Matias Petteri Ojala (born 28 February 1995) is a Finnish footballer, who most recently played as a midfielder for AC Oulu in Finnish Veikkausliiga.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Matias Petteri Ojala | ||
| Date of birth | 28 February 1995 | ||
| Place of birth | Oulu, Finland | ||
| Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | AC Oulu | ||
| Youth career | |||
| OLS | |||
| Tervarit | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2010–2015 | AC Oulu | 85 | (11) |
| 2013–2014 | → Hamburger SV II (loan) | 14 | (1) |
| 2016–2017 | PS Kemi | 58 | (0) |
| 2018–2019 | Ilves | 36 | (0) |
| 2020–2023 | Inter Turku | 73 | (8) |
| 2024 | IFK Mariehamn | 21 | (0) |
| 2025– | AC Oulu | 0 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| 2010–2011 | Finland U17 | 6 | (0) |
| 2011–2013 | Finland U19 | 8 | (0) |
| 2012–2013 | Finland U18 | 2 | (1) |
| 2014 | Finland U20 | 2 | (0) |
| 2014–2015 | Finland U21 | 5 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19 October 2024 | |||
Early career
editBorn and raised in Oulu, Ojala started his footballing career with local club AC Oulu, making his debut on Finnish top-flight on 12 August 2010, only at the age of 15. By doing this, he became the youngest player in history to make an appearance in Veikkausliiga.[1]
He was however unable to make more appearances during the season as AC Oulu finished 11th. Because of their financial situation, the club however dropped down a level as they were denied a league license by the Finnish FA[2]
This proved to be a good career point for Ojala, as he went on making 58 appearances and scoring 9 goals for Oulu during the next three seasons combined in the Finnish second division. During his final season with Oulu, he replaced the legendary Mika Nurmela as the team captain, only at the age of 18.
Club career
editOn 27 August 2013, it was announced that Ojala had joined German Bundesliga side HSV on loan until summer 2014, with an option to buy.[3] He was promoted to train with the first team for the first time in early October.
On 7 November 2019, FC Inter Turku confirmed the signing of Ojala for the 2020 season on a deal until the end of 2021.[4]
On 22 December 2023, Ojala signed with fellow Veikkausliiga side IFK Mariehamn on a one-year deal.[5]
On 3 November 2024, Ojala returned to his hometown Oulu and signed a two-year deal with his former club AC Oulu.[6]
Career statistics
edit- As of 19 October 2024.[7]
| Club | Season | League | Cup | League cup | Europe | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| AC Oulu | 2010 | Veikkausliiga | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2011 | Ykkönen | 19 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | 20 | 2 | ||
| 2012 | Ykkönen | 18 | 1 | 3 | 0 | – | – | 21 | 1 | |||
| 2013 | Ykkönen | 21 | 6 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 21 | 6 | |||
| 2014 | Ykkönen | 7 | 1 | – | – | – | 7 | 1 | ||||
| 2015 | Ykkönen | 19 | 1 | 4 | 0 | – | – | 23 | 1 | |||
| Total | 85 | 11 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 93 | 11 | ||
| Hamburger SV II (loan) | 2013–14 | Regionalliga Nord | 14 | 1 | – | – | – | 14 | 1 | |||
| PS Kemi | 2016 | Veikkausliiga | 30 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 32 | 0 | |
| 2017 | Veikkausliiga | 28 | 0 | 5 | 1 | – | – | 33 | 1 | |||
| Total | 58 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 65 | 1 | ||
| Ilves | 2018 | Veikkausliiga | 23 | 0 | 5 | 0 | – | 2[a] | 0 | 30 | 0 | |
| 2019 | Veikkausliiga | 13 | 0 | 8 | 2 | – | – | 21 | 2 | |||
| Total | 36 | 0 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 51 | 2 | ||
| Inter Turku | 2020 | Veikkausliiga | 14 | 1 | 6 | 1 | – | 1[a] | 0 | 21 | 2 | |
| 2021 | Veikkausliiga | 27 | 5 | 5 | 0 | – | 1[b] | 0 | 33 | 5 | ||
| 2022 | Veikkausliiga | 11 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 0 | |
| 2023 | Veikkausliiga | 21 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | 25 | 2 | ||
| Total | 73 | 8 | 18 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 98 | 9 | ||
| IFK Mariehamn | 2024 | Veikkausliiga | 21 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 0 | – | 28 | 1 | |
| AC Oulu | 2025 | Veikkausliiga | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | |
| Career total | 287 | 20 | 47 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 349 | 25 | ||
- ^ a b Appearances in UEFA Europa League
- ^ Appearances in UEFA Conference League
Honours
editIlves
Inter Turku
- Finnish Cup runner-up: 2022
- Finnish League Cup runner-up: 2022
References
edit- ^ AC Oulun Matias Ojalasta historian nuorin Veikkausliigapelaaja (Matias Ojala of AC Oulu, becomes the youngest player ever to make an appearance in Veikkausliiga) Archived 2013-04-28 at archive.today; 12.8.2010; Veikkausliiga.com (in Finnish)
- ^ AC Oulu Denied League Licence; 8.2.2011; YLE.fi (in Finnish)
- ^ Matias Ojala Oulusta Saksan Bundesliigaan (Matias Ojala joins Bundesliga side HSV) Archived 2013-08-29 at the Wayback Machine 27.8.2013; YLE.fi (in Finnish)
- ^ MATIAS OJALA SIIRTYY FC INTERIIN, fcinter.fi, 7 November 2019
- ^ Neljä kautta Interissä pelanneen Matias Ojalan ura jatkuu IFK Mariehamnin väreissä – "Hänellä on kaikki eväät ottaa johtava rooli joukkueessa", Turun Sanomat, 22 December 2023
- ^ MATIAS OJALA PALAA KOTIIN, acoulu.fi, 3 November 2024
- ^ Matias Ojala stats, Finnish FA