Aki Riihilahti

Aki Pasinpoika Riihilahti (born 9 September 1976, in Helsinki) is a retired Finnish footballer. He is known as a hard working, defensive midfielder. He is now working as the CEO of HJK Helsinki. He was voted by leading European clubs to be the vice-chairman of European Club Association (ECA) and has also important positions both at UEFA (club competition committee) and FIFA (stakeholders committee).

Aki Riihilahti
Personal information
Full name Aki Pasinpoika Riihilahti
Date of birth (1976-09-09) 9 September 1976
Place of birth Helsinki, Finland
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Defensive midfielder
Youth career
1982–1994 HJK Helsinki
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1995–1999 HJK Helsinki 62 (11)
1996 → FC Honka (loan) 3 (0)
1999–2001 Vålerenga IF 47 (5)
2001–2006 Crystal Palace 157 (13)
2006–2007 1. FC Kaiserslautern 10 (1)
2007–2009 Djurgårdens IF 12 (0)
2009–2011 HJK Helsinki 40 (6)
Total 301 (33)
National team
1998–2007 Finland 69 (11)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Club career

Riihilahti started his career at HJK where he made his Veikkausliiga debut in 1995. He has won the Finnish championship four times (1997, 2009, 2010 and 2011), the Finnish Cup three times with HJK, and the Finnish League Cup three times, and played a vital part when the first and so far only time Finnish Club team qualified for the UEFA Champions League in the 1998–99 season. After first spell in HJK, Riihilahti then moved to Norway's Vålerenga I.F. for the 1999 season.

After two seasons in Norway, he joined England's Crystal Palace in 2001, eventually becoming a fans' favourite at the club. In Palace's 2004–05 Premier League season he showed he has what it takes to play in one of Europe's top leagues. Riihilahti was so loved by the Crystal Palace faithful that a Finnish flag with the legend 'AKI 15' across the centre was hung behind one of the Selhurst Park goals for the entire Premier League season. However, his next season, back in the Championship, following Palace's relegation, was not so successful because injuries limited his chances. Despite not playing for most of his last season with Palace, Riihilahti has a place in club Hall of Fame as he used to hold the club record for gaining the most caps for his country whilst at Palace.

After his contract with Palace expired in the summer of 2006, Riihilahti was picked up by 1. FC Kaiserslautern on a one-year deal. In June 2007, Riihilahti signed a two and a half-year deal with Stockholm club Djurgårdens IF and on 31 July 2009 returned to Finland to sign with HJK in which he has made a crucial contribution in club's record 5 consecutive championships 2009–2013. On 29 October 2011, Riihilahti celebrated his 100th league match for HJK by scoring once, in the last match of the season, in a 5–2 home win against Haka, and retired after club won a convincing double that season.

Riihilahti was appointed and did a good turnaround job for HJK's home stadium as the CEO of Bolt Arena. In December 2013 he was appointed as the CEO of HJK.

International career

Riihilahti made his debut for the Finnish national team on 5 February 1998 against Cyprus. He was a regular for Finland for most of the 2000s, and earned 69 caps scoring 11 goals. He is part of the Finnish Golden generation in football, but mainly due to his work as football director at International level he has become one of the most welknown Finnish football person.

Personal

Riihilahti has also become something of a cult figure because of columns he writes for newspapers, such as The Times and the Finnish Iltalehti. He has also been involved in many good charity projects like ’'Icehearts and ’'Peace United. Apart from his careers in sports and media he has been involved in many high profile political and business committees. Riihilahti divorced 2019 and is a father of two children.

Honours

HJK Helsinki

Crystal Palace
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