# Mika Ojala

Mika Ojala (Finnish pronunciation:; born 21 June 1988) is a Finnish football coach and a former professional footballer who plays as a midfielder. He began his senior club career playing for VG-62, before signing with Inter Turku at age 18 in 2006.
Ojala made his international debut for Finland in January 2010, at the age of 21.

## Club career
### VG-62

Ojala started his football career in Paimion Haka and later moved to Inter Turku's junior system. He made his debut on senior level at the age of 16 in Inter Turku's reserve team VG-62.

### Inter Turku

Ojala gained his first appearance in Veikkausliiga during season 2006.
On 17 November 2008, he joined the Dutch club Heerenveen for a one-week-trial together with Wilhelm Ingves from IFK Mariehamn. He visited FC Zürich in 2006.

### Häcken

On 9 November 2012, after his contract with Inter had expired, it was announced that Ojala had signed a three-year contract with Swedish topflight club BK Häcken, joining with compatriot Kari Arkivuo.

### Return to Inter Turku

He returned to Inter Turku in February 2014 when he signed a contract for season 2014.

### VfR Aalen

In the beginning of July 2015 Ojala transferred to German 3. Liga side VfR Aalen.

## International career

Ojala was selected in the Finland national squad by Stuart Baxter in August 2008. He was also called up in the U21 squad that reached the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship. Ojala made his national team debut on 18 January 2010 as he came from the bench to replace Roni Porokara in friendly match against South Korea at Málaga, Spain where Finland had winter training camp. Ojala gained his second appearance for the national team on 10 August 2011 at Skonto Stadium in a friendly match against Latvia when he and Timo Furuholm replaced Teemu Pukki and Mika Ääritalo as forwards.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of 28 January 2017
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | National cups | National cups | Europe | Europe | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Inter Turku | 2006 | Veikkausliiga | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 20 | 0 |
| Inter Turku | 2007 | Veikkausliiga | 24 | 4 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 24 | 4 |
| Inter Turku | 2008 | Veikkausliiga | 26 | 8 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 26 | 8 |
| Inter Turku | 2009 | Veikkausliiga | 22 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 24 | 7 |
| Inter Turku | 2010 | Veikkausliiga | 23 | 6 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 33 | 7 |
| Inter Turku | 2011 | Veikkausliiga | 32 | 16 | 7 | 5 | – | – | 39 | 21 |
| Inter Turku | 2012 | Veikkausliiga | 28 | 12 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 39 | 15 |
| Inter Turku | Total | Total | 175 | 53 | 25 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 205 | 62 |
| Häcken | 2013 | Allsvenskan | 21 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 25 | 0 |
| Inter Turku | 2014 | Veikkausliiga | 16 | 6 | 6 | 0 | – | – | 22 | 6 |
| Inter Turku | 2015 | Veikkausliiga | 14 | 4 | 7 | 3 | – | – | 21 | 7 |
| Inter Turku | Total | Total | 30 | 10 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 13 |
| VfR Aalen | 2015–16 | 3. Liga | 21 | 5 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 22 | 5 |
| VfR Aalen | 2016–17 | 3. Liga | 26 | 5 | 2 | 0 | – | – | 28 | 5 |
| VfR Aalen | Total | Total | 47 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50 | 10 |
| Inter Turku | 2017 | Veikkausliiga | 13 | 1 | – | – | – | – | 13 | 1 |
| Inter Turku | 2018 | Veikkausliiga | 27 | 3 | 6 | 0 | – | – | 33 | 3 |
| Inter Turku | 2019 | Veikkausliiga | 24 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 27 | 6 |
| Inter Turku | Total | Total | 64 | 10 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 73 | 10 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 337 | 85 | 49 | 9 | 8 | 0 | 396 | 92 |

### International

    As of matches played on 24 January 2014
Appearances and goals by national team and year :
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
| Finland | 2010 | 1 | 0 |
| Finland | 2011 | 1 | 0 |
| Finland | 2012 | 4 | 0 |
| Finland | 2013 | 2 | 0 |
| Finland | 2014 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 9 | 0 |

## Honours

Inter Turku
* Veikkausliiga: 2008
* Finnish League Cup: 2008
* Finnish Cup: 2009
Individual
* Veikkausliiga Player of the Month: August 2008, June 2011, July 2011,
* Veikkausliiga Midfielder of the Year: 2008, 2011, 2012
* Veikkausliiga Top assist provider: 2011