Axel Vidjeskog
{{short description|Finnish footballer}}
{{Infobox football biography
|name = Axel Vidjeskog
|image = UEFA Euro 2023 Qualifiers Austria vs. Finland (2022-06-03) 78 (cropped).jpg
|image_size = 150px
|caption = Vidjeskog with Finland U21 in 2022
|fullname = Axel Johannes Vidjeskog[https://maavoimat.fi/-/urheilukoulussa-lokakuussa-2021-palveluksensa-aloittavat-kesalajien-urheilijat-on-valittu Urheilukoulussa lokakuussa 2021 palveluksensa aloittavat kesälajien urheilijat on valittu], maavoimat.fi, 24 May 2021
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|2001|4|14|df=y}}
|birth_place = Kronoby, Finland
|height = 1.78 m
|position = Midfielder
|currentclub = Trelleborg
|clubnumber = 10
|youthyears1 =
|youthclubs1 =
|years1 = 2017–2020
|clubs1 = JBK
|caps1 = 11
|goals1 = 1
|years2 = 2017–2020
|clubs2 = Jaro
|caps2 = 35
|goals2 = 6
|years4 = 2021–2024
|clubs4 = KuPS
|caps4 = 73
|goals4 = 10
|years3 = 2021
|clubs3 = KuFu-98
|caps3 = 6
|goals3 = 6
|years5 = 2022
|clubs5 = → Ilves (loan)
|caps5 = 10
|goals5 = 1
|years6 = 2025–
|clubs6 = Trelleborg
|caps6 = 7
|goals6 = 2
| nationalyears1 = 2017 | nationalteam1 = Finland U16 | nationalcaps1 = 4 | nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2 = 2017 | nationalteam2 = Finland U17 | nationalcaps2 = 3 | nationalgoals2 = 0
| nationalyears3 = 2019 | nationalteam3 = Finland U18 | nationalcaps3 = 3 | nationalgoals3 = 0
| nationalyears4 = 2022 | nationalteam4 = Finland U21 | nationalcaps4 = 3 | nationalgoals4 = 0
|club-update = 17 May 2025
|ntupdate = 10 June 2022
}}
Axel Johannes Vidjeskog (born 14 April 2001) is a Finnish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Trelleborg in Superettan.{{Soccerway|axel--vidjeskog/481313|accessdate=5 September 2023}}{{Cite web |title=Axel Vidjeskog i landslaget |url=https://www.osterbottenstidning.fi/Artikel/Visa/131024|access-date=31 January 2017|publisher=Österbottens Tidning}}{{Cite web |title=Höst med fotbollsdramatik att vänta: Axel Vidjeskog låg bakom målen då KuPS behöll närkontakten med HJK – ruskigt formstarka VPS går för brons|url=https://svenska.yle.fi/a/7-10040927|access-date=3 September 2023|publisher=Yle}}
Club career
Vidjeskog began to play football in the youth program of FF Jaro. He started his senior career in 2017, playing for Jaro first team in the second-tier Ykkönen, and for the reserve team Jakobstads BK in the third-tier Kakkonen.
For the 2021 season, Vidjeskog joined a Veikkausliiga club Kuopion Palloseura (KuPS). At the start of the 2022 season, he was loaned out to fellow Veikkausliiga side Ilves. He returned to KuPS in July, after his loan deal expired.{{Cite web |title=Axel Vidjeskog palaa KuPS:n riveihin - laina Ilvekseen päättyi |url=https://www.veikkausliiga.com/uutiset/2022/07/18/axel-vidjeskog-palaa-kupsn-riveihin-laina-ilvekseen-paattyi|access-date=18 July 2022|publisher=Veikkausliiga}}{{Cite web |title=Axel Vidjeskog tillbaka i KuPS: "Ilves ville jag skulle stanna"|url=https://www.vasabladet.fi/Artikel/Visa/604046|access-date=19 July 2022|publisher=Vasabladet}} Vidjeskog and KuPS won two consecutive Finnish Cups in 2021 and 2022. On 13 November 2023, he extended his contract with KuPS until the end of 2024.[https://kups.fi/axu-jatkaa-kuopiossa/ AXU JATKAA KUOPIOSSA!], kups.fi, 13 November 2023 Widjeskog and KuPS won the 2024 Finnish Cup and the Finnish Championship title, completing the club's first-ever double.
On 12 February 2025, he signed with Trelleborg.[https://trelleborgsff.se/nyheter/valkommen-axel-vidjeskog/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0Qj9-Z_fLF6GBY5y1MU0-qwz9Yx5mVqZ6bn6i_3Khr2yaKulhq9vKYNqM_aem_nxWdNtiyrLnY4ayPhHWfyw VÄLKOMMEN AXEL WIDJESKOG!], trelleborgsff.se, 12 February 2025 He scored his first goal for Trelleborg on 28 February, the winning goal in a 1–0 win against Degerfors in Svenska Cupen.
