Joel Julius Ilmari Pohjanpalo (born 13 September 1994) is a Finnish professional footballer who plays as a forward for club Palermo and the Finland national team.
Pohjanpalo began his career with HJK, making his Veikkausliiga debut on 26 October 2011 at the age of 17; he moved out to Germany at age nineteen in 2013. After multiple successful loan spells in Germany and Turkey, Pohjanpalo left Bayer Leverkusen in 2022 and was acquired by Italian side Venezia, where he quickly became a fan favourite cult player, and as the team captain, helped Venezia promote to Serie A in 2024.Venetsian päällikkö, Ilta-Sanomat, 17 November 2023Jalkapalloilija Joel Pohjanpalo avoimena tähteydestä ja ammattinsa karusta kääntöpuolesta – ”Ura voi päättyä yhdessä illassa”, seura.fi, 5 September 2023Kausi kuin elokuvasta, Helsingin Sanomat, Ari Virtanen, 19 June 2023Joel Pohjanpalon tempaus herättää huomiota Italiassa, Helsingin Sanomat, Juha Kanerva, 3 December 2023 After two-and-a-half seasons with Venezia, Pohjanpalo was acquired by Palermo in February 2025 for around €5 million.
Pohjanpalo made his full international debut for Finland in November 2012 at the age of eighteen, and has since made over 80 appearances, including playing in matches for 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification, and in the UEFA Euro 2020 final tournament.
Pohjanpalo is known for his strong heading and finishing ability.Huuhkajien sankarilta Joel Pohjanpalolta pyydettiin jo 7-vuotiaana nimikirjoituksia: ”Jolle oli kuuluisuus siellä”, Iltalehti, 19 June 2021
Club career Born in Helsinki, Finland, Pohjanpalo started football in a youth team of a Helsinki-based club PK-35 in 1999. He joined HJK Helsinki youth sector when aged 11.Tuhannen maalin teinitähti, Yle, 12 June 2021
HJK A product of his hometown club HJK, Pohjanpalo emerged through the youth ranks, first appearing with the reserve team (Klubi-04) in 2011 at the age of 16. He made his Veikkausliiga debut on 26 October 2011, starting against RoPS. During his first season in the Finnish second division with Klubi 04, he made 21 appearances, scored a record-breaking 33 league goals and was awarded as the series player of the season. Following his excellent performances with the reserves, Pohjanpalo signed a new contract with HJK on 7 December 2011, keeping him in the Finnish capital until 2015.Kakkosen maaliennätystä sivunnut lupaus jatkaa pitkään HJK:ssa, Ilta-Sanomat, 7 December 2011
Pohjanpalo started HJK's first league match of the 2012 Veikkausliiga season on 15 April 2012, scoring a hat-trick within the space of three minutes (162 seconds) against IFK Mariehamn. After a three-day trial with Liverpool in August 2012, Pohjanpalo was offered a three-year contract but rejected the deal due to a lack of guaranteed playing time for Liverpool F.C. Reserves. He finished the 2012 season at HJK with 19 goals in 42 games in all competitions. He was awarded as the Veikkausliiga rookie of the season.
Bayer Leverkusen and loans 2013–14: VfR Aalen (loan) On 1 September 2013, Pohjanpalo was loaned to Bundesliga team Bayer Leverkusen for a loan fee of €500,000, who then loaned him further to 2. Bundesliga team VfR Aalen. At Aalen, Pohjanpalo started thirteen matches and appeared as a substitute in a further nine, scoring five goals.https://www.is.fi/jalkapallo/art-2000000755953.html, Ilta-Sanomat, 16 May 2014
2014–16: Fortuna Düsseldorf (loan)
In April 2014, Pohjanpalo renewed his contract with HJK, extending it to 2018. At the same time HJK extended his loan contract with Bayer Leverkusen a further two years, which Pohjanpalo spent on loan at Fortuna Düsseldorf. He was voted the 2. Bundesliga Player of the Month in October 2014, following a hat-trick against Darmstadt 98. His loan spell with Fortuna Düsseldorf was extended for 2015–16 season. In March 2016, Pohjanpalo was assigned to the club's reserve team Fortuna Düsseldorf II for one week, due to appearing late at the local night club and thus breaking the entry ban and violating the club's code of conduct.Huuhkaja-tähti biletti pikkutunneille ja rikkoi yökerhon porttikieltoa: Hyllytys ja sakot, Iltalehti, 7 March 2016
Bayer Leverkusen On 21 March 2016, Leverkusen announced that they had exercised their option to permanently sign Pohjanpalo from HJK Helsinki for a transfer fee of €1.5 million. On 27 August 2016, Pohjanpalo finally made his debut for the club in their opening game of the 2016–17 Bundesliga season against Borussia Mönchengladbach. He scored just a minute after being substituted on, but it was not enough to prevent Leverkusen from losing 2–1. Pohjanpalo came off the bench in Leverkusen's second game of the season and scored a hat-trick, helping his side achieve a 3–1 win over Hamburger SV. After these two appearances, Pohjanpalo had scored four goals in just thirty minutes of play during the first two matches of the season.Miksi Joel Pohjanpalo jämähti Bundesliiga-seurassaan penkille? "Paha sanoa, kun sitä asiaa ei ole käyty läpi mitenkään", Helsingin Sanomat, 6 October 2017
His time with Leverkusen was plagued by multiple severe injuries, which caused him to miss around 70 league games, and almost ended his career prematurely. According to Pohjanpalo himself, he was forced to spend 580 days without playing football.Palermo FC's Joel Pohjanpalo: The Finnish Striker Leading The Rosanero Promotion Push | Exclusive, Destination Calcio, 6 October 2025 During the seven years he was with the club, Pohjanpalo totalled only 28 appearances and scored eight goals for Leverkusen in all competitions combined, and when he was game-fit, he spent most of the time on loan.
