Kai Meriluoto

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Kai Meriluoto
Meriluoto with Finland U21 in 2022
Personal information
Date of birth (2003-01-02) 2 January 2003 (age 23)
Place of birth Siuntio, Finland
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position Forward
Team information
Current team
 IFK Värnamo
Number 9
Youth career
KyIF[1]
HJK
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019–2024 Klubi 04 52 (29)
2020–2025 HJK 27 (7)
2022 → Ilves (loan) 25 (10)
2023–2024 → Stal Mielec (loan) 23 (2)
2025 → Maribor (loan) 13 (4)
2025– IFK Värnamo 12 (4)
International career‡
2018–2019 Finland U16 5 (2)
2019–2020 Finland U17 11 (5)
2021 Finland U19 7 (1)
2021 Finland U20 1 (1)
2022–2024 Finland U21 15 (2)
2023– Finland 2 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 12 November 2025
‡ National team caps and goals as of 9 June 2024

Kai Meriluoto (born 2 January 2003) is a Finnish professional footballer who plays as a forward for Allsvenskan club IFK Värnamo.[2]

Early life

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Meriluoto was born in Pori, Finland,[3] to a Japanese Catholic mother from Hakodate, Hokkaido, and to a Finnish father. His parents met in 1989 when they both were studying in Wisconsin, US.[4] When he was a one-year-old, he moved to Vienne, Isère, France, with his family and lived there for five years before returning to Finland. Meriluoto lived in Shanghai, China, due to his father's work from when he was ten years old until he was twelve years old. He has dual citizenship of Finland and Japan, and he speaks Finnish, Japanese, French and English fluently. Meriluoto has an older brother, Aki, who is also a footballer and has played for US Lesquin at the semi-pro level in France.[5]

Club career

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Ilves (loan)

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On 15 February 2022, Meriluoto joined Veikkausliiga club Ilves on loan for the 2022 season.[6] He finished his first full season in the league scoring ten goals for the team. After the season, he returned to HJK.

Return to HJK

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In April 2023, he extended his contract with HJK until the end of 2025.[7]

Stal Mielec (loan)

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On 14 July 2023, Meriluoto joined Polish Ekstraklasa side Stal Mielec on a season-long loan, with an option to make the move permanent.[2][8] He scored his first Ekstraklasa goal on 18 September 2023, a header in a 4–2 home win against Zagłębie Lubin.[9] On 9 December 2023, in a match against Cracovia, Meriluoto made a crucial impact after coming in from the bench, when his team was in a 2–0 losing position. He first scored the 2–1 goal on the 86th minute, and one minute later provided an assist to the equalizer. The game eventually ended in a 2–2 draw.[10] During his loan stint, Meriluoto was mainly used as a late substitute, starting only two of his 23 Ekstraklasa appearances.[11]

Return to HJK

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After the 2023–24 season, he returned to HJK. On 13 December 2024, Meriluoto scored a decisive over-time goal for HJK, in a UEFA Conference League league phase match against Molde, securing his side a point in a 2–2 draw.[12]

Maribor (loan)

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On 15 February 2025, Meriluoto joined Slovenian PrvaLiga club Maribor on loan for the remainder of the 2024–25 season, with a deal including an option to buy.[13] On 22 April, Meriluoto scored his first goals for Maribor by a brace, including a winning goal in a 2–1 win over Mura.[14]

IFK Värnamo

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On 8 August 2025, Meriluoto signed with Allsvenskan club IFK Värnamo until the end of 2028 for an undisclosed fee.[15] Three days later he scored in his Allsvenskan debut, in a 2–2 away draw against IF Elfsborg. On 14 September, Meriluoto scored a hat-trick against Öster.

Personal life

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Meriluoto is a religious person. He is a teetotaller and has never drunk alcohol.[4]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of 14 September 2025[16][17]
Club Season League National cup[a] League cup Europe Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Klubi 04 2019 Kakkonen 12 7 1 2 — — 13 9
2020 Kakkonen 15 14 1 0 — — 16 14
2021 Ykkönen 24 7 3 1 — — 27 8
2024 Ykkönen 1 1 — — — 1 1
Total 52 29 5 3 0 0 0 0 57 32
HJK 2020 Veikkausliiga 3 1 0 0 — — 3 1
2021 Veikkausliiga 0 0 0 0 — 0 0 0 0
2022 Veikkausliiga 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2023 Veikkausliiga 14 2 1 1 5 2 0 0 20 5
2024 Veikkausliiga 7 2 0 0 0 0 7[b] 1 14 3
2025 Veikkausliiga 3 2 0 0 2 0 4[c] 1 9 3
Total 27 7 1 1 7 2 11 2 46 12
Ilves (loan) 2022 Veikkausliiga 25 10 1 0 3 2 — 29 12
Stal Mielec (loan) 2023–24 Ekstraklasa 23 2 3 1 — — 26 3
Maribor (loan) 2024–25 Slovenian PrvaLiga 13 4 2 0 — — 15 4
IFK Värnamo 2025 Allsvenskan 5 4 1 0 — — 6 4
Career total 145 55 13 5 10 4 11 2 179 65
  1. ^ Includes Suomen Cup, Polish Cup and Slovenian Cup
  2. ^ Includes UEFA Champions League and UEFA Conference League
  3. ^ Appearances in UEFA Conference League

International

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As of match played on 12 January 2023.
National team Year Competitive Friendly Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Finland 2023 0 0 2 0 2 0
Total 0 0 2 0 2 0

Honours

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HJK

Klubi 04

References

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  1. ^ Pikkuhuuhkajat nimetty marraskuun otteluihin, Finnish FA, 7 November 2023
  2. ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  3. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  4. ^ a b Oletko aina syönyt sushia täysin väärin? Kai Meriluoto, 20, paljastaa nyt ”sisäpiirin” niksin, Ilta-Sanomat, 5 April 2023
  5. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  6. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  7. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  8. ^ Kai Meriluoto: ”Tuntuu, että puolalainen futis sopii minulle hyvin”, Finnish FA, 22 July 2023
  9. ^ Kai Meriluodolle ensimmäinen maali uudessa seurassaan, suomifutis.com, 18 September 2023
  10. ^ CRACOVIA VS. STAL MIELEC 2 - 2, int.soccerway.com
  11. ^ Kai Meriluoto kertoi Veikkausliigan ja Ekstraklasan eroista – ei ole ollut yhteyksissä HJK:n kanssa: ”Kaikki on auki”, suomifutis.com, 21 March 2024
  12. ^ Tyytyminen pistejakoon – ”Kasvojen pesu toisella puoliajalla”, hjk.fi, 13 December 2024
  13. ^ Kai Meriluoto lainalle Sloveniaan, hjk.fi, 15 February 2025
  14. ^ Kai Meriluoto nousi joukkueensa sankariksi Sloveniassa – iski kaksi maalia, suomifutis.com, 22 April 2025
  15. ^ VÄLKOMMEN TILL IFK VÄRNAMO, KAI MERILUOTO!, ifkvarnamo.se, 8 August 2025
  16. ^ Kai Meriluoto at Soccerway. Retrieved 10 August 2020.Lua error in Module:WikidataCheck at line 29: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
  17. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
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