Lassi Lappalainen

Lassi Lappalainen
Personal information
Full name	Lassi Roni Kasperi Lappalainen
Date of birth	24 August 1998 (age 26)
Place of birth	Espoo, Finland
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s)	Winger
Team information
Current team	Columbus Crew
Youth career
0000–2010	EPS
2011–2015	HJK
Senior career*
Years	Team
2015–2016	Klubi 04
2015–2019	HJK
2017–2018	→ RoPS (loan)
2019–2021	Bologna
2019–2021	→ CF Montréal (loan)
2022–2024	CF Montréal
2025–	Columbus Crew
International career‡
2013–2014	Finland U16
2014	Finland U17
2016	Finland U18
2016–2017	Finland U19
2017–	Finland U21
2019–	Finland
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 8 January 2025; ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 22:25, 16 June 2021 (UTC)

Lassi Roni Kasperi Lappalainen (born 24 August 1998) is a Finnish professional footballer who plays as a winger for Major League Soccer franchise Columbus Crew.^[2]

Club career

Early career

Born in Espoo in 1998,^[3] Lappalainen started his football career with Espoon Palloseura (EPS)^[4] and later moved to HJK youth team. Lappalainen played in Klubi 04, the reserve team of HJK.

HJK

In 2016, Lappalainen was called up for HJK's first team. On 2 April 2016, he made his Veikkausliiga debut against IFK Mariehamn at Sonera Stadium, being substituted on by coach Mika Lehkosuo in place of Nnamdi Oduamadi in the 90th minute.^[5] Lappalainen also represented HJK youth in UEFA Youth League twice, in 2015–16 and 2016–17.^[3]

RoPS (loan)

On 21 July 2017, Lappalainen was loaned to RoPS for remainder of the Veikkausliiga season.^[6] Two days later, he scored his first league goal for RoPS just five minutes into his debut after coming on as a substitute.^[7]

Bologna

On 19 July 2019, Lappalainen signed to Italian Serie A club Bologna. HJK Helsinki stated it received "significant compensation" and that economically, the transfer was in the "top 7 of HJK's club history".^[8]^[9] The transfer fee was later reported to be €700.000.^[10]

CF Montreal

On 25 July 2019, it was announced that Lappalainen was loaned to Major League Soccer (MLS) franchise Montreal Impact, later renamed as CF Montréal, for the remainder of the 2019 season using $180,000 of the Targeted Allocation Money. The Impact have options to extend the loan until 30 June 2020, as well as until 31 December 2020.^[11] On 27 July 2019, he contributed two goals to Montreal Impact's 4–0 victory over the first-place Philadelphia Union on his MLS debut.^[12]

On 3 December 2021, Lappalainen's move to Montréal was made permanent, on a deal until the end of 2024, with an option to extend it.^[13] In late November 2024 it was announced he would leave the club after the 2024 season.^[14]

Columbus Crew

Lappalainen joined Major League Soccer side Columbus Crew on 8 January 2025, on a one-year contract with a club option for 2026.^[15]

International career

Lappalainen made his debut for the Finland national team on 8 January 2019 in a friendly against Sweden, as a starter.^[16]

Lappalainen was called up for the UEFA Euro 2020 pre-tournament friendly match against Sweden on 29 May 2021.^[17]

