The Estonia U21 national team is gearing up for its first home matches in the 2027 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifiers. The team will host Switzerland on September 5 and Iceland on September 8, with both fixtures kicking off at 19:00 at Kadriorg Stadium. Head coach Jani Sarajärvi has announced the squad for the upcoming training camp.
Among the squad, a notable inclusion is Martin Vetkal, who recently made a move from Sweden’s Brommapojkarna to the Dutch second division with Dordrecht. Vetkal has five previous U21 caps, last appearing in September 2023. Since then, he has earned 13 appearances and scored one goal for Estonia’s senior team, although he has recently been absent from the national setup. Senior team coach Jürgen Henn recently noted that Vetkal is moving in the right direction following his club switch.
The U21 squad features six players currently plying their trade abroad: Vetkal (Dordrecht, NED), Daniil Pareiko (L’Aquila, ITA), Kristofer Käit (Portimonense, POR), Soufian Gouram (Hertha BSC, GER), Karel Mustmaa (PAOK Thessaloniki, GRE), and Tony Varjund (FC Utrecht, NED).
Sarajärvi emphasized the team’s mindset ahead of these challenging fixtures. “Switzerland and Iceland are tough opponents, but our goal is to give everything on the pitch. I want to see the right attitude from every player—we are not just playing, we are fighting,” he said.
He added: “We must be combative and organized in defense while ready to take the initiative in possession. This squad window is a step forward for each player individually and for the team as a whole. We cannot fear the vulnerability that comes with full commitment. To be victorious, we must accept the risk of defeat. We continue our journey towards playing at the highest level.”
Estonia U21 started their qualifying campaign in June with a narrow 1-2 loss to the Faroe Islands. Alongside Switzerland, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands, the team’s group also includes Luxembourg and France.
Squad List – Estonia U21:
Goalkeepers
- Ott Nõmm – Pärnu JK Vaprus 2/0
- Gregor Pürg – Nõmme United 1/0
- Daniil Pareiko – L’Aquila 1927, Italy
- Jan Martti Vainula – Harju JK Laagri (joining training for first two days)
Defenders
- Andreas Vaher – Tallinna FC Flora
- Mihhail Kolobov – Tallinna FC Flora
- Robert Veering – Tallinna FC Flora
- Kristofer Käit – Portimonense SC, Portugal
- Aleksander Filatov – JK Narva Trans
- Sander Tovstik – Tallinna FC Flora
- Oscar Pihela – FC Kuressaare
Midfielders
- Martin Vetkal – FC Dordrecht, Netherlands
- Oskar Hõim – Paide Linnameeskond
- Rommi Siht – Nõmme Kalju FC
- Jegor Žuravljov – JK Narva Trans
- Tristan Pajo – Pärnu JK Vaprus
- Soufian Gouram – Hertha BSC, Germany
- Ramon Smirnov – JK Tallinna Kalev
Forwards
- Ramol Sillamaa – Harju JK Laagri
- Daniel Luts – Paide Linnameeskond
- Karel Mustmaa – PAOK Thessaloniki, Greece
- Tony Varjund – FC Utrecht, Netherlands
- Maksim Kalimullin – Tallinna FC Flora
- Kristjan Kriis – Harju JK Laagri
- Taavi Jürisoo – JK Tallinna Kalev
