Vilho Huovila
{{Short description|Finnish footballer (born 2006)}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Vilho Huovila
| image =
| fullname =
| height = 1.84 m
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|2006|7|10}}
| birth_place = Kouvola, Finland
| position = Winger
| currentclub = Lahti
| clubnumber = 28
| youthclubs1 = Sudet
| youthclubs2 = Valkealan Kajo
| youthclubs3 = Kuusysi
| youthclubs4 = Lahti
| youthyears1 =
| youthyears3 = 2021
| youthyears4 = 2021–2022
| years1 = 2022–
| clubs1 = Reipas Lahti
| caps1 = 20
| goals1 = 7
| years2 = 2022–
| clubs2 = Lahti
| caps2 = 7
| goals2 = 3
| years3 = 2024
| clubs3 = → MP (loan)
| caps3 = 13
| goals3 = 1
| nationalyears1 = 2021–2022
| nationalteam1 = Finland U16
| nationalcaps1 = 5
| nationalgoals1 = 2
| nationalyears2 = 2022–2023
| nationalteam2 = Finland U17
| nationalcaps2 = 15
| nationalgoals2 = 1
| nationalyears3 = 2023–
| nationalteam3 = Finland U18
| nationalcaps3 = 7
| nationalgoals3 = 3
| nationalyears4 = 2024–
| nationalteam4 = Finland U19
| nationalcaps4 = 6
| nationalgoals4 = 0
| club-update = 28 April 2025
| nationalteam-update = 25 March 2025
}}
Vilho Huovila (born 10 July 2006) is a Finnish professional footballer who plays as a winger for Ykkösliiga club Lahti.
Early years
Huovila was born in Kouvola, and started playing football in his hometown clubs Sudet and Valkealan Kajo. He moved to Lahti in 2021 to join the FC Lahti organisation.[https://tulospalvelu.palloliitto.fi/person/231053/player/seasons Tulospalvelu Palloliitto, V.Huovila], Finnish FA/Palloliitto
Club career
=FC Lahti=
Since 2022, Huovila has played for FC Lahti's reserve team Reipas Lahti in the third tier Kakkonen.
On 18 October 2022, Huovila signed his first professional contract with the club at the age of 16, on a deal until the end of 2025.[https://fclahti.fi/uutiset/fc-lahti-ja-vilho-huovila-sopimukseen/ FC Lahti ja Vilho Huovila sopimukseen], FC Lahti, 18 October 2022[https://www.ess.fi/urheilu/5432702 FC Lahti kiinnitti 16-vuotiaan lupauksen hyökkäykseensä], Etelä-Suomen Sanomat, 18 October 2022[https://www.sportti.com/uutinen.asp?CAT=3-1&ID=474974 Huippulupaus teki ratkaisunsa – sopimus Veikkausliiga-seuran kanssa: "Työ on vasta alussa"], sportti.com, 18 October 2022 On 21 October 2023, Huovila scored a goal in his Veikkausliiga debut for FC Lahti first team, in a home loss against Ilves.[https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2023/10/21/finland/veikkausliiga/football-club-lahti/tampereen-ilves/4244228/ LAHTI VS. ILVES 1-5], soccerway
On 9 July 2024, Huovila was sent on loan to Mikkelin Palloilijat (MP) in second-tier Ykkösliiga for the rest of the season.[https://mikkelinpalloilijat.fi/edustus-mp-lainaa-nuorten-maajoukkuehyokkaaja-vilho-huovilan/ EDUSTUS: MP lainaa nuorten maajoukkuehyökkääjä Vilho Huovilan], mikkelinpalloilijat.fi
International career
Huovila is a regular Finnish youth international and has represented Finland at various youth national team levels.[https://www.veikkausliiga.com/uutiset/2023/10/31/u18-pojat-nimetty-itavalta-otteluihin-veikkausliigakokemusta-mukana U18-pojat nimetty Itävalta-otteluihin - Veikkausliigakokemusta mukana], Veikkausliiga, 31 October 2023[https://yle.fi/a/74-20001220 Minihuuhkajat selvitti tiensä EM-jatkokarsintoihin – joukkueessa tiukka lahtelaiskolmikko], Yle, Petri Niemi, 14 October 2022[https://www.fcreipas.fi/uutiset/122852/vilho-huovila-mukaan-u15-maajoukkueeseen Vilho Huovila mukaan U15-maajoukkueeseen], Reipas Lahti, 18 May 2021
In September 2022, Huovila was named in the Finland U17 squad for the 2023 UEFA European Under-17 Championship qualification tournament against Greece, Italy and Kosovo, scoring one goal in three games. Finland finished 2nd in the group and qualified to the Elite round in March 2023.[https://www.palloliitto.fi/ajankohtaista/u17-pojat-paattaa-em-karsinnat-tiistaina U17-pojat päättää EM-karsinnat tiistaina], Finnish FA/ Palloliitto, 10 October 2022
Career statistics
{{updated|28 April 2025}}
| 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 Finnish League Cup and Ykkösliigacup}} !colspan="2"|Europe !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| rowspan="4"|Reipas Lahti
|2022 |1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 1 | 0 | ||||
| 2023
|Kakkonen |14 | 6 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 14 | 6 | ||||
| 2024
|Kakkonen |5 | 1 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 5 | 1 | ||||
| colspan="2"|Total
!20 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 7 | |
| rowspan="4"|Lahti
|2023 |1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 4 | 1 | ||
| 2024
|Veikkausliiga |4 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 9 | 4 | ||
| 2025
|2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | colspan=2|– | 8 | 3 | ||
| colspan="2"|Total
!7 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 9 | |
| MP (loan)
|2024 |Ykkösliiga |13 | 1 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 13 | 1 | ||||
| colspan="3"|Career total
!40 | 11 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 54 | 17 |
{{notelist}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Soccerway|vilho-huovila/845211}}
- {{WorldFootball.net|vilho-huovila}}
{{FC Lahti squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Huovila, Vilho}}
Category:Finnish men's footballers
Category:21st-century Finnish sportsmen
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:Veikkausliiga players
Category:Finland men's youth international footballers