CHICAGO, Ill. (August 29, 2013) – The Chicago Fire Soccer Club announced Thursday that midfielders Joel Lindpere (Estonia) and Arevalo Rios (Uruguay) have been called up by their national teams for the upcoming FIFA World Cup Qualifiers.
Lindpere has been selected by Estonian Men’s National Team manager Tarmo Rüütli to represent Estonia against the Netherlands Sept. 6 at A. Le Coq Arena in Tallinn, Estonia and against Hungary Sept. 10 at Ferenc Puskás Stadium in Budapest, Hungary. A product of Tallinn, Estonia, Lindpere made his international debut on Nov. 1, 1999 in a friendly against the United Arab Emirates. He scored his first international goal on Feb. 18, 2004 in a 1-0 win over Moldova, and has since scored six goals in 90 total appearances for his country.
Head coach Óscar Tabárez has called in the Paysandú native to represent Uruguay against Peru Sept. 6 at Estadio Monumental in Lima, Peru and against Colombia Sept. 10 at Estadio Centenario in Montevideo, Uruguay. A veteran international who has earned 46 caps for his country, Rios made seven appearances in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, helping Uruguay to a fourth place finish. Named one of the three players over the age of 23-years-old for the 2012 London Olympics, Rios most recently competed in the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup where he made three appearances.
Lindpere will depart immediately following the Fire’s Sept. 1 match against the Houston Dynamo at Toyota Park at 2:00 p.m. CT (UniMas/My50/La Ley 107.9). Rios will depart on Monday, Sept. 2. Both players are expected to miss the Fire’s Sept. 7 match against the Seattle Sounders at CenturyLink Field in Seattle, Wash. at 9:00 p.m. CT (NBC Sports Network/La Ley 107.9) and the Sept. 11 match against Toronto FC at BMO Field in Toronto at 6:30 p.m. CT (My50/La Ley 107.9).
