Life Goes Full Circle for Raitala

The last-ever Montreal Impact captain has gone back to his footballing roots, returning to Helsinki with Finnish champions HJK.Jukka Raitala, the last-ever Montreal Impact captain is returning home to play with Finnish champions HJK Helsinki, the club where professionally it all began for the 63-times capped defender.

Raitala of course spent the last season in MLS with Minnesota United where opportunities were limited, after leaving Montreal in 2020.

But he did realize a lifetime ambition by playing for Finland in the delayed 2020 Euro finals tournament (held a year after originally scheduled), starting all three Group games. That included the game that no-one will forget when Christian…