Joonas Kekarainen

Joonas Kekarainen (born 3 May 2005) is a Finnish professional football midfielder for Veikkausliiga side Inter Turku and the Finland U19 national team.

Club career Käpylän Pallo Kekarainen is a product of the renowned Käpylän Pallo youth academy.

He made his senior debut with the club in the third-tier Kakkonen in 2022. In the end of the season, KäPa gained a promotion to the second-tier Ykkönen, and Kekarainen stayed with the team. After the 2023 Ykkönen season, KäPa announced that Kekarainen would depart the club, after having represented KäPa for over 10 years.

Inter Turku On 1 November 2023, FC Inter Turku in Veikkausliiga announced that they had signed with Kekarainen on a two-year deal, with an option for an additional year. He debuted with his new club on 27 January 2024, in a Finnish League Cup win against FC Lahti. Kekarainen scored his first league goal on 27 May 2024, in a 3–1 away loss against Vaasan Palloseura (VPS).

International career A regular Finnish youth international, Kekarainen has represented Finland at under-17, under-18 and under-19 youth national team levels.

Kekarainen was part of the Finland U18 squad winning the friendly tournament Baltic Cup in June 2023.

In October 2023, Kekarainen was part of the Finland U19 squad in the 2024 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualification tournament, in three games against Romania, Czech Republic and San Marino.

Career statistics

Honours KäPa Kakkonen, Promotion Group A: 2022

Inter Turku Finnish Cup runner-up: 2024 Finnish League Cup: 2024, 2025