Graduate of Tiraspol "star factory" heads for top spot in European football

Razak Omotoyossi was discovered by FC Sheriff Tiraspol who brought him to Europe and groomed him for the big time

HELSINGBORG (Tiraspol Times) - One of the more promising young players in Europe is now likely to move to the big time, having been discovered by FC Sheriff Tiraspol and started his European career in Transdniestria.

Nigerian-born Benin international striker Razak Omotoyossi currently plays for Helsingborgs IF in Sweden but is expected to move on during the break in the Swedish season while Euro 2008 takes place after a fall-out with the management.

Razak Omotoyossi, the 22-year-old powerhouse from Helsingborg in Sweden, was born in Nigeria but moved to Benin in 2003. At the age of 20 he was discovered and acquired by FC Sheriff Tiraspol, who brought him to Europe on a one year contract. After intensive training at Tiraspol's renowned football stadium, talentspotters from Helsingborg found him and took him to the Swedish league, where he hit 14 goals in 22 appearances last season, plus another eight in European competition.

" - His stock continues to rise, so expect him to turn up at a stadium near you soon," says Gabriele Marcotti, an Italian sports journalist who writes for The Times of London.

Discovered by Tiraspol's star factory

Benin international frontman Razak Omotoyossi who has Nigerian parents began his football career in the dusty streets of Agege in the suburb of Lagos but left Nigeria for neighboring Benin in 2003.

With his adopted country hosting the African Youth Championship in 2005, he helped the team reach the semi-finals and played a part in them making the World Youth Championship the same year. Blessed with pace, great technique and an intelligent scoring brain, it wasn't long before he was snapped up by Tiraspol's top club FC Sheriff.

FC Sheriff Tiraspol is Pridnestrovie's leading football (soccer) team, and back to back regional champion. It it is the only football club in the country which has Brazilian and African contract players. Its talent scouts have a knack for picking relatively unknowns and, while in Tiraspol, turning them into stars. UEFA-watchers call Tiraspol a "star factory" for new players. Tiraspol is the capital of Pridnestrovie (Transnistria), located between Moldova and Ukraine, and home to the Sheriff Stadium, a world class facility which won praise from UEFA and has been shown on BBC.

Willie McDougall of the Scottish Football Association said: "It has facilities second to none, and they are building a five star hotel for visiting teams. I wish we had something like this in Scotland."

After weighing in with his share of goals, Swedish club Helsingborgs signed Razak Omotoyossi from FC Sheriff Tiraspol at the start of last season. Playing alongside Swedish legend Henrik Larsson, the 22-year-old found the net 17 times, making the Helsinborgs IF striker last year’s joint-top scorer in the Swedish league.

Better known abroad under unofficial names such as Transnistria as well as Trans-Dniestria, Pridnestrovie is one of the smallest countries in Europe with just 555,000 inhabitants, approximately the same size as Montenegro and double the number of Iceland's population. It declared independence in 1990 during the breakup of the Soviet Union, but due to a longstanding territorial conflict with neighboring Moldova, its independence has not yet been recognized internationally. It has its own flag, government, national anthem, constitution, passports and issues its own currency. Although it meets the requirements for sovereign statehood under international law, the country is still considered part of Moldova by many in the international community.

See also:
» Lokomotiv signs FC Sheriff player for €2.6m
» Pridnestrovie team ranks #137 among world's best football clubs
» FC Sheriff Tiraspol player on contract with Denmark