Under-17 EURO puts Estonian youth football back in focus  

The last time Estonia hosted a UEFA final tournament, Arno Pijpers remembers a youth system still taking shape. More than a decade on, as the country welcomes Europe’s leading Under-17 sides, the Dutchman sees a far stronger foundation in place.

Few people have witnessed that evolution more closely. Now assistant coach of Estonia's senior national team, Pijpers has been part of the journey since 2000, when he became head coach of both the national team and FC Flora Tallinn. As he recalls, there was a lot of work to be done.

"It's a really huge change," says Pijpers. "It was just the start of professional football in Estonia then. Slowly, we started courses and finally launched UEFA Pro Licence courses in 2004. That meant we were also starting to develop coaches."

Arno Pijpers, right, with then Under-19 team captain Karl-Eerik Luigend in 2012Estonian Football Association

Although he left his role with the national team in 2005 and went on to work in Kazakhstan, Russia and the Netherlands, it wouldn’t be long before Pijpers reignited his connection with Estonia. Shortly before the start of the 2012 Under-19 finals, he was asked to take charge of the host nation’s side.

Though Estonia lost all three matches (0–3 to Portugal, 1–4 to Greece and 0–2 to Spain), the hosts did not go down without a fight. "There was no expectation that they could win these matches, but we managed to show real football," Pijpers says. "Our opponents had to work very hard to achieve these results. It was a very difficult situation for us, but we did a fine job."

Developing the foundations

A new generation of Estonian players was beginning to emerge, and facing Europe’s top teams proved a valuable step in their development. "For some, the tournament was a big boost in understanding how to behave and play as a professional," Pijpers notes. Several players from that side went on to have long careers with the senior national team, including Artur Pikk, now on 62 Estonia caps, and Karol Mets, who has more than 100.

Since 2012, Pijpers has continued to run UEFA coaching courses in Estonia and believes that improving coaching standards is crucial to identifying talented youngsters and keeping them in football.

"This is fundamental if you want to have a good level of football. If you have a small number of players, as in Estonia, you need top developers to bring these players up to the level of the national team."

Estonia's current Under-17 team in March 2026Estonian Football Association

Continuing his long association with Estonia, Pijpers returned to the national team set-up as an assistant coach in 2024 and has made nurturing the country’s rising stars a priority. "When I see a young player coming through, I try to speak individually with him and explain what it takes to be a top player."

These focuses are paying off, with young Estonian players increasingly attracting interest from clubs in Europe’s top leagues. Marten-Chris Paalberg, just 17, signed with French top-flight team AS Saint-Étienne this year after scoring 15 goals in 25 Estonian league matches. Pijpers has monitored his development closely.

"I had been speaking with Marten-Chris for a long time about his physical strength and the fact that he needed to keep developing," says Pijpers. "Later on, he started playing for the national team. Playing against Norway and [Erling] Haaland was a good experience for him."

Compatriot Patrik Kristal is only 18, but he has already played 12 international matches for Estonia and secured a move to German Bundesliga side 1. FC Köln in 2025. "Marko, Patrik's father, played for the national team under me," Pijpers says. "He knew exactly what it takes to reach a high level and showed his son the right path for development."

Patrik Kristal, right, is only 18, but has already broken into the Estonian senior national teamVille Vuorinen/Getty Images

The next step

Like the Under-19s in 2012, Estonia’s Under-17 team faces a difficult challenge at this summer’s EURO, but they will not be overawed by the occasion. "Individual talent is important, but the team itself is the most important thing when you play against such strong opponents," Pijpers says.

They’ve so far reached youth final tournaments only as hosts, but Pijpers believes Estonia will soon be able to qualify on merit. "There is still a lot of work ahead, but it's achievable," he predicts. "With a population of this size, it's not possible to do so regularly. It will always be an exception for a smaller country to qualify, but I think Estonia has reached a level where the possibility is there."

For Pijpers, that possibility alone reflects how far Estonian football has come since his first days in Tallinn more than 25 years ago.