Aki Pasinpoika Riihilahti (born 9 September 1976) is a Finnish sports executive and a former professional footballer.
After two seasons in Norway, he joined England's Crystal Palace in 2001, eventually becoming a fans' favourite at the club.
Riihilahti was so loved by the Crystal Palace faithful that a Finnish flag with the legend 'AKI 15' across the centre was hung behind one of the Selhurst Park goals for the entire Premier League season.
However, his next season, back in the Championship, following Palace's relegation, was not so successful because injuries limited his chances.
[1][2] Riihilahti had a key role in establishment of the UEFA Europa Conference League which started during the 2021-2022 season.
Apart from his careers in sports and media he has been involved in many high profile political and business committees.