Jānis Ikaunieks (footballer)

Jānis Ikaunieks
Ikaunieks with Latvia in 2022
Personal information
Date of birth (1995-02-16) 16 February 1995 (age 29)
Place of birth Kuldīga, Latvia
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Attacking midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Rīgas FS
Number 9
Youth career
2005–2013 Liepājas Metalurgs
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012–2013 Liepājas Metalurgs II 21 (11)
2013–2014 Liepājas Metalurgs 19 (3)
2014–2015 Liepāja 32 (23)
2015–2018 Metz 12 (0)
2015–2017 Metz II 14 (4)
2017 → AEL (loan) 10 (1)
2017–2018 → Liepāja (loan) 6 (0)
2018–2019 Liepāja 47 (16)
2020 Strømsgodset 6 (0)
2020 RFS 14 (7)
2021–2022 KuPS 31 (11)
2023– RFS 46 (31)
International career‡
2011 Latvia U17 2 (0)
2011 Latvia U18 1 (1)
2013 Latvia U19 2 (0)
2014 Latvia U21 3 (0)
2014– Latvia 60 (14)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 11 November 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 1 November 2024

Jānis Ikaunieks (born 16 February 1995) is a Latvian professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Rīgas FS and the Latvia national team.

Club career

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Liepājas Metalurgs

[edit]

Ikaunieks was born in Kuldīga. As a youth player, he played for the youth teams of Liepājas Metalurgs. Ikaunieks scored 11 goals in 20 matches in the 2012 First League season contributing to Liepājas Metalurgs II winning the championship.[citation needed]

Having been promoted to the first team in 2013, Ikaunieks debuted on 7 April in the Higher League in a 2–1 defeat against FK Daugava. Throughout his professional debut season, he played 19 league matches and scored three goals. The club was dissolved at the end of season due to financial difficulties, thus Ikaunieks and other players transferred to its successor, the newly-established FK Liepāja.[1]

FK Liepāja

[edit]

Starting the season as a nominal substitute, Ikaunieks was promoted to the first team and was named Higher League player of the month in May.[2] On 11 June 2014, Ikaunieks scored four goals in a 7–0 victory over FC Jūrmala.[3] Overall, he scored 23 goals in 32 league matches and became the second top scorer of the league behind Vladislavs Gutkovskis from Skonto. In August 2014, Ikaunieks went on trial with the Croatian Prva HNL champions Dinamo Zagreb.[4] In September, he was named player of the month for the second time in the season.[5] One month later in October, explicit interest in the player was reported from Ajax, Metz, VfB Stuttgart and Udinese Calcio.[6] On 5 December 2014, Ikaunieks was named the best midfielder of the season and was simultaneously voted as the best player of the 2014 Higher League.[7]

Metz

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On 23 December 2014, Metz chairman Bernard Serin confirmed that Ikaunieks would join the Ligue 1 team on a four-year contract.[8] The transfer on an undisclosed fee was officially affirmed on 7 January 2015.[citation needed] Ikaunieks debuted for Metz' first team on 20 January 2015, coming on as a substitute in the Coupe de France 1/16 finals match victory over US Avranches.[9] He made his Ligue 1 debut in a goalless draw against Nice on 31 January.[citation needed]

AEL (loan)

[edit]

In December 2016, Ikaunieks joined Greek Superleague team AEL on a six-month loan. He debuted in a 2–1 victory over Veria on 14 January 2017. On 18 January, against Veria once again, he scored his only goal for AEL in a match that ended 1–1. Reportedly, there was no buy option in the loan agreement and thus he returned to Metz at the end of the season.[10]

FK Liepāja (loan)

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On 15 June 2017, it was announced that Ikaunieks had returned to FK Liepāja while on loan from Metz.[11] He made his first match on 18 June, in a 1–0 victory over Ventspils. He only managed to make a total of seven matches, six in the league and in the cup final in which Liepāja lifted the trophy against Riga FC, due to being out for two months after suffering from a metatarsal fracture. After the conclusion of his loan deal, Ikaunieks joined Liepāja on a permanent basis.

Ikaunieks instantly became an important asset in the 2018 Higher League season, scoring nine goals in 17 matches as well as being involved in the assistance of three goals. Once again being unlucky with injuries, he suffered from a shoulder injury at the end of August and was out for about three months.

