Juhani Pikkarainen

Juhani Pikkarainen

Pikkarainen with Liefering in 2017
Personal information
Full name	Juhani Elias Pikkarainen
Date of birth	(1998-07-30) 30 July 1998 (age 26)
Place of birth	Paimio, Finland
Height	1.95 m (6 ft 5 in) [1]
Position(s)	Centre back
Team information
Current team	Ilves
Number	14
Youth career
0000–2015	TPS
2015–2016	Red Bull Salzburg
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2016–2018	Liefering	1	(0)
2016–2017	→ Anif (loan)	23	(1)
2018	→ Blau-Weiß Linz (loan)	11	(0)
2018	Wacker Innsbruck II	1	(0)
2019	KPV	15	(0)
2020–2021	TPS	34	(1)
2022–2023	VPS	52	(2)
2024–	Ilves	25	(0)
International career‡
2016	Finland U18	3	(0)
2016–2017	Finland U19	5	(0)
2017–2019	Finland U21	8	(1)
2024–	Finland	1	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19 October 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 17 November 2024

Juhani Elias Pikkarainen (born 30 July 1998) is a Finnish professional footballer who plays as a defender for Veikkausliiga club Ilves and the Finland national team. ^[2]

Club career

Pikkarainen with Blau-Weiß Linz in 2018

Pikkarainen started playing in Turun Palloseura (TPS), before he signed with RB Salzburg youth academy in 2015.

Pikkarainen spent three years in Austria, before he returned to Finland and signed with newly promoted Veikkausliiga club Kokkolan Palloveikot (KPV) on 11 December 2018 until 2019, with an option to extend the deal until 2020. ^[1] KPV were relegated back, and he then returned to his former club TPS for the 2020 season, signing a deal until the end of 2021. ^[3]

On 17 November 2021, he signed a contract with Vaasan Palloseura (VPS) for the 2022 season. ^[4] On 9 September 2022, his contract with VPS was extended for the 2023 season. ^[5] Pikkarainen helped VPS to finish 3rd in the league and qualify for the UEFA Conference League qualifiers. He was named in the league's Team of the Season in 2023.

On 6 November 2023, it was announced that Pikkarainen had signed with Veikkausliiga club Ilves on a two-year deal, starting in 2024. ^[6] He helped Ilves to finish as the runners-up in the league. Pikkarainen was named in the Veikkausliiga Team of the Season again in 2024.

International career

Pikkarainen is a former youth international for Finland.

On 2 October 2024, Pikkarainen received his first call-up to the Finland senior national team by the head coach Markku Kanerva, for the 2024–25 UEFA Nations League B matches against Ireland and England. ^[7] He made his debut on 17 November 2024 in a Nations League game against Greece at the Helsinki Olympic Stadium. He started the game and played 67 minutes, as Greece won 2–0. ^[8]

Personal life

His father Tommi Pikkarainen is a Finnish football manager and a former player. ^{[9] [10]}

Career statistics

Club

As of 19 October 2024.

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			Cup [a]		League cup [b]		Europe		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Liefering	2016–17	Austrian 2. Liga	0	0	0	0	–		–		0	0
	2017–18	Austrian 2. Liga	1	0	0	0	–		–		1	0
	Total		1	0	0	0	–	–	–	–	1	0
Anif (loan)	2016–17	Austrian Regionalliga West	23	1	1	0	–		–		24	1
Blau-Weiß Linz (loan)	2017–18	Austrian 2. Liga	11	0	0	0	–		–		11	0
Wacker Innsbruck II	2018–19	Austrian 2. Liga	1	0	0	0	–		–		1	0
KPV Akatemia	2019	Kolmonen	3	0	–		–		–		3	0
KPV	2019	Veikkausliiga	15	0	7	0	–		–		22	0
TPS	2020	Veikkausliiga	10	1	7	0	–		–		17	1
	2021	Ykkönen	24	0	2	0	–		–		26	0
	Total		34	1	9	0	–	–	–	–	43	1
VPS	2022	Veikkausliiga	25	2	4	1	2	0	–		31	3
	2023	Veikkausliiga	27	0	2	1	3	1	–		32	2
	Total		52	2	6	2	5	1	–	–	63	5
Ilves	2024	Veikkausliiga	25	0	1	0	5	0	4 [c]	0	35	0
Career total			165	4	24	2	10	1	4	0	203	7

1. Includes Austrian Cup and Suomen Cup
2. Includes Finnish League Cup
3. Includes UEFA Conference League

International

As of 17 November 2024

Appearances and goals by national team and year

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Finland	2024	1	0
Total		1	0

Honours

VPS

• Veikkausliiga: 2023 3rd place

Ilves

• Veikkausliiga runner-up: 2024 ^[11]

Individual

• Veikkausliiga Team of the Year: 2023, ^[12] 2024 ^[13]
• Veikkausliiga Defender of the Year: 2024

References

1. SOPIMUSUUTISIA: Topparilupaus Juhani Pikkarainen KPV:n , kpv.fi, 11 December 2018
2. Juhani Pikkarainen at Soccerway
3. JUHO LÄHDE PALAA TPS-PAITAAN – PIKKARAINEN JA SIIRTOLA OVAT NUOREMMAT PALUUMUUTTAJAT, fc.tps.fi, 27 November 2019
4. "Juhani Pikkarainen Vepsuun!" (in Finnish). VPS. 18 November 2021. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
5. Prosper Ahiabu ja Juhani Pikkarainen jatkavat Vepsussa!, VPS, 9 September 2022
6. TERVETULOA ILVEKSEEN, JUHANI PIKKARAINEN!, ilvesedustus.fi
7. Huuhkajat nimetty lokakuun UEFA Nations League -otteluihin, Finnish FA, 2 October 2024
8. "Finland v Greece game report". ESPN. 17 November 2024.
9. TPS 100 vuotta – Veikkausliigan erikoisuus – isä Tommi Pikkarainen valmentaa ja poika Juhani pelaa samassa joukkueessa, jalkipeli.net, 29 June 2020
10. Isä ja poika vastakkain torstaina alkavassa liigakarsinnassa – KPV:n Juhani Pikkarainen ja TPS:n Tommi Pikkarainen eivät asiasta keskustele, Keskipohjanmaa, 24 October 2019
11. Ilveksen päävalmentaja hopeasta: ”Voitettu mitali”, Yle, 19 October 2024
12. Toimittajat äänestivät: Tässä on Veikkausliigan tähdistöjoukkue, Iltalehti, 21 October 2023
13. Koplajoukkue 2024 nimetty - jalkapallotoimittajien valinnat vuoden parhaiksi palkitaan lauantaina, veikkausliiga.com, 19 October 2024

External links

• Juhani Pikkarainen at WorldFootball.net