Personal life
Vidjeskog is a Swedish-speaking Finn. Two of his brothers are also professional footballers. The younger brother Isak Vidjeskog plays for Varbergs BoIS, and the older Adam Vidjeskog plays for Jaro.[https://svenska.yle.fi/a/7-10016182 Talangflykten utomlands, den ihållande trenden i Fotbollsfinland: Instängt liv i Portugal eller Italien skrämde Isak Vidjeskog – första tiden i trygga Sverige blev ändå en chock], Svenska Yle, 12 May 2022 Their father Niklas is a head coach of Jaro.[https://www.pietarsaarensanomat.fi/artikkeli/tassa-on-ff-jaron-uusi-paavalmentaja-tuttu-nimi-aiemmilta-vuosilta Tässä on FF Jaron uusi päävalmentaja – Tuttu nimi aiemmilta vuosilta], Pietarsaaren Sanomat, 4 November 2023
Career statistics
{{updated|17 May 2025}}[https://tulospalvelu.palloliitto.fi/person/102865/player/seasons Axel Vidjeskog stats], Finnish FA
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition | |||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season !rowspan="2"|Division !colspan="2"|League !colspan="2"|National cup{{efn|Includes Suomen Cup and Svenska Cupen}} !colspan="2"|League cup !colspan="2"|Europe !colspan="2"|Total | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| rowspan=5|Jakobstads BK
|2017 |2 | 0 | colspan=2|– | colspan=2|– | colspan=2|– | 2 | 0 | |||
| 2018
|Kakkonen |4 | 1 | colspan=2|– | colspan=2|– | colspan=2|– | 4 | 1 | |||
| 2019
|Kakkonen |2 | 0 | colspan=2|– | colspan=2|– | colspan=2|– | 2 | 0 | |||
| 2020
|Kakkonen |3 | 0 | colspan=2|– | colspan=2|– | colspan=2|– | 3 | 0 | |||
| colspan="2"|Total
!11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 1 |
| rowspan=5|Jaro
|2017 |3 | 0 | colspan=2|– | colspan=2|– | colspan=2|– | 3 | 0 | |||
| 2018
|Ykkönen |3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan=2|– | colspan=2|– | 4 | 0 | ||
| 2019
|Ykkönen |20 | 4 | 2 | 0 | colspan=2|– | colspan=2|– | 22 | 4 | ||
| 2020
|Ykkönen |9 | 2 | 5 | 0 | colspan=2|– | colspan=2|– | 14 | 2 | ||
| colspan="2"|Total
!35 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 7 |
| KuFu-98
|2021 |Kakkonen |6 | 6 | colspan=2|– | colspan=2|– | colspan=2|– | 6 | 6 | |||
| rowspan=5|KuPS
|2021 |16 | 1 | 4 | 0 | colspan=2|– | 4{{efn|Includes UEFA Conference League|name=uecl}} | 0 | 24 | 1 | |
| 2022
|Veikkausliiga |9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1{{efn|name=uecl}} | 0 | 13 | 1 |
| 2023
|Veikkausliiga |22 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2{{efn|name=uecl}} | 1 | 31 | 5 |
| 2024
|Veikkausliiga |26 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 4{{efn|name=uecl}} | 1 | 41 | 10 |
| colspan="2"|Total
!73 | 10 | 10 | 1 | 15 | 4 | 11 | 3 | 109 | 17 |
| Ilves (loan)
|2022 |Veikkausliiga |10 | 1 | colspan=2|– | colspan=2|– | colspan=2|– | 10 | 1 | |||
| Trelleborg
|2025 |7 | 2 | 3 | 1 | colspan=2|– | colspan=2|– | 10 | 3 | ||
| colspan="3"|Career total
!142 | 27 | 21 | 2 | 15 | 4 | 11 | 3 | 189 | 35 |
{{notelist}}
Honours
KuPS
- Veikkausliiga: 2024[https://yle.fi/a/74-20118969 Kuopio villiintyi KuPSin mestaruudesta – Eini ilmestyi juhlahumuun], Yle, 19 October 2024
- Veikkausliiga runner-up: 2021, 2022, 2023
- Finnish Cup: 2021, 2022, 2024[https://yle.fi/a/74-20113117 KuPS nousi takaa ohi Suomen Cupin voittoon – Petteri Pennanen ratkaisi pelin upealla laukauksella], Yle, 21 September 2024
- Finnish League Cup runner-up: 2024
References
{{reflist}}
{{Trelleborgs FF squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vidjeskog, Axel}}
Category:Finnish men's footballers
Category:Finland men's youth international footballers
Category:Finland men's under-21 international footballers
Category:Kuopion Palloseura players
Category:Jakobstads BK players
Category:SC Kuopio Futis-98 players
Category:Ilves (football) players
Category:Trelleborgs FF players
Category:Veikkausliiga players
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:Finnish expatriate sportspeople in Sweden
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Sweden