Upon returning for the 2019 Higher League season, Ikaunieks scored seven goals in 24 matches, as well as scoring one goal in a Europa League qualifying match against Dinamo Minsk.

Strømsgodset

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On 11 February 2020, Ikaunieks signed for Norwegian Eliteserien team Strømsgodset.[12] He debuted on 17 June against IK Start in a 2–2 draw. On 1 August, having spent only a few months with the team and having only played six matches, Ikaunieks and Strømsgodset agreed on mutual termination of the contract.[13]

Later career

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On 6 August 2020, Ikaunieks returned to Latvia and signed for Higher League club Rīgas FS.[14] He made his debut on 8 August against his old club Liepāja in a 3–0 victory. On 12 August, Ikaunieks scored his first goal in a 4–0 victory over Jelgava.[citation needed]

On 22 February 2021, Ikaunieks signed a two-year contract with Finnish Veikkausliiga team KuPS.[15]

International career

[edit]

Ikaunieks was a member of Latvian youth national football teams that ranged from U18, U19, until U21.[citation needed]

He debuted for the Latvian senior squad on 13 October 2014, playing the entire 90 minutes in a 1–1 UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying draw against Turkey.[16]

It was later calculated that Ikaunieks had repeated the record of Māris Verpakovskis who debuted in 1999, being exactly 19 years, 7 months and 25 days old.[17] On 29 March 2016, Ikaunieks scored his first two goals for his country in a 5–0 friendly victory over Gibraltar.[18]

Personal life

[edit]

His elder brother Dāvis is also a professional footballer, currently playing for FK Jablonec in the Czech First League.[19]

Career statistics

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Club

[edit]
As of 25 June 2023[20]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Liepājas Metalurgs II 2012 Latvian First League 20 11 — — — 20 11
2013 Latvian First League 1 0 — — — 1 0
Total 21 11 0 0 0 0 0 0 21 11
Liepājas Metalurgs 2013 Virslīga 19 3 3 0 1 0 — 23 3
FK Liepāja 2014 Virslīga 32 23 3 1 — — 35 24
Metz II 2014–15 CFA 6 2 — — — 6 2
2015–16 CFA 3 2 — — — 3 2
2016–17 CFA 5 0 — — — 5 0
Total 14 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 14 4
Metz 2014–15 Ligue 1 4 0 2 0 — — 6 0
2015–16 Ligue 2 8 0 1 0 — — 9 0
2016–17 Ligue 1 0 0 0 0 — — 0 0
Total 12 0 3 0 — 15 0
AEL 2016–17 Super League Greece 10 1 0 0 — — 10 1
FK Liepāja 2017 Virslīga 6 0 1 0 0 0 — 7 0
2018 Virslīga 17 9 1 0 1 0 — 19 9
2019 Virslīga 24 7 1 0 1 1 — 26 8
Total 47 16 3 0 2 1 — 52 17
Strømsgodset 2020 Eliteserien 6 0 0 0 — — 6 0
Rīgas FS 2020 Virslīga 14 7 3 1 1 0 — 18 8
KuPS 2021 Veikkausliiga 8 3 2 1 6 1 0 0 16 5
2022 Veikkausliiga 23 8 3 1 5 2 3 5 34 16
Total 31 11 5 2 11 3 3 5 50 21
Rīgas FS 2023 Virslīga 9 1 0 0 0 0 — 9 1
Career total 209 77 20 4 15 4 3 5 247 90

International

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As of 28 March 2023[21]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Latvia 2014 3 0
2015 4 0
2016 7 2
2017 4 0
2018 3 1
2019 5 0
2020 7 3
2021 6 1
2022 9 4
2023 2 0
Total 50 11
Scores and results list Latvia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Ikaunieks' goal.
List of international goals scored by Jānis Ikaunieks[22]
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 29 March 2016 Victoria Stadium, Gibraltar  Gibraltar 1–0 5–0 Friendly
2 5–0
3 2 June 2018 Daugava Stadium, Riga, Latvia  Estonia 1–0 1–0 2018 Baltic Cup
4 10 October 2020 Tórsvøllur, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands  Faroe Islands 1–0 1–1 2020–21 UEFA Nations League D
5 17 November 2020 Estadi Nacional, Andorra la Vella, Andorra  Andorra 2–0 5–0
6 3–0
7 24 March 2021 Skonto Stadium, Riga, Latvia  Montenegro 1–0 1–2 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
8 3 June 2022 Daugava Stadium, Riga, Latvia  Andorra 3–0 3–0 2022–23 UEFA Nations League D
9 10 June 2022 Zimbru Stadium, Chișinău, Moldova  Moldova 2–1 4–2
10 4–2
11 22 September 2022 Daugava Stadium, Riga, Latvia 1–2 1–2

