Elias Äijälä

Elias Mikko Ilmari Äijälä (born 24 March 2003) is a Finnish professional football player who plays as a full back for Kakkonen side Honka.

Elias Äijälä

Personal information
Full name	Elias Mikko Ilmari Äijälä
Date of birth	(2003-03-24) 24 March 2003 (age 22)
Place of birth	Espoo, Finland
Height	1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s)	Defender
Team information
Current team	Honka
Youth career
2011–2023	Honka
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2020–2023	Honka II	27	(0)
2022–2023	Honka	29	(0)
2024	Gnistan	20	(1)
2024	→ PKKU (loan)	1	(0)
2025–	Honka	0	(0)
International career‡
2024	Finland U21	2	(0)
Medal record Honka Finnish League Cup 2022 Finnish Cup 2023
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 30 January 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 9 June 2024

Career

Äijälä started in a youth sector of Honka, when he was eight years old.^[1] He made his Veikkausliiga debut with Honka first team in 2022. After the 2023 season, Honka was suddenly declared for bankruptcy, and Äijälä was released.

On 16 January 2024, Äijälä signed a one-year deal with newly promoted Veikkausliiga side IF Gnistan.^[2][3] He scored his first goal in Veikkausliiga on 30 June, in a 2–1 home defeat against Ekenäs IF.

In January 2025, he returned to Honka.

International career

Äijälä was called-up to the Finland under-21 national team for a friendly tournament Baltic Cup in early June 2024. He played in two games against Estonia and Lithuania.

Career statistics

As of 4 November 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
Honka Akatemia	2020	Kakkonen	1	0	–		–		–		1	0
	2021	Kakkonen	14	0	–		–		–		14	0
	2022	Kakkonen	6	0	–		–		–		6	0
	2023	Kakkonen	6	0	–		–		–		6	0
	Total		27	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	27	0
Honka	2022	Veikkausliiga	18	0	1	0	2	0	–		21	0
	2023	Veikkausliiga	11	0	3	0	5	0	2[c]	0	21	0
	Total		29	0	4	0	7	0	2	0	43	0
Gnistan	2024	Veikkausliiga	20	1	1	0	5	0	–		26	1
PK Keski-Uusimaa (loan)	2024	Ykkönen	1	0	–		–		–		1	0
Honka	2025	Kakkonen	0	0	0	0	–		–		0	0
Career total			77	1	5	0	12	0	2	0	96	1

1. Includes Suomen Cup
2. Includes Finnish League Cup
3. Appearances in UEFA Conference League

Honours

Honka

• Finnish League Cup: 2022
• Finnish Cup runner-up: 2023