Piiroja Signs with Dutch Vitesse
The captain of the Estonian national football team, Raio Piiroja, has left his Norwegian club Fredrikstad for the Dutch premier league team Arnhem Vitesse.
The 32-year-old defender signed a one-season contract with the club, with the option of renewal for an additional season, sport.err.ee reported.
"This is a very important step for my career. Holland is a big football country and everybody knows the high level of its top league. For me it's a new challenge," Piiroja said in Ljubljana, where the Estonian team is preparing for its September 2 Euro 2012 qualifier against Slovenia.
Piiroja said that it was emotionally difficult to leave Fredrikstad, where he has been playing since 2006, but that given his age, he had to seize the opportunity when it arose.
Moving to Vitesse, Piiroja joins Estonian teammate Marko Meerits, who signed a three-year deal with the club in July.
Piiroja was named player of the year for Estonia in 2002 and every year from 2006 to 2009.
Steve Roman