Teemu Pukki facts for kids
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Pukki with Norwich City in 2022
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 29 March 1990 | ||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Kotka, Finland | ||||||||||||
| Height | 1.80 m | ||||||||||||
| Playing position | Striker | ||||||||||||
| Club information | |||||||||||||
| Current club | HJK | ||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||
| 1997–2000 | KoNa | ||||||||||||
| 2000–2005 | KTP | ||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | ||||||||||
| 2006–2008 | KTP | 29 | (3) | ||||||||||
| 2008–2009 | Sevilla | 1 | (0) | ||||||||||
| 2008–2009 | Sevilla Atlético | 33 | (3) | ||||||||||
| 2010–2011 | HJK | 25 | (13) | ||||||||||
| 2011–2013 | Schalke 04 | 37 | (8) | ||||||||||
| 2013–2015 | Celtic | 26 | (7) | ||||||||||
| 2014–2015 | → Brøndby (loan) | 27 | (9) | ||||||||||
| 2015–2018 | Brøndby | 103 | (46) | ||||||||||
| 2018–2023 | Norwich City | 198 | (87) | ||||||||||
| 2023–2024 | Minnesota United | 35 | (14) | ||||||||||
| 2025– | HJK | 0 | (0) | ||||||||||
| National team‡ | |||||||||||||
| 2005 | Finland U15 | 4 | (4) | ||||||||||
| 2006 | Finland U16 | 13 | (7) | ||||||||||
| 2006–2007 | Finland U17 | 12 | (5) | ||||||||||
| 2007–2008 | Finland U18 | 18 | (5) | ||||||||||
| 2009 | Finland U19 | 3 | (2) | ||||||||||
| 2007–2011 | Finland U21 | 23 | (6) | ||||||||||
| 2009– | Finland | 127 | (42) | ||||||||||
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Honours
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† Appearances (Goals). |
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Teemu Eino Antero Pukki (born March 29, 1990) is a Finnish professional footballer. He plays as a striker for the Veikkausliiga club HJK and the Finland national team.
Pukki started his career with KTP when he was just 15 years old. He later moved to Sevilla in Spain. After that, he returned to Finland to play for HJK, where he won the Finnish championship and cup. He also played in top leagues in Germany for Schalke 04, Scotland for Celtic, and Denmark for Brøndby.
In 2018, Pukki joined Norwich City in England. He became a star player there, winning the Player of the Season award in 2019. He has played over 120 games for the Finland national team and scored 42 goals. This makes him Finland's all-time top male goalscorer! He helped Finland reach their first major international tournament, UEFA Euro 2020, by scoring ten goals in the qualification games.
Contents
Club Career Highlights
Early Career in Finland
Pukki started playing football as a child in his hometown of Kotka, Finland. He joined his local club, KTP, and played for their youth teams. He made his first team debut at 16 years old. His great playing skills quickly got him noticed by Finland's youth national teams. In two seasons with KTP, Pukki played 29 games and scored three goals.
Moving to Spain: Sevilla
In 2008, Pukki moved to Sevilla in Spain. He was called up to the main team for a game against Real Madrid, but he didn't play. He made his first La Liga appearance on January 25, 2009. However, he mostly played for Sevilla's reserve team, Sevilla Atlético. He decided to return to Finland to get more playing time.
Back Home: HJK Success
On August 28, 2010, Pukki signed with HJK, a top club in Finland. He scored his first goal for HJK in his second game. In 2010, HJK and Pukki won the Finnish league championship and came second in the Finnish Cup.
In 2011, he scored 11 goals and made 8 assists in 18 league games. He was chosen for the 2011 Veikkausliiga All-Stars team. Pukki also played a big part in HJK's games in the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League. He scored two goals against Bangor City and both goals in a 2–0 win against FC Schalke 04.
Germany and Scotland
On August 31, 2011, Pukki joined Schalke 04 in Germany. He made his debut on September 18. On November 6, he scored two goals in his first start for Schalke against Hannover 96. This made him one of only three Finnish players to score two goals in a German Bundesliga game.
On August 31, 2013, Pukki moved to Celtic in Scotland. He scored in his very first game for Celtic and again in his home debut. However, his first season at Celtic was a bit tough. He found the fast and physical style of Scottish football hard to get used to. He later said that he thought it would be "easier" than playing in Germany, but he learned that "Scottish football is not easy."
Danish Days: Brøndby
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On September 1, 2014, Pukki joined Brøndby in Denmark on a loan deal. He scored his first goal for them two weeks later. He scored five goals in his first five games and was named the Superliga Player of the Month for October. He finished the season as the club's top scorer with nine goals. In June 2015, Brøndby signed him permanently.
