Joonas Kekarainen (born 3 May 2005) is a Finnish professional football midfielder for Veikkausliiga side Inter Turku and the Finland U19 national team.[2]
Kekarainen is a product of the renowned Käpylän Pallo youth academy.
He made his senior debut with the club in the third-tier Kakkonen in 2022. In the end of the season, KäPa gained a promotion to the second-tier Ykkönen, and Kekarainen stayed with the team.[3][4] After the 2023 Ykkönen season, KäPa announced that Kekarainen would depart the club,[5] after having represented KäPa for over 10 years.
On 1 November 2023, FC Inter Turku in Veikkausliiga announced that they had signed with Kekarainen on a two-year deal, with an option for an additional year.[6][7] He debuted with his new club on 27 January 2024, in a Finnish League Cup win against FC Lahti.[8] Kekarainen scored his first league goal on 27 May 2024, in a 3–1 away loss against Vaasan Palloseura (VPS).
A regular Finnish youth international, Kekarainen has represented Finland at under-17, under-18 and under-19 youth national team levels.[9]
Kekarainen was part of the Finland U18 squad winning the friendly tournament Baltic Cup in June 2023.[10]
In October 2023, Kekarainen was part of the Finland U19 squad in the 2024 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualification tournament, in three games against Romania, Czech Republic and San Marino.[11]
| Club | Season | League | Cup[a] | League cup[b] | Europe | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| KäPa | 2022 | Kakkonen | 25 | 6 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 25 | 6 | ||
| 2023 | Ykkönen | 26 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | — | 32 | 6 | ||
| Total | 51 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 57 | 12 | ||
| Inter Turku II | 2024 | Kakkonen | 7 | 3 | — | — | — | 7 | 3 | |||
| Inter Turku | 2024 | Veikkausliiga | 20 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 0 | — | 31 | 4 | |
| 2025 | Veikkausliiga | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | – | 6 | 2 | ||
| Total | 20 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 6 | ||
| Career total | 78 | 14 | 7 | 1 | 16 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 101 | 21 | ||
KäPa
Inter Turku
