior debut on 22 January 2012, in a friendly against Trinidad and Tobago.[21] During Finland's qualification campaign for the UEFA Euro 2016 he was a member of the team in 8 matches but remained as an unused substitute.[22] In 2018–19 UEFA Nations League he gained four caps and was in the starting line up on 15 November 2018 in a match against Greece.[23]

Kauko was called up for the UEFA Euro 2020 pre-tournament friendly match against Sweden on 29 May 2021.[24]


Career statistics

Club
As of 24 May 2022[25]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season Division League National Cups Continental Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Sinimustat 2008 Kakkonen 1670000167
Inter Turku 2008 Veikkausliiga 80000080
2009 193002[lower-alpha 1]0213
2010 1607[lower-alpha 2]02[lower-alpha 3]0250
2011 3136[lower-alpha 2]100374
2012 2446[lower-alpha 2]12[lower-alpha 3]0325
Inter Turku Total 98101926012312
FC Lahti 2013 Veikkausliiga 908[lower-alpha 2][lower-alpha 4]000170
FSV Frankfurt 2013–14 2. Bundesliga 2702[lower-alpha 5]000290
2014–15 2131[lower-alpha 5]000223
FSV Frankfurt Total 4833000513
Cottbus 2015–16 3. Liga 3441[lower-alpha 5]000354
Randers 2016–17 Superliga 2210000221
2017–18 2921[lower-alpha 6]000302
Randers Total 5131000523
Esbjerg 2018–19 Superliga 3582[lower-alpha 6]100379
2019–20 3062[lower-alpha 6]12[lower-alpha 3]0347
2020–21 Danish 1st Division 2680000268
Esbjerg Total 912242209724
Mohun Bagan 2021–22 Indian Super League 203006[lower-alpha 7]4267
2022–23 62200082
Mohun Bagan SG Total 2652064349
Career total 3675236414441760
  1. Appearance(s) in UEFA Champions League
  2. Appearance(s) in Finnish League Cup
  3. Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa League
  4. Appearance(s) in Suomen Cup
  5. Appearance(s) in DFB-Pokal
  6. Appearance(s) in Danish Cup
  7. Appearance(s) in AFC Cup

International
As of 21 June 2021[26][27]
National teamYearCompetitive Friendly Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Finland 201200 1 0 1 0
201300 2 0 2 0
201400 2 0 2 0
201500 1 0 1 0
201600 1 0 1 0
201700 2 0 2 0
201840 0 0 4 0
201950 0 0 5 0
202020 2 0 4 0
202150 1 0 6 0
Total 16 0 12 0 28 0

Honours and achievements

Club
Inter Turku
FC Lahti

References
  1. Randers henter finsk landsholdsspiller, bold.dk, 9 July 2016
  2. "Joni Kauko" (in Finnish). Suomen Palloliitto. Archived from the original on 24 March 2016. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  3. "Joni Kauko Interistä FC Lahteen" (in Finnish). ESS.fi. 16 January 2013. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
  4. "Joni Kauko siirtyy Saksaan" (in Finnish). YLE.fi. 10 June 2013. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
  5. "Kauko wechselt zu Cottbus" [Kauko transfers to Cottbus] (in German). kicker. 16 June 2015. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
  6. "FINSK LANDSHOLDSSPILLER TIL RANDERS FC" [Finnish international player joins Randers] (in Danish). Randers FC. 9 July 2016. Retrieved 1 October 2016.
  7. "EfB henter Kauko" [EfB picks up Kauko] (in Danish). Esbjerg fB. 28 June 2018. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
  8. "ATK Mohun Bagan sign Finland midfielder Kauko just days after Euro 2020 campaign". The Times Of India. 24 June 2021. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  9. "ISL: Mohun Bagan AC rope in Finland international midfielder Joni Kauko". Goal.com. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
  10. ISL 2020-21: ATK Mohun Bagan signs Finnish international Joni Kauko from Euro 2020 sportstar.thehindu.com. Retrieved 13 August 2021
  11. Kauko included in ATK Mohun Bagan squad The Hindu. Retrieved 18 September 2021
  12. "AFC Cup: ATK Mohun Bagan ousted after 0-6 drubbing at hands of FC Nasaf". First Post. Retrieved 23 September 2021.
  13. "Nasaf 0 – 6 ATK Mohun Bagan". Soccerway. 22 September 2021.
  14. "Hugo Boumous brace as ATKMB rout Kerala Blasters in ISL opener". KhelNow. 19 November 2021.
  15. "ATK Mohun Bagan 4 – 2 Kerala Blasters". Soccerway. 19 November 2021.
  16. "ATK Mohun Bagan extend unbeaten run with NorthEast United win". KhelNow. 12 February 2022.
  17. "ATK Mohun Bagan 3 – 1 NorthEast United". Soccerway. 12 February 2022.
  18. "Hyderabad FC edge past ATK Mohun Bagan on aggregate, reach first-ever ISL final". KhelNow. 16 March 2022.
  19. "ATK Mohun Bagan thrash Blue Star SC to book AFC Cup playoffs spot". KhelNow. 12 April 2022.
  20. Bhattacharjee, Neeladri (20 August 2022). "Durand Cup HIGHLIGHTS ATK Mohun Bagan loses 2–3 to Rajasthan United, ATKMB vs RUFC; Mariners lose first match". sportstar.thehindu.com. Kolkata, West Bengal: Sportstar. The Hindu. Archived from the original on 20 August 2022. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
  21. "Joni Kauko: Toivottavasti näitä tilaisuuksia tulee jatkossa useamminkin" (in Finnish). suomifutis.com. 22 January 2012. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
  22. "Joni Kauko" (in Finnish). Suomen Palloliitto. Archived from the original on 24 March 2016. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  23. "Tällä ryhmällä Huuhkajat lähtee hakemaan Kansojen liigan lohkovoittoa – Kauko ja Granlund avauksessa" [With this group the Eagle Owls aim for a group win in the Nations League - Kauko and Granlund in opening] (in Finnish). Yle. 15 November 2018. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
  24. "Näillä pelaajilla Huuhkajat lähtevät kohti EM-kisoja – kaksi nimeä kiinnostivat yli muiden" (in Finnish). Helsingin Sanomat. 19 May 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
  25. Joni Kauko at Soccerway
  26. "Joni Kauko" (in Finnish). palloliitto.fi. Archived from the original on 2 January 2015. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  27. Joni Kauko at National-Football-Teams.com
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