Lauri Elias Ala-Myllymäki (born 4 June 1997) is a Finnish professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Ilves.[1] He began his senior club career playing for Ilves, before signing with Venezia in 2021.[2]

Lauri Ala-Myllymäki
Ala-Myllymäki with Ilves in 2015
Personal information
Full name Lauri Elias Ala-Myllymäki
Date of birth (1997-06-04) 4 June 1997 (age 27)
Place of birth Pirkkala, Finland
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Attacking midfielder
Team information
Current team
Ilves
Number 15
Youth career
2002–2013 Ilves
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2013–2020 Ilves 198 (40)
2021–2023 Venezia 0 (0)
2022–2023Triestina (loan) 10 (0)
2023– Ilves 41 (8)
International career
2013 Finland U16 16 (1)
2014 Finland U17 8 (2)
2015 Finland U18 14 (0)
2015–2016 Finland U19 6 (0)
2017–2018 Finland U21 8 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19 October 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19 October 2019

Ala-Myllymäki has played for Finland in various youth national teams and is regarded as one of the most promising Finnish players in his age group. He is known as a set-piece specialist.[3]

Club career

edit

Ilves

edit

Ala-Myllymäki debuted on senior level on 15 June 2013 at the age of 16 in the ranks of Ilves in a match against KTP.[4]

Venezia

edit

On 5 November 2020, he signed a 3.5-year contract with Italian club Venezia.[5]

On 31 January 2022, Ala-Myllymäki joined Triestina on loan until 30 June 2023.[6]

During his time in Venezia, Ala-Myllymäki suffered a severe knee-injury and was sidelined for several months.[7] He suffered from a knee injury also while with Triestina and played with a bad knee.[8]

Return to Ilves

edit

On 24 January 2023, Ala-Myllymäki returned to his former club Ilves on a two-year contract.[9] On 17 October 2024, his deal was extended until the end of 2026.[10]

International career

edit

He has represented Finland at international youth levels and he played in 8 out of 10 2019 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification matches.[11]

Career statistics

edit
As of 19 October 2024[12]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup[a] League cup Europe Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Ilves 2013 Ykkönen 10 2 0 0 10 2
2014 Ykkönen 25 0 0 0 25 0
2015 Veikkausliiga 27 1 1 0 3 0 31 1
2016 Veikkausliiga 31 9 5 1 5 0 41 10
2017 Veikkausliiga 30 3 0 0 30 3
2018 Veikkausliiga 30 6 6 0 2[b] 0 36 6
2019 Veikkausliiga 24 12 5 1 29 13
2020 Veikkausliiga 18 7 7 3 1[b] 1 26 11
Total 198 40 24 5 8 0 3 1 233 46
Venezia 2020–21 Serie B 0 0 0 0 0 0
2021–22 Serie A 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Triestina (loan) 2021–22 Serie C 10 0 0 0 10 0
Ilves 2023 Veikkausliiga 20 3 5 1 3 0 28 4
2024 Veikkausliiga 21 5 0 0 3 0 4[c] 1 27 5
Total 41 8 5 1 6 0 4 1 56 10
Career total 249 49 29 6 14 0 7 2 299 56
  1. ^ Includes Suomen Cup
  2. ^ a b Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  3. ^ Includes UEFA Conference League

Honours

edit

Ilves

Individual

References

edit
  1. ^ Lauri Ala-Myllymäki at Soccerway. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  2. ^ Läheiset ylistävät liigan maalitykkiä: ”Unelmavävy” – Lapsena otettu valokuva kertoo paljon Lauri Ala-Myllymäen rakkaudesta jalkapalloon, Aamulehti, 17 July 2019
  3. ^ a b c Vainikka, Jussi (20 July 2019). Kukkapuskat saivat kyytiä, kun Lauri Ala-Myllymäki harjoitteli vapaapotkuja kotipihalla – nyt pallot viuhuvat verkkoon ja siirto Ilveksestä ulkomaille on vain ajan kysymys Yle Urheilu. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  4. ^ "Kiitos, Lauri! Lauri Ala-Myllymäki siirtyy Veneziaan" [Thank you, Lauri! Lauri Ala-Myllymäki is moving to Venezia] (in Finnish). Ilves. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
  5. ^ "Ufficiale: Lauri Ala-Myllymäki in arancioneroverde" (in Italian). Venezia. 5 November 2020.
  6. ^ "Calciomercato: Lauri Ala-Myllymaki è un nuovo giocatore dell'Unione!" (Press release) (in Italian). Triestina. 31 January 2022. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  7. ^ Lauri Ala-Myllymäki palaa Italiasta Ilves-paitaan, YLE, 24 January 2023
  8. ^ Lauri oli lähellä suurta unelmaansa, kun hän heräsi ja huomasi ettei kaikki ollut hyvin – siitä alkoi vuosien epäonni, Ilta-Sanomat, 18 July 2023
  9. ^ "LAURI ALA-MYLLYMÄKI PALAA ILVEKSEEN" (in Finnish). Ilves. 24 January 2023. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  10. ^ Ilves jatkosopimuksiin omien kasvattiensa Tatu Miettusen ja Lauri Ala-Myllymäen kanssa, ilvesfootball.com, 17 October 2024
  11. ^ "Lauri Ala-Myllymäki". footballdatabase.eu. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  12. ^ Lauri Ala-Myllymäki at Soccerway. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  13. ^ Ilveksen päävalmentaja hopeasta: ”Voitettu mitali”, Yle, 19 October 2024
  14. ^ "Lauri Ala-Myllymäki palkittiin parhaana pelaajana Ilveksen päätösjuhlassa" [Lauri Ala-Myllymäki was awarded as the best player at Ilves' end of season ceremony] (in Finnish). Ilves. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  15. ^ Ilveksen Lauri Ala-Myllymäki kuukauden pelaajaksi Veikkausliiga.
edit