Place of birth Toronto, Canada Number 1 Height 1.97 m | Playing position 2013 North Scarborou SC Weight 92 kg | |
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Full name Andreas Raido Karuks Vaikla Date of birth (1997-02-19) 19 February 1997 (age 20) Current team IFK Mariehamn (#1 / Goalkeeper) | ||
Andreas Raido Karuks Vaikla (born 19 February 1997) is a Canadian-born Estonian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for IFK Mariehamn and the Estonia national football team.
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Early career
Vaikla started his football career with local clubs in Canada. In 2013, he received a call-up to the Estonia under-16 team, being eligible due to his Estonian parents. He was scouted by West Bromwich Albion in a match against Ireland, which led to him later joining the English club's academy the same year.
Norrköping
In 2015, he left West Bromwich Albion for Swedish side Norrköping, signing a senior contract until the end of the 2016 season. Vaikla was a part of the Norrköping squad that won both the 2015 Allsvenskan in October and the 2015 Svenska Supercupen in November 2015, however only appearing as an unused substitute.
He made his senior debut for the club on 20 February 2016, a day after his 19th birthday, keeping a clean sheet in Norrköping's 4–0 Svenska Cupen win against Östersund. He started all four cup games during early spring, and on April 22, Vaikla made his Allsvenskan debut, coming on as a substitute in the 19th minute against Falkenberg. Due to injuries to first choice goalkeeper David Mitov Nilsson, Vaikla played 11 league matches and two Champions League qualification matches until he was replaced by Michael Langer in late Summer.
Mariehamn
On 31 January 2017, Vaikla signed a three-year contract with Veikkausliiga club IFK Mariehamn.
International career
On 14 March 2016, Vaikla received his first call-up to Estonia national football team by manager Magnus Pehrsson, for the friendly matches against Norway and Serbia. He made his debut for the senior team on 1 June 2016, keeping a clean sheet in a 2–0 friendly home win against Andorra.