Raio Piiroja
Raio Piiroja
| Personal information |
| Date of birth |
11 July 1979 (1979-07-11) (age 32) |
| Place of birth |
Pärnu, Estonia |
| Height |
1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) |
| Playing position |
Centre back |
| Club information |
| Current club |
Vitesse |
| Number |
3 |
| Youth career |
|
Pärnu JK Rivaal |
|
JK Pärnu |
| Senior career* |
| Years |
Team |
Apps† |
(Gls)† |
| 1995–1996 |
JK Pärnu |
8 |
(1) |
| 1996–1997 |
FC Lelle |
20 |
(1) |
| 1998–1999 |
Lelle SK |
22 |
(3) |
| 1999–2004 |
FC Flora Tallinn |
102 |
(14) |
| 2000 |
→ JK Pärnu (loan) |
1 |
(0) |
| 2001 |
→ FC Warrior Valga (loan) |
1 |
(0) |
| 2003 |
→ Vålerenga IF (loan) |
11 |
(1) |
| 2004–2011 |
Fredrikstad FK |
158 |
(12) |
| 2011– |
Vitesse |
2 |
(0) |
| National team‡ |
| 1998– |
Estonia[1] |
108 |
(8) |
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 15 December 2010.
† Appearances (Goals).
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 17 November 2011 |
Raio Piiroja (born 11 July 1979 in Pärnu) is an Estonian professional footballer, who plays in the Eredivisie for Vitesse. He plays the position of centre back and is also the captain of the Estonian national football team.
Club career
He started his career in Pärnu before joining FC Flora Tallinn under then manager Teitur Thordarson. He then joined Vålerenga IF in Norway on loan before signing a permanent contract with Fredrikstad. In season 2006, he scored two goals in the Norwegian Football Cup final against Sandefjord Fotball in a 3–0 victory. In the end of the 2010 season, Piiroja scored 2 goals in the playoffs for promotion to the Norwegian Premier League against Hönefoss BK. He is known for his impressing ability in the air, winning headers. As a captain for the Estonia national football team, Raio is always in the heart of the defense. As he is the captain of the squad, he is a central figure in all of their games – always fighting to give his all on the pitch and motivate his team not to give in.
International career
For Estonia, Piiroja has been capped 108 times, scoring 8 goals. He made his 100th appearance in a 2–0 friendly win over Uruguay.
International goals
Police investigation of player contract with Norwegian club
In 2011 Norwegian police launched an investigation of his former player contract with a Norwegian club.[2] Piiroja was charged with tax evasion. [3]
Career stats
Club
Honours
Club
Individual
References
External links
| Persondata |
| Name |
Piiroja, Raio |
| Alternative names |
|
| Short description |
footballer |
| Date of birth |
11 July 1979 |
| Place of birth |
Pärnu, Estonia |
| Date of death |
|
| Place of death |
|