In 2016, Pukki scored three goals to help Brøndby beat Hertha BSC in a UEFA Europa League qualifier. On May 10, 2018, he played as Brøndby won the 2017–18 Danish Cup final. He left Brøndby at the end of that season.
English Adventure: Norwich City
Joining Norwich and First Season
On June 30, 2018, Pukki joined EFL Championship club Norwich City for free. He made his debut on August 4. A week later, he scored his first goal for the club.
From January to February 2019, Pukki scored eight goals in six games in a row. This included two goals against Ipswich Town in a big local derby game. He broke a record by becoming the Finn with the most goals in a Championship season.
In April 2019, Pukki was named the EFL Championship Player of the Season. He was also chosen for the Championship Team of the Season. Norwich City fans voted him their Player of the Season, and he also won the PFA Fans' Player of the Year award.
Premier League and More Goals
On July 3, 2019, Pukki signed a new contract with Norwich, who had just been promoted to the Premier League. On August 9, he scored his first Premier League goal against Liverpool. Eight days later, he scored three goals (a hat-trick) against Newcastle United in a 3–1 win. This was Norwich's first Premier League hat-trick since 1993! He was named the Premier League Player of the Month for August. Pukki scored eleven Premier League goals that season, but Norwich was unfortunately relegated back to the Championship.
Back in the Championship and Club Legend Status
Pukki stayed with Norwich after they were relegated. He continued to score many goals, reaching his fiftieth goal for the club in a game against Blackburn Rovers. He was named Championship Player of the Month for February 2021. On April 6, 2021, he scored his first Championship hat-trick in a huge 7–0 win against Huddersfield Town.
In April 2021, he was again named to the EFL Team of the Season. He finished as Norwich's top goalscorer for four seasons in a row. Even though Norwich was relegated again, Pukki was voted Norwich City's Player of the Season in 2022.
He left Norwich City in April 2023. During his five seasons there, Pukki scored 88 goals in 210 games. This makes him the fourth-best goalscorer in the club's entire history! He is seen as a true legend at Norwich.
Playing in the USA: Minnesota United
On June 27, 2023, Pukki joined Major League Soccer (MLS) team Minnesota United in the United States. He signed a contract until June 2025.
On October 7, 2023, Pukki scored four goals for Minnesota in a 5–2 win against LA Galaxy. He was the first Minnesota United player to score four goals in a single game!
Return to Finland
On January 24, 2025, after playing abroad for over 13 years, Pukki returned to his old club HJK Helsinki. He signed a two-year contract.
International Career
Youth Teams
Pukki started playing for Finland's youth national teams when he was 15. He scored two goals in his first game for Finland U15 against Wales U15 in 2005. He made his debut for the Finland U21 team at age 19 in 2009.
Senior National Team
Pukki made his debut for the Finland national team on February 4, 2009, in a friendly game against Japan. He scored an important goal on March 22, 2013, helping Finland get a 1–1 draw against world champions Spain in a World Cup qualifying game.
In 2018, Pukki scored the only goal in Finland's first three games in the 2018–19 UEFA Nations League, helping them get promoted. In June 2019, he was named the Finnish Footballer of the Year because of his great form for both Norwich and Finland.
Pukki scored ten goals in the UEFA Euro 2020 qualifiers. These goals were super important in helping Finland qualify for their first ever major international tournament, UEFA Euro 2020!
Pukki played in all three of Finland's games at the UEFA Euro 2020 tournament. Although he didn't score, it was a historic moment for Finnish football.
On October 12, 2021, Pukki scored two goals in a World Cup qualifier against Kazakhstan. These goals meant he passed Jari Litmanen to become Finland's all-time top goalscorer! In 2023, Pukki played 10 games in the UEFA Euro 2024 qualification campaign, scoring twice and providing 5 assists.
Personal Life
Teemu Pukki is married and has two children. In September 2023, his wife was expecting their third child. In January 2024, Pukki invested in a restaurant business in Helsinki with fellow footballers Lukas and Matej Hradecky. His childhood friend, Teemu Turunen, is his agent. In October 2024, Pukki also invested in his former club, Kotkan Työväen Palloilijat, becoming a part-owner.
Career Statistics
This table shows how many games Teemu Pukki has played and how many goals he has scored for different clubs and for his national team.
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| KTP | 2006 | Veikkausliiga | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 5 | 0 | ||
| 2007 | Veikkausliiga | 24 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 24 | 3 | |||
| Total | 29 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 29 | 3 | ||||
| Sevilla | 2008–09 | La Liga | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | ||
| Sevilla Atlético | 2008–09 | Segunda División | 17 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 17 | 3 | |||
| 2009–10 | Segunda División B | 16 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 16 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 33 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 3 | ||
| HJK | 2010 | Veikkausliiga | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 8 | 2 | |
| 2011 | Veikkausliiga | 18 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 5 | — | 30 | 17 | ||
| Total | 25 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 5 | — | 38 | 19 | |||
| Schalke 04 | 2011–12 | Bundesliga | 19 | 5 | 2 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 21 | 5 | ||
| 2012–13 | Bundesliga | 17 | 3 | 2 | 0 | — | 5 | 0 | — | 24 | 3 | |||
| 2013–14 | Bundesliga | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | |||
| Total | 37 | 8 | 4 | 0 | — | 6 | 0 | — | 47 | 8 | ||||
| Celtic | 2013–14 | Scottish Premiership | 25 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | 32 | 7 | |
| 2014–15 | Scottish Premiership | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | — | 5 | 2 | ||
| Total | 26 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 2 | — | 37 | 9 | |||
| Brøndby (loan) | 2014–15 | Danish Superliga | 27 | 9 | 3 | 2 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 30 | 11 | ||
| Brøndby | 2015–16 | Danish Superliga | 33 | 9 | 3 | 1 | — | 8 | 3 | — | 44 | 13 | ||
| 2016–17 | Danish Superliga | 34 | 20 | 4 | 3 | — | 8 | 6 | — | 46 | 29 | |||
| 2017–18 | Danish Superliga | 36 | 17 | 5 | 1 | — | 3 | 1 | — | 44 | 19 | |||
| Total | 130 | 55 | 15 | 7 | — | 19 | 10 | — | 164 | 72 | ||||
| Norwich City | 2018–19 | Championship | 43 | 29 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 46 | 30 | ||
| 2019–20 | Premier League | 36 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 38 | 11 | |||
| 2020–21 | Championship | 41 | 26 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 42 | 26 | |||
| 2021–22 | Premier League | 37 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 41 | 11 | |||
| 2022–23 | Championship | 41 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 43 | 10 | |||
| Total | 198 | 87 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 1 | — | — | 210 | 88 | ||||
| Minnesota United | 2023 | MLS | 14 | 10 | — | — | — | 5 | 0 | 19 | 10 | |||
| 2024 | MLS | 21 | 4 | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | 24 | 4 | ||||
| Total | 35 | 14 | — | — | — | 8 | 0 | 43 | 14 | |||||
| HJK | 2025 | Veikkausliiga | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | |
| Career total | 513 | 189 | 29 | 7 | 11 | 2 | 40 | 17 | 8 | 0 | 601 | 215 | ||
International Goals
| National team | Year | Competitive | Friendly | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Finland | 2009 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2010 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2011 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2012 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 4 | |
| 2013 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 10 | 2 | |
| 2014 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 2 | |
| 2015 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2016 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 10 | 1 | |
| 2017 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 1 | |
| 2018 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 5 | |
| 2019 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 10 | |
| 2020 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 2 | |
| 2021 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 6 | |
| 2022 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 4 | |
| 2023 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 2 | |
| 2024 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 3 | |
| Total | 89 | 31 | 38 | 11 | 127 | 42 | |
Notes
Honours
These are the awards and championships Teemu Pukki has won with his teams and as an individual player:
Sevilla Youth
- Copa del Rey Juvenil de Fútbol: 2008
HJK
- Veikkausliiga: 2010, 2011
- Finnish Cup: 2011
Celtic
- Scottish Premiership: 2013–14
Brøndby IF
- Danish Cup: 2017–18
Norwich City
- EFL Championship: 2018–19, 2020–21
Individual Awards
- Veikkausliiga All Stars: 2011
- Danish Superliga Player of the Month: November 2014, August 2016
- EFL Championship Player of the Season: 2018–19
- EFL Championship Golden Boot: 2018–19
- EFL Team of the Season: 2018–19
- PFA Fans' Player of the Year: 2018–19 Championship
- PFA Team of the Year: 2018–19 Championship, 2020–21 Championship
- Premier League Player of the Month: August 2019
- Finnish Sports Personality of the Year: 2019
- Finnish Footballer of the Year: 2019, 2020
- Norwich City Player of the Season: 2019, 2022
- EFL Championship Player of the Month: February 2021
- EFL Championship Team of the Season: 2020–21
See also
In Spanish: Teemu Pukki para niños
- List of top international men's football goalscorers by country
- List of men's footballers with 100 or more international caps
