Kai Meriluoto
Kai Meriluoto (born 2 January 2003) is a Finnish professional footballer who plays as a forward for Ekstraklasa club Stal Mielec, on loan from HJK.[1]
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 2 January 2003 | ||
| Place of birth | Siuntio, Finland | ||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team |
Stal Mielec (on loan from HJK) | ||
| Number | 42 | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2019–2021 | Klubi 04 | 51 | (28) |
| 2020– | HJK | 17 | (3) |
| 2022 | → Ilves (loan) | 25 | (10) |
| 2023– | → Stal Mielec (loan) | 11 | (1) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2018–2019 | Finland U16 | 5 | (2) |
| 2019–2020 | Finland U17 | 11 | (5) |
| 2021 | Finland U19 | 7 | (1) |
| 2021 | Finland U20 | 1 | (1) |
| 2022– | Finland U21 | 10 | (1) |
| 2023– | Finland | 2 | (0) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 7 October 2023 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 13 October 2023 | |||
Early life
Meriluoto was born in Siuntio, Finland,[2] to a Japanese mother and Finnish father. When he was a one-year-old, he moved to Vienne, Isère, France, with his family and lived there for five years before returning to Finland. Meriluoto lived in China from when he was ten years old until he was twelve years old. He has dual citizenship of Finland and Japan, and he speaks Finnish, Japanese, French and English fluently. Meriluoto has an older brother, Aki, who is also a footballer and plays for US Lesquin at the semi-pro level in France.[3]
Club career
Ilves (loan)
On 15 February 2022, Meriluoto joined Ilves on loan for the 2022 season.[4]
In April 2023, he extended his contract with HJK until the end of 2025.[5]
Stal Mielec (loan)
On 14 July 2023, Meriluoto joined Polish Ekstraklasa side Stal Mielec on a season-long loan, with an option to make the move permanent.[1] He scored his first Ekstraklasa goal on 18 September 2023, a header in a 4–2 home win against Zagłębie Lubin.[6]
Career statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | Cup | League Cup | Continental | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Klubi 04 | 2019 | Kakkonen | 12 | 7 | 1 | 2 | — | — | 13 | 9 | ||
| 2020 | 15 | 14 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 16 | 14 | ||||
| 2021 | Ykkönen | 24 | 7 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 27 | 8 | |||
| Total | 51 | 28 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 56 | 31 | ||
| HJK | 2020 | Veikkausliiga | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 3 | 1 | ||
| 2023 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 5 | ||
| Total | 17 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 6 | ||
| Ilves (loan) | 2022 | Veikkausliiga | 25 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | — | 29 | 12 | |
| Stal Mielec (loan) | 2023–24 | Ekstraklasa | 11 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 12 | 2 | ||
| Career total | 104 | 42 | 8 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 120 | 49 | ||
- Notes
References
- "Kai Meriluoto lainalle Puolan pääsarjaan". hjk.fi (in Finnish). 14 July 2023.
- Asplund, Bubi (23 April 2021). "Sjundeåkillen Kai Meriluotos klara mål för fotbollskarriären: "Först en plats i HJK, sedan spel i någon av de europeiska toppligorna"". Yle.fi (in Swedish). Yle. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
- Kuparinen, Heikki (7 June 2022). "Pikkuhuuhkajien maailmankansalainen aloitti jalkapallon Ranskassa – nyt hän haluaa viedä Suomen EM-kisoihin, mutta ovi on auki vielä toisellekin maalle: "Katsotaan, jos Japani kiinnostuisi"". SuomiFutis (in Finnish). Retrieved 18 January 2023.
- "KAI MERILUOTO LAINASOPIMUKSELLA ILVEKSEEN – "KOIN, ETTÄ TÄMÄ OLI ITSELLENI PARAS STEPPI TULLA ILVEKSEEN"" (Press release) (in Finnish). Ilves. 15 February 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
- Mäntylä, Pekka (4 April 2023). "HJK ja Kai Meriluoto jatkosopimukseen". HJK Helsinki (in Finnish). Retrieved 6 April 2023.
- "STAL MIELEC VS. ZAGŁĘBIE LUBIN 4 - 2". Soccerway (Press release). Retrieved 26 September 2023.
- Kai Meriluoto at Soccerway. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
- "Tulospalvelu".