Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
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Date of birth | 24 August 2006 | ||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Lahti, Finland | ||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||||||||||||||||
Position(s) | Full-back | ||||||||||||||||
Team information | |||||||||||||||||
Current team | Bologna U20 | ||||||||||||||||
Youth career | |||||||||||||||||
Reipas Lahti | |||||||||||||||||
–2022 | Lahti | ||||||||||||||||
2024– | Bologna | ||||||||||||||||
Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||
2022–2024 | Reipas Lahti | 9 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
2022–2024 | Lahti | 31 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
International career‡ | |||||||||||||||||
2021–2022 | Finland U16 | 5 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
2022–2023 | Finland U17 | 15 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
2023– | Finland U18 | 5 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
2023– | Finland U19 | 9 | (1) | ||||||||||||||
Medal record
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*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 6 September 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 16 October 2024 |
Akseli Puukko (born 24 August 2006) is a Finnish professional footballer who plays as a right-back for U20 team of Serie A club Bologna, and the Finland U19 national team. [1]
After playing in the youth sector of his hometown club FC Lahti organisation, Puukko signed his first professional contract with the club on 30 September 2022, on a three-year deal. [2] Puukko made his Veikkausliiga debut at the age of 16, on 16 October 2022 at home against HIFK, after being named in the starting line-up. [3] He played 77 minutes in a 6–1 victory. [4]
On 16 November 2023, FC Lahti announced that Puukko had extended his contract with the club, signing a deal until the end of the 2026 season. [5]
On 30 August 2024, it was confirmed that Puukko would join the Italian Serie A club Bologna for an undisclosed fee. [6] [7] [8] However, he was first assigned to the youth academy team, competing in Primavera. [9] He also represented Bologna in the UEFA Youth League.
Puukko is a regular Finnish youth international, having represented Finland at under-16, under-17, under-18 and under-19 youth national team levels. [10]
In September 2022, Puukko was named in the Finland U17 squad for the 2023 UEFA European Under-17 Championship qualification tournament against Greece, Italy and Kosovo, playing in all three games. Finland finished 2nd in the group and qualified to the elite round in March 2023. [11]
Puukko was part of the Finland U18 squad winning the friendly tournament Baltic Cup in June 2023. [12]
In October 2023, Puukko was part of the Finland U19 squad in the 2024 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualification tournament, scoring one goal in three games against Romania, Czech Republic and San Marino.
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 | 7 | 0 | — | — | — | 7 | 0 | ||||
2024 | Kakkonen | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | ||||
Total | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | ||
Lahti | 2022 | Veikkausliiga | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |
2023 | Veikkausliiga | 15 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 22 | 0 | ||
2024 | Veikkausliiga | 15 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | 24 | 0 | ||
Total | 31 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 47 | 0 | ||
Career total | 40 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 56 | 0 |