| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Ilari Akseli Kangasniemi | ||
| Date of birth | 22 April 2007 | ||
| Place of birth | Seinäjoki, Finland | ||
| Height | 1.99 m (6 ft 6 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Centre back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Inter Turku | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Sepsi-78 | |||
| –2023 | SJK | ||
| 2024–2025 | Inter Milan | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2022–2023 | SJK Akatemia II | 12 | (0) |
| 2023 | SJK Akatemia | 6 | (0) |
| 2025– | Inter Turku | 0 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2023 | Finland U16 | 2 | (1) |
| 2023–2024 | Finland U17 | 12 | (0) |
| 2023– | Finland U18 | 4 | (0) |
| 2024– | Finland U19 | 8 | (1) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 4 January 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 6 September 2025 | |||
Ilari Akseli Kangasniemi (born 2 May 2007) is a Finnish professional footballer who plays as a centre back for the Veikkausliiga club Inter Turku.
Kangasniemi advanced through the ranks of the youth sector of his hometown club SJK Seinäjoki. In 2022, he made his senior debuts with the club's youth teams, playing in the sixth-tier Vitonen and the fourth-tier Kolmonen. [1]
During the 2023 season, Kangasniemi made six appearances with the club's academy squad SJK II, playing in Finnish second-tier Ykkönen. He also made one appearance in 2023 Finnish Cup for SJK II. On 25 September 2023, his deal with SJK academy was extended. [2] [3]
On 31 January 2024, Kangasniemi moved to Italy and signed a permanent contract with Inter Milan for an undisclosed fee. He was registered as a youth player in Inter Milan U17 squad. [4] [5] [6]
On 26 August 2025, Kangasniemi returned to Finland and signed with Veikkausliiga club Inter Turku on a deal until the end of 2028. [7]
Kangasniemi is a regular Finnish youth international, and has represented his country at under-16, under-17 and under-18 level. [8] [9]
His father Tapio Kangasniemi is a Finnish volleyball player who has represented the Finland men's national volleyball team. [10]