Kai Meriluoto (born 2 January 2003) is a Finnish professional footballer who plays as a forward for Slovenian PrvaLiga club Maribor, on loan from HJK Helsinki.[2]
Early life
Meriluoto was born in Pori, Finland,[3] to a Japanese Catholic mother from Hakodate, Hokkaido, and to Finnish father. His parents had met in 1989 when they both were studying in Wisconsin, US.[4] When he was a one-year-old, he moved to Vienne, Isère, France, with his family and lived there for five years before returning to Finland. Meriluoto lived in Shanghai, China, due to father's work from when he was ten years old until he was twelve years old. He has dual citizenship of Finland and Japan, and he speaks Finnish, Japanese, French and English fluently. Meriluoto has an older brother, Aki, who is also a footballer and has played for US Lesquin at the semi-pro level in France.[5]
Club career
Ilves (loan)
On 15 February 2022, Meriluoto joined Veikkausliiga club Ilves on loan for the 2022 season.[6] He finished his first full season in the league scoring ten goals for the team. After the season, he returned to HJK.
Return to HJK
In April 2023, he extended his contract with HJK until the end of 2025.[7]
Stal Mielec (loan)
On 14 July 2023, Meriluoto joined Polish Ekstraklasa side Stal Mielec on a season-long loan, with an option to make the move permanent.[2][8] He scored his first Ekstraklasa goal on 18 September 2023, a header in a 4–2 home win against Zagłębie Lubin.[9] On 9 December 2023, in a match against Cracovia, Meriluoto made a crucial impact after coming in from the bench, when his team was in a 2–0 losing position. He first scored the 2–1 goal on the 86th minute, and one minute later provided an assist to the equalizer. The game eventually ended in a 2–2 draw.[10] During his loan stint, Meriluoto was mainly used as a late substitute, starting only two of his 23 Ekstraklasa appearances.[11] After the season, he returned to HJK.
On 13 December 2024, Meriluoto scored a decisive over-time goal for HJK, in a UEFA Conference League league phase match against Molde, securing his side a point in a 2–2 draw.[12]
Maribor (loan)
On 15 February 2025, Meriluoto joined Slovenian PrvaLiga club Maribor on a loan deal for the remainder of the 2024–25 season, with a deal including an option to buy.[13]
Personal life
Meriluoto is a religious person. He is a teetotaller and has never drank alcohol.[4]
Career statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | Cup[a] | League cup | Europe | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Klubi 04 | 2019 | Kakkonen | 12 | 7 | 1 | 2 | — | — | 13 | 9 | ||
| 2020 | Kakkonen | 15 | 14 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 16 | 14 | |||
| 2021 | Ykkönen | 24 | 7 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 27 | 8 | |||
| 2024 | Ykkönen | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 52 | 29 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 57 | 32 | ||
| HJK | 2020 | Veikkausliiga | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 3 | 1 | ||
| 2021 | Veikkausliiga | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2022 | Veikkausliiga | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2023 | Veikkausliiga | 14 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 5 | |
| 2024 | Veikkausliiga | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7[b] | 1 | 14 | 3 | |
| 2025 | Veikkausliiga | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Total | 24 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 39 | 9 | ||
| Ilves (loan) | 2022 | Veikkausliiga | 25 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | — | 29 | 12 | |
| Stal Mielec (loan) | 2023–24 | Ekstraklasa | 23 | 2 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 26 | 3 | ||
| Maribor (loan) | 2024–25 | Slovenian PrvaLiga | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 125 | 46 | 10 | 5 | 10 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 152 | 54 | ||
- ^ Includes Suomen Cup and Polish Cup
- ^ Includes UEFA Champions League and UEFA Conference League
International
- As of match played on 12 January 2023.
| National team | Year | Competitive | Friendly | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Finland | 2023 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Total | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
References
- ^ Pikkuhuuhkajat nimetty marraskuun otteluihin, Finnish FA, 7 November 2023
- ^ a b "Kai Meriluoto lainalle Puolan pääsarjaan". hjk.fi (in Finnish). 14 July 2023.
- ^ Asplund, Bubi (23 April 2021). "Sjundeåkillen Kai Meriluotos klara mål för fotbollskarriären: "Först en plats i HJK, sedan spel i någon av de europeiska toppligorna"". Yle.fi (in Swedish). Yle. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
- ^ a b Oletko aina syönyt sushia täysin väärin? Kai Meriluoto, 20, paljastaa nyt ”sisäpiirin” niksin, Ilta-Sanomat, 5 April 2023
- ^ Kuparinen, Heikki (7 June 2022). "Pikkuhuuhkajien maailmankansalainen aloitti jalkapallon Ranskassa – nyt hän haluaa viedä Suomen EM-kisoihin, mutta ovi on auki vielä toisellekin maalle: "Katsotaan, jos Japani kiinnostuisi"". SuomiFutis (in Finnish). Retrieved 18 January 2023.
- ^ "KAI MERILUOTO LAINASOPIMUKSELLA ILVEKSEEN – "KOIN, ETTÄ TÄMÄ OLI ITSELLENI PARAS STEPPI TULLA ILVEKSEEN"" (Press release) (in Finnish). Ilves. 15 February 2022. Archived from the original on 5 December 2023. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
- ^ Mäntylä, Pekka (4 April 2023). "HJK ja Kai Meriluoto jatkosopimukseen". HJK Helsinki (in Finnish). Retrieved 6 April 2023.
- ^ Kai Meriluoto: ”Tuntuu, että puolalainen futis sopii minulle hyvin”, Finnish FA, 22 July 2023
- ^ "STAL MIELEC VS. ZAGŁĘBIE LUBIN 4 - 2". Soccerway (Press release). Retrieved 26 September 2023.
- ^ CRACOVIA VS. STAL MIELEC 2 - 2, int.soccerway.com
- ^ Kai Meriluoto kertoi Veikkausliigan ja Ekstraklasan eroista – ei ole ollut yhteyksissä HJK:n kanssa: ”Kaikki on auki”, suomifutis.com, 21 March 2024
- ^ Tyytyminen pistejakoon – ”Kasvojen pesu toisella puoliajalla”, hjk.fi, 13 December 2024
- ^ Kai Meriluoto lainalle Sloveniaan, hjk.fi, 15 February 2025
- ^ Kai Meriluoto at Soccerway. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
- ^ "Tulospalvelu".
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