The Estonia national football team represents Estonia in international association football. Team members are selected by the head coach of Estonian Football Association (EJL). Estonia play their home matches at the A. Le Coq Arena in Tallinn, Estonia.
Estonia's first match was with Finland in 1920, being a 6–0 defeat. The team participated in the 1924 Olympic Games tournament, their only participation. Estonia have never qualified for the World Cup or European Championship. The team have however qualified for the second round of Euro 2012 qualification, 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.
In 1940, Estonia was occupied by the Soviet Union and did not regain independence (and the possibility of a national football team) until 1991. Estonia's first FIFA recognised match as an independent nation after the break-up of the Soviet Union, was against Slovenia on 3 June 1992, a 1–1 draw in the Estonian capital city of Tallinn.
The record of the most international caps by an Estonian international (157), is held by Martin Reim, who held the European record in 2009 until November of that year. The record of most goals (38) is held by Andres Oper. The national team head coach has been Tarmo Rüütli since January 2008.
Read more about Estonia National Football Team: Most Caps For Estonia, Top Estonia Goalscorers, Stadium, Kit, Supporters, Recent Results and Upcoming Fixtures, Current Squad, Managers and Performance
Famous quotes containing the words football team, national, football and/or team:
“You can’t be a Real Country unless you have A BEER and an airline—it helps if you have some kind of a football team, or some nuclear weapons, but at the very least you need a BEER.”
—Frank Zappa (1940–1993)
“Disney World has acquired by now something of the air of a national shrine. American parents who don’t take their children there sense obscurely that they have failed in some fundamental way, like Muslims who never made it to Mecca.”
—Simon Hoggart (b. 1946)
“You can’t be a Real Country unless you have A BEER and an airline—it helps if you have some kind of a football team, or some nuclear weapons, but at the very least you need a BEER.”
—Frank Zappa (1940–1993)
“Romeo. I dreamt a dream tonight.
Mercutio. And so did I.
Romeo. Well, what was yours?
Mercutio. That dreamers often lie.
Romeo. In bed asleep, while they do dream things true.
Mercutio. O then I see Queen Mab hath been with you.
She is the fairies’ midwife, and she comes
In shape no bigger than an agate stone
On the forefinger of an alderman,
Drawn with a team of little atomi
Over men’s noses as they lie asleep.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)