2020: Hamburger SV (loan) On 24 January 2020, Pohjanpalo joined Hamburger SV on loan for the rest of the 2019–20 season. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the campaign was interrupted from March to May 2020. Since the season continued in mid-May, Pohjanpalo scored seven goals in the next eight consecutive matches.Joel Pohjanpalo on nyt Saksan kuumin maalitykki – mitä lasista löytyy, jos kausi päättyy juhlaan? ”Eiköhän se olisi...”, Ilta-Sanomat, Johanna Nordling, 22 June 2020 Eventually he recorded 14 appearances and scored nine goals for HSV in 2. Bundesliga.Lähteet: Huuhkajien hyökkääjätähti Joel Pohjanpalo haluaa "epätoivoisesti" vaihtaa maisemaa – uusi osoite löytymässä toisesta Bundesliiga-seurasta, MTV Oy, 30 September 2020
2020–21: Union Berlin (loan) On 30 September 2020, Pohjanpalo joined Bundesliga side Union Berlin on loan for the 2020–21 season. In November, Pohjanpalo suffered an ankle injury in an international match and missed a few months due to surgery.Union Berlin tiedotti huonon uutisen: Pohjanpalo nilkkaoperaatioon, edessä pitkä huili, Yle, 16 November 2020 On 24 April 2021, Pohjanpalo scored a hat-trick in 17 minutes, in a 3–1 win against Werder Bremen.Joel Pohjanpalolta häikäisevä suoritus Bundesliigassa! Hattutemppu 17 minuutin sisään, Iltalehti, 24 April 2021
2021–22: Caykur Rizespor (loan) Pohjanpalo was loaned out to Süper Lig side Caykur Rizespor for the 2021–22 season. On 18 March 2022, Pohjanpalo made a hat-trick after coming in from the bench as a 55th-minute substitute, in a 3–2 win against Trabzonspor,Hetkinen! Joel Pohjanpalo onnistui todella erikoisessa tempussa, Iltalehti, 18 March 2022 scoring all three goals from penalties. Towards the end of the season, his playing time decreased due to the club's upcoming relegation and his loan player status. Regardless of that, Pohjanpalo recorded 33 appearances and scored 16 goals for the club during his single season in Turkey.Joel Pohjanpalo taisteli Turkissa maalipörssin voitosta, sitten peliaika väheni – seura antoi tylyn vastauksen: "Ei siinä voinut lähteä kitisemään", Yle, 2 June 2022
Venezia 2022–23 season On 19 August 2022, Pohjanpalo left Leverkusen and signed a three-year contract with Venezia in Italy, with an option to extend for two more years. The transfer fee was reported to be €3.2 million including add-ons. In February, Pohjanpalo attracted wide international attention, as he celebrated his team's victory by having a beer with the fans at the stadium after the game.Video: Joel Pohjanpalo rennoissa tunnelmissa kentän laidalla – joi olutta ja poseerasi selfieissä, puoliaika.com, 12 February 2023 On 1 May, Pohjanpalo scored four goals as Venezia defeated Modena 5–0 at home, and repeated his beer with the fans-performance after the game.Joel Pohjanpalo villitsi jälleen fanit olut kourassa! Juoman ojentaneen mysteerikatsojan henkilöllisyys selvisi – ”Kyllä se oli vaimo”, Yle, 2 May 2023 During his first season in Venezia, Pohjanpalo scored 19 goals and provided seven assists, making him the second best goalscorer of the 2022–23 Serie B season, behind Gianluca Lapadula. He was also named the Serie B Player of the Month twice, consecutively in April and in May 2023.
2023–24 season Despite the speculations and transfer rumours, on 13 September 2023 on his 29th birthday, Pohjanpalo renewed his contract with Venezia, signing a new deal until 30 June 2027. He was named one of the team captains. On 3 December, while being out of the line-up due to foot injury, Pohjanpalo and the club owner Duncan L. Niederauer were seen observing the match in the home stand with the ultra supporters, as Venezia defeated Ascoli at the Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo.Kuva Joel Pohjanpalosta villitsee – ”Älä koskaan muutu”, Ilta-Sanomat, 3 December 2023 On 14 January 2024, Pohjanpalo scored a hat-trick in a 5–3 home win against Sampdoria.Jolle Pohjanpalo hurjana: Hattutemppu Sampdorian verkkoon, Iltalehti, 14 January 2024 Pohjanpalo was named the Serie B Player of the Month also in February and March 2024.POHJANPALO MVP DI FEBBRAIO DELLA SERIE BKT, veneziafc.it, 8 March 2024Joel Pohjanpalo Serie B:n kuukauden pelaaja, Yle, 10 April 2024 On 15 March, in an away match against Palermo, Pohjanpalo received the standing ovation from the opposing team's home crowd after scoring a brace in a 3–0 win.Pohjanpalo: “La standing ovation del pubblico di Palermo mi rende orgoglioso”, calciorosanero.it, 16 March 2024 In the 2023–24 season, Pohjanpalo scored 22 goals and became the top goalscorer of the Serie B.Suomalaisille harvinaista herkkua! Joel Pohjanpalo voitti Serie B:n maalikuninkuuden, Yle, 11 May 2024 On 2 June, coached by Paolo Vanoli, Pohjanpalo captained Venezia to win a promotion back to Serie A via promotion play-offs,Suomalaisilta jymypaukku Venetsiassa, Ilta-Sanomat, 2 June 2024 by defeating Palermo and Cremonese.Joel Pohjanpalon ja Jesse Jorosen kausi päättyi nousujuhliin, Football Association of Finland, 3 June 2024
2024–25 season