Career statistics

Club

As of 11 October 2024^[2]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club	Season	League			National cup^[b]		League cup		Continental		Other		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Klubi 04	2015	Kakkonen	14	7	0	0	–		–		–		14	7
	2016	Kakkonen	5	1	0	0	–		–		–		5	1
	2017	Kakkonen	2	2	0	0	–		–		–		2	2
	Total		21	10	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	21	10
HJK	2015	Veikkausliiga	0	0	0	0	1^[c]	0	0	0	–		1	0
	2016	Veikkausliiga	14	0	1	0	4^[c]	0	0	0	–		19	0
	2017	Veikkausliiga	0	0	5	1	–		1^[d]	0	–		6	1
	2018	Veikkausliiga	0	0	0	0	–		0	0	–		0	0
	2019	Veikkausliiga	16	3	5	1	–		2^[e]	2	–		23	6
	Total		30	3	11	2	5	0	3	2	0	0	49	7
RoPS (loan)	2017	Veikkausliiga	13	4	0	0	–		–		–		13	4
	2018	Veikkausliiga	26	8	5	3	–		–		–		31	11
	Total		39	12	5	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	44	15
Bologna	2019–20	Serie A	0	0	0	0	–		–		0	0	0	0
CF Montréal^[a] (loan)	2019	MLS	11	5	4	0	–		–		0	0	15	5
	2020	MLS	13	4	0	0	–		–		1^[f]	0	14	4
	2021	MLS	15	1	3	0	–		–		0	0	18	1
	Total		39	10	7	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	47	10
CF Montréal	2022	MLS	28	3	0	0	–		4^[g]	0	2^[h]	0	34	3
	2023	MLS	21	2	2	0	2^[i]	0	–		0	0	25	2
	2024	MLS	11	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	11	0
	Total		60	5	2	0	2	0	4	0	2	0	70	5
Columbus Crew	2025	MLS	0	0	0	0	–		–		–		0	0
Career total			144	36	23	5	5	0	3	2	1	0	176	43

^ ^a ^b "Montreal Impact" before name change to CF Montréal in 2021
^ Includes Suomen Cup, Finnish League Cup and Canadian Championship
^ ^a ^b Appearance(s) in Finnish League Cup
^ Appearance(s) in the UEFA Europa League
^ Appearance(s) in the UEFA Champions League
^ Appearance(s) in the MLS is Back Tournament
^ Appearance(s) in the CONCACAF Champions League
^ Appearance(s) in the MLS Cup Playoffs
^ Appearance(s) in Leagues Cup

International

As of match played on 16 June 2021.^[18]

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team	Year	Apps
Finland	2019	7
	2020	0
	2021	2
Total		9

Honours

Montreal Impact

Canadian Championship: 2019^[19] 2021^[20]

References

^ "Lassi Lappalainen". CF Montréal. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
^ ^a ^b Lassi Lappalainen at Soccerway. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
^ ^a ^b Lassi Lappalainen at WorldFootball.net
^ "Lapista tulleella Lappalaisella kovat tavoitteet Stadissa – "Toivon ykköslaiturin roolia"" [Lappalainen from Lapland sets hard goals at Stadio - "I hope to be number one"]. vantaansanomat.fi (in Finnish). Vantaan Sanomat. 19 March 2018. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
^ "HJK vs. Mariehamn - 2 April 2016 - Soccerway". us.soccerway.com. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
^ "RoPS lainasi Lappalaisen Helsingin Jalkapalloklubista". rops.fi. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
^ "RoPS - SJK 23 July 2017". Soccerway. Retrieved 23 July 2017.
^ "UFFICIALE: Bologna, tesserato il finlandese Lappalainen" (in Italian). Retrieved 20 July 2019.
^ "Arrivederci, Lassi Lappalainen!". HJK Helsinki (in Finnish). 17 July 2019. Retrieved 20 July 2019.
^ Maailmalle kasvamaan, Helsingin Sanomat, Juho Niemistö, 19 August 2023
^ "Lappalainen on loan". Retrieved 25 July 2019.
^ "Lappalainen scores twice in MLS debut, Impact hammer Union". 27 July 2019. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
^ Lassi Lappalainen transferred from Bologna to CF Montréal, signs long-term deal MLS Sport. 3 December 2021. Retrieved 11 December 2022
^ Lassi Lappalainen ei jatka Montrealissa, Yle, 22 November 2024
^ "Columbus Crew sign free agent Midfielder Lassi Lappalainen". ColumbusCrew.com. Columbus Crew. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
^ "Sweden v Finland game report". Eurosport. 8 January 2019.
^ "Näillä pelaajilla Huuhkajat lähtevät kohti EM-kisoja – kaksi nimeä kiinnostivat yli muiden" (in Finnish). Helsingin Sanomat. 19 May 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
^ "Lassi Lappalainen". National Football Teams. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
^ "Montréal takes 2019 Canadian Championship title". Retrieved 28 September 2019.
^ "Montreal beats Toronto FC 1-0 to win Canadian Championship Voyageurs Cup". Retrieved 21 November 2021.

