# Saku Puhakainen

Saku Puhakainen (born 14 January 1975) is a Finnish former footballer who played as a striker.

## Club career

Since 2000 Puhakainen played for MyPa in the Finnish premier division, Veikkausliiga. His earlier clubs include FC Kuusysi and Turun Palloseura. He achieved the Veikkausliiga top scorer title in 2003. With MyPa he has won the Finnish Cup in 2004 and the Finnish championship in 2005. After being released from MYPA, he returned to Kultsu FC playing in third division. During his career, he made 382 appearances and scored 114 goals in Finnish top-tier Veikkausliiga.

## International career

Puhakainen played three times for Finland and scored twice under coach Richard Møller Nielsen in 1997.

## Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | Domestic cups | Domestic cups | Europe | Europe | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Rakuunat | 1992 | Kakkonen | 18 | 2 | – | – | – | – | 18 | 2 |
| Kultsu | 1993 | Ykkönen | 26 | 9 | – | – | – | – | 26 | 9 |
| Kultsu | 1994 | Ykkönen | 17 | 8 | – | – | – | – | 17 | 8 |
| Kultsu | Total | Total | 43 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 17 |
| Kuusysi | 1995 | Veikkausliiga | 25 | 9 | – | – | – | – | 25 | 9 |
| TPS | 1996 | Veikkausliiga | 25 | 7 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 26 | 7 |
| TPS | 1997 | Veikkausliiga | 26 | 6 | – | – | 4 | 0 | 30 | 6 |
| TPS | 1998 | Veikkausliiga | 24 | 5 | – | – | 4 | 2 | 28 | 7 |
| TPS | 1999 | Veikkausliiga | 25 | 12 | – | – | – | – | 25 | 12 |
| TPS | Total | Total | 100 | 30 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 109 | 32 |
| Aarhus Fremad (loan) | 1997–98 | Danish Superliga | 3 | 1 | – | – | – | – | 3 | 1 |
| MYPA | 2000 | Veikkausliiga | 32 | 10 | – | – | 2 | 1 | 34 | 11 |
| MYPA | 2001 | Veikkausliiga | 31 | 9 | – | – | 2 | 1 | 33 | 10 |
| MYPA | 2002 | Veikkausliiga | 28 | 13 | – | – | 2 | 0 | 30 | 13 |
| MYPA | 2003 | Veikkausliiga | 26 | 14 | – | – | 4 | 0 | 30 | 14 |
| MYPA | 2004 | Veikkausliiga | 26 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 29 | 11 |
| MYPA | 2005 | Veikkausliiga | 20 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 22 | 8 |
| MYPA | 2006 | Veikkausliiga | 17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 21 | 3 |
| MYPA | 2007 | Veikkausliiga | 25 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 29 | 4 |
| MYPA | 2008 | Veikkausliiga | 26 | 5 | – | – | – | – | 26 | 5 |
| MYPA | 2009 | Veikkausliiga | 26 | 2 | 6 | 0 | – | – | 32 | 2 |
| MYPA | Total | Total | 257 | 75 | 7 | 1 | 22 | 5 | 286 | 81 |
| Kultsu | 2010 | Kolmonen | 9 | 8 | – | – | – | – | 9 | 8 |
| PEPO Lappeenranta | 2011 | Kakkonen | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 1 | 0 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 456 | 142 | 8 | 1 | 30 | 7 | 494 | 150 |
* ↑ Includes Suomen Cup and Finnish League Cup
* 1 2 3 4 Appearances in UEFA Intertoto Cup
* 1 2 3 4 5 Appearances in UEFA Cup
* ↑ Appearances in UEFA Champions League

### International

Finland :
| Year | Apps | Goals |
| 1997 | 3 | 2 |
| Total | 3 | 2 |

### International goals

    As of match played 25 February 1997. Finland score listed first, score column indicates score after each Puhakainen goal.
List of international goals scored by Saku Puhakainen :
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1 | 23 February 1997 | Stadium Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | China | 1–1 | 1–2 | Friendly |
| 2 | 25 February 1997 | Stadium Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | Singapore | 1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly |