# Joakim Latonen

Joakim Latonen (born 24 February 1998) is a Finnish professional footballer who plays for Veikkausliiga club Gnistan, as an attacking midfielder.

## Club career
### Early career

Latonen started to play football in a youth team of Kaarinan Pojat (KaaPo) in Kaarina.

### Turun Palloseura

Latonen joined the youth sector of Turun Palloseura (TPS) in the neighbouring town of Turku in 2015. He made his senior debut with TPS first team in Veikkausliiga in 2018. During the season, he occasionally represented the associate farm club Salon Palloilijat (SalPa), playing in third-tier Kakkonen.
He spent four seasons with TPS, alternately in Veikkausliiga and second-tier Ykkönen, before his departure was announced in December 2021.

### IFK Mariehamn

For the 2022 season, he signed a one-year contract with IFK Mariehamn in Veikkausliiga.

### IF Gnistan

On 31 January 2023, Latonen signed with IF Gnistan in the second-tier Ykkönen. He was named the Ykkönen Player of the Month in September and October 2023. At the end of the season, Latonen won the Golden Boot as the top scorer in Ykkönen with 19 goals, and Gnistan were promoted to Veikkausliiga via supplemental process. Latonen was also named the Best Player and the Best Forward in Ykkönen.
On 2 January 2024, he renewed his contract with Gnistan, signing a one-year deal for the 2024 season. On 24 February, Latonen scored a hat-trick in a 5–2 Finnish League Cup win against EIF. On 6 April, in the opening match of the 2024 Veikkausliiga season, Latonen scored the first-ever goal for Gnistan in Veikkausliiga, an equalizer from penalty spot against Inter Turku. Gnistan eventually won the game 2–1. One week later on 13 April, Latonen scored his first hat-trick in Veikkausliiga, in a 6–4 away win against Ilves. During the 2024 Veikkausliiga season, Latonen made 29 appearances and scored 11 goals, making it his highest-scoring campaign in Finnish top-tier. On 4 January 2025, Latonen signed a two-year contract extension with Gnistan.

## Career statistics

    As of 11 March 2025
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 |
| TPS | 2018 | Veikkausliiga | 11 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 14 | 0 |
| TPS | 2019 | Ykkönen | 25 | 3 | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 29 | 4 |
| TPS | 2020 | Veikkausliiga | 20 | 1 | 7 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 27 | 3 |
| TPS | 2021 | Ykkönen | 25 | 11 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 28 | 12 |
| TPS | Total | Total | 81 | 15 | 17 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 98 | 19 |
| TPS II | 2020 | Kolmonen | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 |
| SalPa (loan) | 2018 | Kakkonen | 8 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 8 | 6 |
| IFK Mariehamn | 2022 | Veikkausliiga | 20 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 27 | 3 |
| Gnistan | 2023 | Ykkönen | 29 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | — | — | 34 | 20 |
| 2024 | Veikkausliiga | 29 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 3 | — | — | 34 | 14 |
| 2025 | Veikkausliiga | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | – | – | 5 | 2 |
| Total | Total | 58 | 30 | 3 | 0 | 12 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 73 | 35 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 169 | 53 | 24 | 4 | 15 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 208 | 63 |
* ↑ Includes Suomen Cup
* ↑ Includes Finnish League Cup and Ykkönen Cup

## Honours

Turun Palloseura
* Ykkönen runner-up: 2019
IF Gnistan
* Ykkönen runner-up: 2023
Individual
* Ykkönen: Player of the Year 2023
* Ykkönen: Forward of the Year 2023
* Ykkönen Player of the Month: September 2023, October 2023