Joel Piroe named by Suriname for World Cup deciders alongside ex-Leeds striker Jay-Roy Grot | OneFootball

Leeds United striker Joel Piroe has been called up by Suriname for this month’s World Cup deciders, putting the 26-year-old on course for a senior debut.

According to yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk, Piroe switched allegiance earlier this year after youth caps with the Netherlands, qualifying through his father. This is his first senior call-up.

Suriname are two wins from a first ever World Cup, with Henk ten Cate’s side facing Bolivia in Guadalupe on Thursday, March 26. Victory would set up a qualifying decider against Iraq the following week.

Piroe has said he weighed the decision carefully, that his father’s pride mattered, and that he wants to help make history with Suriname. He has visited often and says the country’s joyful, outgoing culture is something he carries onto the pitch. Under ten Cate he could also work with assistant Hasselbaink.

He is due to travel to South America after Saturday’s Premier League match against Brentford, having recently scored his first goal of the season in a 3-0 FA Cup win over Norwich City. Fellow call-up Jay-Roy Grot, 28, joined Leeds from NEC Nijmegen in 2017 and made his Suriname debut last year. He scored one goal in 23 appearances in 2017/18, later moved to VfL Osnabrück in February 2021, and now plays for Odense Boldklub with two goals in 11 this season. He could partner Piroe up front.

Source: yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk