# Akseli Pelvas

Akseli Pelvas (born 8 February 1989) is a retired Finnish footballer who played as a striker.

## Career
### Club

Pelvas got started with football in the age of five, when he joined EsPa in Espoo. In 2003, he joined HJK’s juniors at the age of 14. After just two years, he was promoted to HJK’s reserve side Klubi 04.
Pelvas made his first team debut at the age of 18 in a 1–1 draw against FC Inter Turku on 28 June 2007. He spent most of the 2008 season in the reserves, scoring 24 goals in 17 games. In the middle of the 2008 season he was on loan at IFK Mariehamn. He scored his first two goals on 19 October 2008 in a 2–3 away victory against FC Haka.
On 22 February 2009, Pelvas signed a three-year deal with HJK. On 16 December 2015, Pelvas signed for the Swedish club Falkenbergs FF. He returned to HJK in August 2016.
After spending the 2020 season back with IFK Mariehamn, Pelvas announced his retirement in September 2021.

## Career statistics

    As of on 31 December 2020
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | Cup | Cup | League cup | League cup | Europe | Europe | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| HJK | 2007 | Veikkausliiga | 2 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | 0 |
| HJK | 2008 | Veikkausliiga | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 3 | 2 |
| HJK | 2009 | Veikkausliiga | 19 | 5 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | 21 | 5 |
| HJK | 2010 | Veikkausliiga | 12 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 24 | 7 |
| HJK | 2011 | Veikkausliiga | 26 | 16 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 37 | 17 |
| HJK | 2012 | Veikkausliiga | 22 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 32 | 10 |
| HJK | 2013 | Veikkausliiga | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3 | — | — | 9 | 3 |
| HJK | Total | Total | 83 | 33 | 7 | 0 | 21 | 11 | 12 | 0 | 123 | 44 |
| Klubi 04 | 2009 | Ykkönen | 5 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 3 |
| Klubi 04 | 2010 | Ykkönen | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 1 |
| Klubi 04 | Total | Total | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 4 |
| IFK Mariehamn (loan) | 2008 | Veikkausliiga | 4 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 4 | 0 |
| KuPS (loan) | 2013 | Veikkausliiga | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 4 | 0 |
| SJK (loan) | 2013 | Ykkönen | 13 | 6 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 13 | 6 |
| SJK | 2014 | Veikkausliiga | 29 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 34 | 12 |
| SJK | 2015 | Veikkausliiga | 33 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 40 | 20 |
| SJK | Total | Total | 62 | 25 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 74 | 32 |
| Falkenberg | 2016 | Allsvenskan | 14 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 18 | 0 |
| HJK | 2016 | Veikkausliiga | 8 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 9 | 3 |
| HJK | 2017 | Veikkausliiga | 31 | 14 | 8 | 7 | — | — | 4 | 2 | 43 | 23 |
| HJK | 2018 | Veikkausliiga | 7 | 1 | 8 | 4 | — | — | — | — | 15 | 5 |
| HJK | 2019 | Veikkausliiga | 8 | 1 | 5 | 1 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 14 | 2 |
| HJK | Total | Total | 54 | 19 | 23 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 61 | 33 |
| Klubi-04 | 2019 | Kakkonen | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| IFK Mariehamn | 2020 | Veikkausliiga | 20 | 3 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 20 | 3 |
| Career totals | Career totals | Career totals | 249 | 87 | 34 | 13 | 30 | 17 | 19 | 2 | 332 | 119 |
* 1 2 3 Appearance(s) in the UEFA Europa League
* ↑ Three Appearances in the UEFA Champions League, Two Appearances in the UEFA Europa League
* 1 2 Appearance(s) in the UEFA Champions League
* ↑ Two Appearances in the UEFA Champions League, One Appearance in the UEFA Europa League

### International

Pelvas has played for his country in different national junior teams, most recently the Finland national under-21 football team. He has been one of the most effective strikers for Finland's youth teams, together with Lauri Dalla Valle. He made his senior debut for Finland on 22 January 2012, in a friendly against Trinidad and Tobago.

### International goals

    Scores and results list Finland's goal tally first.
| No | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1. | 11 January 2018 | Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | Jordan | 2–0 | 2–1 | Friendly |

## Honours

Individual
* Veikkausliiga Player of the Month: October 2011, August 2017