 | |||
| Nickname(s) | Sinisärgid (Blueshirts) Kalevipojad | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Association | Estonian Football Association (Eesti Jalgpalli Liit – EJL) | ||
| Confederation | UEFA (Europe) | ||
| Head coach | Jürgen Henn | ||
| Captain | Karol Mets | ||
| Most caps | Konstantin Vassiljev (158)[1] | ||
| Top scorer | Andres Oper (38) | ||
| Home stadium | Lilleküla Stadium | ||
| FIFA code | EST | ||
| |||
| FIFA ranking | |||
| Current | 124  2 (24 October 2024)[2] | ||
| Highest | 47 (March 2012) | ||
| Lowest | 137 (October 2008) | ||
| First international | |||
 Finland 6–0 Estonia  (Helsinki, Finland; 17 October 1920) | |||
| Biggest win | |||
Estonia 6–0 Lithuania  (Tallinn, Estonia; 26 July 1928)  Gibraltar 0–6 Estonia (Faro, Portugal; 7 October 2017) | |||
| Biggest defeat | |||
| Finland 10–2 Estonia (Helsinki, Finland; 11 August 1922)  Germany 8–0 Estonia (Mainz, Germany; 11 June 2019) | |||
| Baltic Cup | |||
| Appearances | 27 (first in 1928) | ||
| Best result | Champions (1929, 1931, 1938, 2020, 2024) | ||
| Website | jalgpall.ee | ||
The Estonia men's national football team[a] (Estonian: Eesti Jalgpallikoondis) represents Estonia in international football matches and is controlled by the Estonian Football Association, the governing body for football in Estonia. Estonia's home ground is Lilleküla Stadium in the capital city Tallinn.
The national team's first ever match was held against Finland in 1920 and resulted in 6–0 defeat. Estonian footballers have participated only once in the Olympic Games, when they played a single match in the 1924 Olympic Games' final tournament in Paris, France. They were defeated 1–0 by the United States in first round. During World War II, in 1940, Estonia was invaded and occupied by the Soviet Union, and there was no possibility of fielding a national football team again until the country restored full independence in August 1991. After the end of the 1944–1991 Soviet occupation, Estonia's first FIFA-recognised international match was with Slovenia on 3 June 1992, a 1–1 draw at home in Tallinn.
Estonia has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup or UEFA European Championship. The team has reached the UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying play-offs, by finishing second in their qualifying group, before being drawn up against Ireland for a play-off tie, making 2011 the "annus mirabilis of Estonian football". They have since repeated this feat by qualifying for the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying play-offs through being the best group winner in 2022–23 UEFA Nations League D.[4][5]
Estonia has also participated in the local sub-regional Baltic Cup championship, which takes place every two years between the countries of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Estonia has won the three-nation Baltic Cup tournament five times — most recently in 2024 — which is less than either of the other two teams in the tournament, Latvia and Lithuania.
The record for the most international caps by an international is held by Konstantin Vassiljev with 158. Martin Reim has 157 caps, who held the European record in 2009 until November of that year. The record for most goals is held by Andres Oper with 38.
- ^ "Eesti tunnistas võõrsil Šveitsi kindlat paremust" [Estonia recognized the clear superiority of Switzerland away from home]. Estonian Football Federation (in Estonian). 4 June 2024.
Ajalooline hetk sündis kohtumise 81. minutil, mil vahetusest sekkus mängu Konstantin Vassiljev. Täna oma 158. koondisemängus väljakule astunud ning sellega rekordinternatsionaali tiitli teeninud...
[A historic moment occurred in the 81st minute of the match, when Konstantin Vasiljev entered the game as a substitute. Vassiljev, who took to the field in his 158th national team game today and thus earned the record international title...] - ^ "The FIFA/Coca-Cola Men's World Ranking". FIFA. 24 October 2024. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
- ^ Elo rankings change compared to one year ago. "World Football Elo Ratings". eloratings.net. 16 October 2024. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
- ^ ERR, ERR News | (21 November 2023). "Estonia makes Euro 2024 play-offs thanks to Czech Republic win". ERR. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
- ^ Schofield, Will (22 November 2023). "Euro 2024 hopefuls can still reach finals despite not winning a single qualifier". The Mirror. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
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