Joel Lehtonen (footballer)

Joel Lehtonen
Personal information
Full name Joel Andrei Sakarinpoika Lehtonen
Date of birth (1999-11-29) 29 November 1999 (age 24)
Place of birth Pori, Finland
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
AC Oulu
Youth career
Jazz
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017–2018 Jazz 25 (1)
2019 Badalona 0 (0)
2020–2022 Jazz 56 (3)
2023–2024 EIF 46 (1)
2025– AC Oulu 0 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 26 October 2024

Joel Andrei Sakarinpoika Lehtonen (born 29 November 1999) is a Finnish professional footballer who plays as a right back for Veikkausliiga club AC Oulu.

Club career

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After advancing through the youth program of his hometown club FC Jazz, Lehtonen made his senior debut with the club's first team in third-tier Kakkonen in 2017. In 2019, he spent half of a season in Spain with CF Badalona, but returned to Jazz for the 2020 season. He left the club in early 2023.[1]

In January 2023, Lehtonen signed with Ekenäs IF (EIF) in second-tier Ykkönen.[2][3] The team won the 2023 Ykkönen title and were promoted to top-tier Veikkausliiga. On 1 September 2024, Lehtonen scored his first Veikkausliiga goal for EIF, in a 1–1 home draw against SJK Seinäjoki. EIF were relegated back to the second tier, and Lehtonen left the club after the 2024 season.

On 26 October, AC Oulu in Veikkausliiga announced the signing of Lehtonen on a one-year deal with a one-year option.[4]

Career statistics

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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
Jazz 2017 Kakkonen 10 1 4 0 14 1
2018 Kakkonen 15 0 0 0 15 0
Total 25 1 4 0 0 0 0 0 29 1
Badalona 2019–20 Segunda División B 0 0 0 0 0 0
Jazz 2020 Kakkonen 13 0 1 0 14 0
2021 Kakkonen 20 1 20 1
2022 Kakkonen 23 2 1 0 24 2
Total 56 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 58 3
EIF Akademi 2023 Kolmonen 1 1 1 1
EIF 2023 Ykkönen 23 0 4 0 4 0 31 0
2024 Veikkausliiga 23 1 3 1 4 0 30 2
Total 46 1 7 1 8 0 0 0 61 2
AC Oulu 2025 Veikkausliiga 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Career total 128 6 13 1 8 0 0 0 149 7
  1. ^ Includes Suomen Cup
  2. ^ Includes Ykkönen Cup and Finnish League Cup

Honours

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EIF

References

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