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Matti Peltola

{{short description|Finnish footballer (born 2002)}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Matti Peltola

| fullname =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2002|07|03|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Espoo, Finland

| height = 1.85m

| currentclub = D.C. United

| clubnumber = 4

| position = Midfielder, Defender

| youthyears1 =

| youthyears2 = 2012–2018

| youthclubs1 = Keimolan Kaiku

| youthclubs2 = HJK

| years1 = 2018–2022

| clubs1 = Klubi 04

| caps1 = 29

| goals1 = 2

| years2 = 2019–2023

| clubs2 = HJK

| caps2 = 53

| goals2 = 2

| years3 = 2024–

| clubs3 = D.C. United

| caps3 = 37

| goals3 = 0

| nationalyears1 = 2018

| nationalyears2 = 2019

| nationalyears3 = 2019

| nationalyears4 = 2021–

| nationalyears5 = 2023–

| nationalteam1 = Finland U16

| nationalteam2 = Finland U17

| nationalteam3 = Finland U18

| nationalteam4 = Finland U21

| nationalteam5 = Finland

| nationalcaps1 = 3

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| nationalcaps2 = 8

| nationalgoals2 = 0

| nationalcaps3 = 2

| nationalgoals3 = 0

| nationalcaps4 = 5

| nationalgoals4 = 1

| nationalcaps5 = 16

| nationalgoals5 = 0

| pcupdate = 20 April 2025

| ntupdate = 24 March 2025

}}

Matti Peltola (born 3 July 2002) is a Finnish professional footballer who plays as midfielder and defender for Major League Soccer franchise D.C. United and the Finland national team.{{Cite web|url=https://tulospalvelu.palloliitto.fi/person/87046/info|title=Tulospalvelu}}[https://www.hjk.fi/pelaaja/matti-peltola/ Player profile], HJK

Early life

Born in Espoo, Peltola started playing football in Belgium, where his family lived for a couple of years due to father's work. After returning to Finland, Peltola joined Keimolan Kaiku youth team in Vantaa.{{Cite web|url=https://www.is.fi/veikkausliiga/art-2000009559251.html|title=Matti, olet tähti|publisher=Ilta-Sanomat|language=fi}}

Club career

=HJK Helsinki=

Peltola played in the youth team of HJK in Munkkiniemi along with Santeri Väänänen since the age of ten, before making his debut in the first team in Veikkausliiga on 19 October 2019 against Ilves.[https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2019/10/19/finland/veikkausliiga/tampereen-ilves/helsingin-jalkapallokubi/3162202/ Soccerway, Ilves – HJK]

On 21 August 2020, Peltola signed a professional contract with the club, on a two-year deal with an option for an additional year.[https://www.hjk.fi/artikkelit/miehet/matti-peltola-jatkaa-klubissa/ Matti Peltola jatkaa Klubissa], HJK, 21 August 2020

On 23 August 2022, HJK announced that they had exercised their option to keep Peltola in Helsinki for the 2023 season.[https://www.hjk.fi/artikkelit/miehet/hjk-kaytti-neljan-pelaajansa-optiot/ HJK käytti neljän pelaajansa optiot], HJK 23 August 2022{{Cite web|url=https://yle.fi/a/74-20025917|title=Matti Peltola, 20, nousi sydänoperaation kautta huipulle|publisher=Yle|language=fi}} He scored his first goal in the league on 9 May 2023 in away game against KTP.[https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/05/09/finland/veikkausliiga/kotkan-tyovaen-palloilijat/helsingin-jalkapallokubi/4027523/ KTP VS. HJK 3–3], soccerway

=D.C. United=

On February 2, 2024, Peltola signed with Major League Soccer (MLS) franchise D.C. United on a four-year contract, with the option to extend,[https://www.dcunited.com/news/d-c-united-sign-finland-national-team-midfielder-matti-peltola D.C. United Sign Finland National Team Midfielder Matti Peltola], dcunited.com, 2 February 2024 as a Young Designated Player. D.C. United had earlier acquired Peltola’s MLS Discovery Priority rights from Minnesota United for $75,000.[https://www.mtvuutiset.fi/artikkeli/huuhkajien-komeetta-siirtyy-jattisopimuksella-avaa-nyt-puhuttanutta-ratkaisuaan-valehtelisin-jos-sanoisin/8870728#gs.3z20jm Huuhkajien komeetta siirtyy jättisopimuksella – avaa nyt puhuttanutta ratkaisuaan: "Valehtelisin, jos sanoisin"], mtvuutiset.fi, 2 February 2024 He debuted in MLS with his new team on 25 February 2024 in the 2024 season opening game, after being named in the starting line-up in a 3–1 home win against an old rival franchise New England Revolution.[https://www.eurosport.com/football/mls/2024/live-d.c.-united-new-england-revolution_mtc1497781/live-lineup.shtml UNITED - NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION LINE-UP], Eurosport[https://www.hs.fi/urheilu/art-2000010251917.html Matti Peltola vakuutti MLS-debyytissään, fanit protestoivat katsomossa], Helsingin Sanomat, 25 February 2024

International career

Peltola represented Finland at various youth national teams, from under-16 to under-21 levels.