Honours

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Liepājas Metalurgs II

FK Liepāja

Latvia

Individual

References

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  1. ^ "Virslīgā spēlēs FK "Liepāja"" (in Latvian). 23 January 2014. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
  2. ^ "Virslīgas labākie maijā | J.Ikaunieks un Beškarevs". sportacentrs.com (in Latvian). 6 June 2014. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
  3. ^ "Jānim Ikauniekam pokers, "Liepāja" ar 7:0 pazemo "Jūrmalu"". liepajniekiem.lv (in Latvian). 11 June 2014. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
  4. ^ "Zagrebas "Dinamo" interesējas par J.Ikaunieku". nra.lv (in Latvian). 6 August 2014. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
  5. ^ "Labākie septembrī - Jānis Ikaunieks un Viktors Dobrecovs". sportacentrs.com (in Latvian). 10 October 2014. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
  6. ^ "Stuttgart an Ikaunieks dran?". N24 (in German). 23 October 2014. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
  7. ^ "Jānis Ikaunieks Latvijas "SMScredit.lv Virslīgas" labākais pussargs un futbolists". liepajniekiem (in Latvian). 5 December 2014. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
  8. ^ "Bernard Serin: "Albert Cartier et son staff ont toute ma confiance"". Luxemburger Wort (in French). 23 December 2014. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
  9. ^ "Jānis Ikaunieks debitē, "Metz" tikai pagarinājumā uzvar 3. līgas klubu" (in Latvian). sportacentrs.com. 20 January 2015. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
  10. ^ "Janis Ikaunieks (Metz) transféré à Larissa". L'Equipe (in French). 27 December 2016.
  11. ^ Αποστόλου, Κυριάκος. "Βρήκε ομάδα ο Ικάουνιεκς!" (in Greek). Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  12. ^ "Klar for Godset". Strømsgodset Toppfotball (in Norwegian). 11 February 2020.
  13. ^ "Godset-spiller Janis Ikaunieks løst fra kontrakten". Drammen Live24 (in Norwegian). Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  14. ^ "Norvēģiju priekšlaicīgi atstājušais Ikaunieks pievienojies RFS | Ziņas | LETA". LETA (in Latvian). 6 August 2020.
  15. ^ "Latvijas izlases futbolists Jānis Ikaunieks karjeru turpinās Somijas klubā "KuPS"". LSM (in Latvian). Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  16. ^ "Futbola valstsvienība cīnās neizšķirti ar Turciju". sports.tvnet.lv (in Latvian). 13 October 2014. Tikmēr arvien biežāk Latvijas izlases uzbrukuma smailē bija redzams talantīgais debitants Jānis Ikaunieks, kurš 24.minūtē kritienā izdarīja neprecīzu sitienu uz Turcijas vārtiem. [Meanwhile, the talented debutant Jānis Ikaunieks was seen more and more often at the forefront of the attack of the Latvian national team, who in the 24th minute made an inaccurate shot at the Turkish goal.]
  17. ^ "Ikaunieks atkārto Verpakovska vecuma rekordu debijā izlasē". Liepāja (in Latvian). 13 October 2014. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
  18. ^ "Latvijas futbola izlase ar 5:0 sagrauj Gibraltāru". sports.tv3.lv (in Latvian). 30 March 2016.
  19. ^ Jānis Ikaunieks at Soccerway. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
  20. ^ Jānis Ikaunieks at Soccerway. Retrieved 2 April 2017.
  21. ^ Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Jānis Ikaunieks". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
  22. ^ "Ikaunieks, Jānis". National Football Teams. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
  23. ^ "Perinteinen Koplajoukkue nimetty - jalkapallotoimittajien valinnat kauden parhaiksi". www.veikkausliiga.com (in Finnish). 16 October 2022. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
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