Nikolai Alho
Nikolai Aleksanteri Alho (born 12 March 1993) is a Finnish professional footballer who plays as a right-back for Super League Greece club Volos and the Finland national team.
 Nikolai Alho with HJK in 2018 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Nikolai Aleksanteri Alho | ||
| Date of birth | 12 March 1993 | ||
| Place of birth | Helsinki, Finland | ||
| Height | 1.72 m (5 ft 7+1⁄2 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Right-back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Volos | ||
| Number | 3 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1999 | Honka | ||
| Klubi-04 | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2009−2012 | Klubi-04 | 44 | (13) |
| 2012–2016 | HJK | 80 | (13) |
| 2012 | → Lahti (loan) | 8 | (1) |
| 2017 | Halmstads BK | 21 | (1) |
| 2018–2020 | HJK | 70 | (5) |
| 2021–2022 | MTK Budapest | 17 | (0) |
| 2022– | Volos | 56 | (2) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2007−2008 | Finland U15 | 6 | (1) |
| 2008−2009 | Finland U16 | 15 | (2) |
| 2009−2010 | Finland U17 | 12 | (2) |
| 2010−2011 | Finland U18 | 12 | (1) |
| 2011 | Finland U19 | 1 | (0) |
| 2012 | Finland U20 | 2 | (0) |
| 2012 | Finland U21 | 11 | (0) |
| 2014− | Finland | 33 | (0) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21 October 2023 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 17 October 2023 | |||
Club career
HJK
A product of his local side HJK, Alho came through its reserves, Klubi-04, before signing a professional contract on 2011, keeping him with the Helsinki-based side until 2014.
On 13 June 2013, he played his first league game for HJK and went on scoring twice in a 6−0 home win over FC Inter. Soon after performing well at HJK, he signed a contract that was effective until the end of 2015.
In 2014 HJK qualified for the Europa League group stage. Alho scored the decisive goal against Rapid Wien, in the qualifying match.
Halmstads BK
Alho moved to Allsvenskan side Halmstads BK in January 2017. After a difficult season the team was relegated back to Superettan.
Return to HJK
Alho moved back to HJK for the 2018 season. After a successful season HJK won the Veikkausliiga. This was Alho's 4th domestic championship.
During the 2018 season Alho was also played as a right back by former HJK manager Mika Lehkosuo. Alho, known for his speed, aggressiveness and crossing ability, he was a perfect fit for a modern-day right back. Alho made the switch and had a successful season as right back during the 2019 season.
MTK Budapest
He signed for Hungarian Nemzeti Bajnokság I side MTK at the beginning of the 2021 winter transfer window.[1]
Volos
He signed for Greek Super League Greece club Volos F.C. at the beginning of the 2022 winter transfer window, after his release from MTK.[2]
International career
He made his senior debut for the Finland national football team on 24 January 2014 at Nizwa Sports Complex in Nizwa, Oman, in a friendly match against Oman.[3]
Alho was called up for the UEFA Euro 2020 pre-tournament friendly match against Sweden on 29 May 2021.[4]
Outside football
Alho is also well known for making music. His debut single "Standing Right Here" went viral on YouTube and also hit radio stations in Finland in 2013. Alho was noticed by JVG the same year and signed a deal with their label, PME Records and WMG in December 2013. His contract with PME Records and WMG ended in November 2014. Alho has stated that he will continue to make music as a hobby but not sign again with a major label until after his football career is over. Football is and always has been his first priority.[6]
Alho is also the owner of an independent record label, 325 Media. Other owners include Jesse Joronen and Valtteri Moren.
Personal life
Alho's biological father is Ghanaian and his mother is Finnish.[7] He was adopted soon after by his English mother and Finnish father and was raised in Espoo with his younger sister, also adopted. He is a native speaker of both English and Finnish.
Alho attended the International School of Helsinki for the majority of his childhood, before transferring to Sports High School, Mäkelänrinteen Lukio.
Career statistics
- As of 21 October 2023[8]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[lower-alpha 1] | Other | Europe | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| HJK | 2011 | Veikkausliiga | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[lower-alpha 2] | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |
| 2012 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 6[lower-alpha 2] | 0 | 1[lower-alpha 3] | 0 | 18 | 1 | ||
| 2013 | 23 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6[lower-alpha 2] | 2 | 2[lower-alpha 3] | 1 | 31 | 6 | ||
| 2014 | 22 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 5[lower-alpha 2] | 1 | 9[lower-alpha 4] | 1 | 37 | 10 | ||
| 2015 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2016 | 24 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 4[lower-alpha 2] | 0 | 6[lower-alpha 5] | 0 | 37 | 3 | ||
| Total | 80 | 13 | 6 | 2 | 22 | 3 | 18 | 2 | 126 | 20 | ||
| Lahti (loan) | 2012 | Veikkausliiga | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 8 | 1 | ||
| Halmstads BK | 2017 | Allsvenskan | 21 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 25 | 2 | |
| HJK | 2018 | Veikkausliiga | 27 | 5 | 7 | 1 | — | 4[lower-alpha 4] | 0 | 38 | 6 | |
| 2019 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 6[lower-alpha 4] | 0 | 28 | 0 | |||
| 2020 | 21 | 0 | 8 | 0 | — | — | 29 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 70 | 5 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 95 | 6 | ||
| MTK Budapest | 2020–21 | Nemzeti Bajnokság I | 13 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 16 | 0 | ||
| 2021–22 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 5 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 17 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 0 | ||
| Volos | 2021–22 | Super League Greece | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 15 | 0 | ||
| 2022–23 | 34 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 36 | 1 | ||||
| 2023–24 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 8 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 56 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 59 | 2 | ||
| Career total | 252 | 22 | 32 | 4 | 22 | 3 | 28 | 2 | 334 | 31 | ||
- Includes Suomen Cup, Svenska Cupen, Magyar Kupa and Kypello Elladas
- Appearances in Finnish League Cup
- Appearances in UEFA Champions League
- Appearances in UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League
- Appearances in UEFA Europa League
References
- "MTK: finn válogatott jobbhátvéddel erősítettek". Nemzeti Sport. 21 December 2020.
- "Ο Βόλος ανακοίνωσε τον Φινλανδό μπακ Άλχο". www.sport24.gr. 9 January 2022.
- "Huuhkajat tasapeliin Omanissa". Football Association of Finland. 24 January 2014.
- "Näillä pelaajilla Huuhkajat lähtevät kohti EM-kisoja – kaksi nimeä kiinnostivat yli muiden" (in Finnish). Helsingin Sanomat. 19 May 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
- "Pallo-Koplan Veikkausliigan tähdistöjoukkue on valittu". www.veikkausliiga.com (in Finnish). Retrieved 2 January 2023.
- "HJK:n tähtipelaaja hylkäsi levytyssopimukset ja päätti panostaa jalkapalloon: "Ilmoitin, että ei kiitos" - Veikkausliiga - Ilta-Sanomat". Archived from the original on 18 January 2015.
- Virtanen, Ari (26 May 2019). "Pukukopin "Veli" Alho". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). Retrieved 14 August 2019.
Biologinen äitini on suomalainen ja biologinen isäni on ghanalainen.
- "Nikolai Alho". flashscore.
- (in Finnish) Profile at palloverkko.palloliitto.fi
- (in Finnish) Archived 26 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine
- (in Finnish)
- (in Finnish)
- (in Finnish)
- (in Finnish)
- (in Finnish)
- (in Finnish)