Peltola made his Finland senior national team debut on 12 January 2023, in a friendly match against Estonia.[https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/01/12/world/friendlies/finland/estonia/3992823/ FINLAND VS. ESTONIA 0–1], soccerway On 26 March 2023, he made his competitive international debut in a 1–0 away win against Northern Ireland. He was capped four times in total for Finland in the UEFA Euro 2024 qualification campaign in 2023.[https://us.soccerway.com/players/matti-peltola/560121/ M. PELTOLA], soccerway

Personal life

Peltola is a fluent French-speaker and has attended the French–Finnish school of Helsinki. Growing up, he also played ice hockey, before choosing football over it, thanks to his mother's advice.{{Cite web|url=https://www.is.fi/veikkausliiga/art-2000009559251.html|title=Matti, olet tähti|publisher=Ilta-Sanomat|language=fi}}

Career statistics

=Club=

{{Updated|19 April 2025}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.flashscore.com/player/peltola-matti/r1rFiuNe/|title=Flashscore: Matti Peltola}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"

|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

rowspan="2"|Club

!rowspan="2"|Season

!colspan="3"|League

!colspan="2"|Cup {{efn|Includes Finnish Cup}}

!colspan="2"|League cup{{efn|Includes Kakkonen Cup and Finnish League Cup}}

!colspan="2"|Continental

!colspan="2"|Other

!colspan="2"|Total

DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
rowspan="6"|Klubi 04

|2018

|Ykkönen

|1

000colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—10
2019

|Kakkonen

|21

10010colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—221
2020

|Kakkonen

|1

120colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—31
2021

|Ykkönen

|3

000colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—30
2022

|Kakkonen

|3

000colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—30
colspan="2"|Total

!29

220100000322
rowspan="6"|HJK

|2019

|Veikkausliiga

|1

000colspan="2"|—00colspan="2"|—10
2020

|Veikkausliiga

|0

041colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—41
2021

|Veikkausliiga

|16

000colspan="2"|—9{{efn|Appearances in UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League|name=UEECL}}0colspan="2"|—250
2022

|Veikkausliiga

|15

0302012{{efn|Appearances in UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League|name=UCEL}}0colspan="2"|—320
2023

|Veikkausliiga

|21

200508{{efn|Appearances in UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League|name=UEECL}}0colspan="2"|—342
colspan="2"|Total

!53

2717029000963
rowspan=3|D.C. United

|2024

|MLS

|31

000colspan="2"|—colspan=2|–3{{efn|Appearance(s) in Leagues Cup}}0340
2025

|MLS

|6

000colspan="2"|—colspan=2|–0060
colspan=2|Total

!37

000000030400
rowspan="1" colspan="3" valign="center"|Career total

!119

491002901101685

{{notelist}}

= International =

{{updated|match played on 24 March 2025}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
rowspan="2" |National teamrowspan="2" |Yearcolspan="2" |Competitive

! colspan="2" |Friendly

! colspan="2" |Total

Apps

!Goals

!Apps

!Goals

!Apps

!Goals

rowspan=3|Finland

|2023

4Appearances in the UEFA Euro 2024 qualification.0

|1

|0

|5

|0

20246Appearances in the UEFA Euro 2024 qualification and 2024–25 UEFA Nations League B.0

|3

|0

|9

|0

20252Appearances in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification.00020
colspan=2|Total

!12

!0

!4

!0

!16

!0

{{notelist}}

Honours

HJK Helsinki

Individual

  • Veikkausliiga Team of the Year: 2023[https://www.iltalehti.fi/veikkausliiga/a/e09333d9-60df-44d0-8ca8-ac3e5c48864d Toimittajat äänestivät: Tässä on Veikkausliigan tähdistöjoukkue], Iltalehti, 21 October 2023

References

{{reflist}}

External links

  • {{Soccerway|560121}}
  • {{WorldFootball.net|matti-peltola}}

{{D.C. United squad}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Peltola, Matti}}

Category:2002 births

Category:Living people

Category:Finnish men's footballers

Category:21st-century Finnish sportsmen

Category:Helsingin Jalkapalloklubi players

Category:D.C. United players

Category:Finland men's youth international footballers

Category:Major League Soccer players

Category:Veikkausliiga players

Category:Men's association football midfielders

Category:Finnish expatriate men's footballers

Category:Finnish expatriate sportspeople in the United States

Category:Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States

Category:Klubi 04 players

Category:Kakkonen players

Category:Ykkönen players

Category:Designated Players (MLS)

Category:Finland men's international footballers