External links

Lassi Lappalainen at National-Football-Teams.com

[cfm-2] "Montreal Impact" before name change to CF Montréal in 2021

[19] Includes Suomen Cup, Finnish League Cup and Canadian Championship

[flc-20] Appearance(s) in Finnish League Cup

[uel-21] Appearance(s) in the UEFA Europa League

[ucl-22] Appearance(s) in the UEFA Champions League

[MBT-23] Appearance(s) in the MLS is Back Tournament

[cocl-24] Appearance(s) in the CONCACAF Champions League

[MCP-25] Appearance(s) in the MLS Cup Playoffs

[lsc-26] Appearance(s) in Leagues Cup

[1] "Lassi Lappalainen". CF Montréal. Retrieved 21 August 2022.

[sw-3] Lassi Lappalainen at Soccerway. Retrieved 14 December 2016.

[wf-4] Lassi Lappalainen at WorldFootball.net

[5] "Lapista tulleella Lappalaisella kovat tavoitteet Stadissa – "Toivon ykköslaiturin roolia"" [Lappalainen from Lapland sets hard goals at Stadio - "I hope to be number one"]. vantaansanomat.fi (in Finnish). Vantaan Sanomat. 19 March 2018. Retrieved 19 March 2019.

[6] "HJK vs. Mariehamn - 2 April 2016 - Soccerway". us.soccerway.com. Retrieved 14 December 2016.

[7] "RoPS lainasi Lappalaisen Helsingin Jalkapalloklubista". rops.fi. Retrieved 21 July 2017.

[8] "RoPS - SJK 23 July 2017". Soccerway. Retrieved 23 July 2017.

[9] "UFFICIALE: Bologna, tesserato il finlandese Lappalainen" (in Italian). Retrieved 20 July 2019.

[10] "Arrivederci, Lassi Lappalainen!". HJK Helsinki (in Finnish). 17 July 2019. Retrieved 20 July 2019.

[11] Maailmalle kasvamaan, Helsingin Sanomat, Juho Niemistö, 19 August 2023

[12] "Lappalainen on loan". Retrieved 25 July 2019.

[13] "Lappalainen scores twice in MLS debut, Impact hammer Union". 27 July 2019. Retrieved 27 July 2019.

[14] Lassi Lappalainen transferred from Bologna to CF Montréal, signs long-term deal MLS Sport. 3 December 2021. Retrieved 11 December 2022

[15] Lassi Lappalainen ei jatka Montrealissa, Yle, 22 November 2024

[16] "Columbus Crew sign free agent Midfielder Lassi Lappalainen". ColumbusCrew.com. Columbus Crew. Retrieved 8 January 2025.

[17] "Sweden v Finland game report". Eurosport. 8 January 2019.

[18] "Näillä pelaajilla Huuhkajat lähtevät kohti EM-kisoja – kaksi nimeä kiinnostivat yli muiden" (in Finnish). Helsingin Sanomat. 19 May 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2021.

[27] "Lassi Lappalainen". National Football Teams. Retrieved 16 June 2021.

[Canadian_Championship-28] "Montréal takes 2019 Canadian Championship title". Retrieved 28 September 2019.

[29] "Montreal beats Toronto FC 1-0 to win Canadian Championship Voyageurs Cup". Retrieved 21 November 2021.

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