Marek Lemsalu

Marek Lemsalu (born 24 November 1972) is an Estonian former professional footballer. He played as a centre-back for Pärnu KEK, Sport Tallinn, Pärnu Kalakombinaat/MEK, Flora, Mainz 05, Kuressaare, Strømsgodset, Tulevik, Start, Bryne and Levadia.

Marek Lemsalu

Lemsalu with Levadia in 2008
Personal information
Full name	Marek Lemsalu
Date of birth	(1972-11-24) 24 November 1972 (age 52)
Place of birth	Pärnu, Estonia
Height	1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position(s)	Centre-back
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1988–1989	Pärnu KEK	29	(2)
1989	Eesti Tööstus/Flora	1	(0)
1989–1990	Sport Tallinn	26	(0)
1990–1991	Pärnu Kalakombinaat/MEK	39	(4)
1992–1999	Flora	119	(17)
1996–1997	→ Mainz 05 (loan)	16	(0)
1998	→ Kuressaare (loan)	1	(0)
1999	Strømsgodset	8	(0)
2000	Tulevik	20	(6)
2001	Start	29	(2)
2002–2005	Bryne	110	(10)
2006–2008	Levadia	91	(15)
Total		489	(56)
International career
1992–2007	Estonia	86	(3)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Lemsalu made his debut for the Estonia national team in 1992. He was captain in 1995 and 1996, and made a total of 86 appearances for the team before retiring in 2007.

Lemsalu was named Estonian Footballer of the Year in 1996 and Meistriliiga Player of the Year in 2006.^[1]

Club career

Early career

Lemsalu started playing football in 1988 for his hometown club Pärnu KEK, before moving to Soviet Second League club Sport Tallinn in 1989. In 1990, he returned to Pärnu where he played for Pärnu Kalakombinaat/MEK.^[1]

Flora

In 1992, Lemsalu signed for Flora of the newly formed Meistriliiga. With Flora, he won four Meistriliiga titles, in 1993–94, 1994–95, 1997–98, and 1998.^[1] In December 1997 he had a trial at English club Barnsley who were then in the Premier League,^[2] however this didn't lead to a transfer.

Mainz 05 (loan)

In 1996, Lemsalu joined German 2. Bundesliga side Mainz 05 on a season-long loan for a fee of EEK 1 million.^[3]

Strømsgodset

In 1999, Lemsalu signed for Norwegian Tippeligaen side Strømsgodset.^[1]

Tulevik

In 2000, Lemsalu returned to Estonia and joined Tulevik.^[1]

Start

In 2001, Lemsalu signed for Norwegian 1. divisjon side Start.^[1] He helped Start to finish the 2001 season as runners-up and earn their promotion to the Tippeligaen.

Bryne

On 11 December 2002, Lemsalu signed a three-year contract with Norwegian Tippeligaen side Bryne.^[4]

Levadia

On 17 January 2006, Lemsalu returned to the Meistriliiga, joining Levadia.^[5] Levadia reached the first round in the 2006–07 UEFA Cup, but lost to Newcastle United 1–3 on aggregate. In 2006, Lemsalu succeeded Konstantin Vassiljev as team captain. He won the 2006 Meistriliiga title and was named Meistriliiga Player of the Year. He won two more successive Meistriliiga titles in 2007 and 2008.^[1] Lemsalu retired from professional football after the 2008 season, playing his last match on 15 November 2008 against TVMK.^[6]

International career

Lemsalu made his international debut for the Estonia national team on 11 July 1992 in a 1–1 draw against Lithuania in the 1992 Baltic Cup. He was team captain in 1995 and 1996. He scored his first goal for Estonia on 22 June 1997 in a 4–1 home win against Andorra in a friendly. Lemsalu retired from international football on 28 March 2007, after a UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying match against Israel. He made a total of 86 appearances and scored 3 goals.^[7]

Personal life

Lemsalu's daughter Liis Lemsalu is a singer and the winner of the fourth season of Eesti otsib superstaari (Estonian version of Idols).

Career statistics

Club

Club	Season	League			Cup		Europe		Other[a]		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Pärnu KEK	1988	2. liiga	12	0			—		—		12	0
	1989		17	2			—		—		17	2
	Total		29	2			—		—		29	2
Eesti Tööstus/Flora	1989	Kõrgliiga	1	0			—		—		1	0
Sport Tallinn	1989	Soviet Second League	4	0			—		—		4	0
	1990	Baltic League	22	0			—		—		22	0
	Total		26	0			—		—		26	0
Pärnu Kalakombinaat/MEK	1990	Kõrgliiga	16	1			—		—		16	1
	1991		23	3			—		—		23	3
	Total		39	4			—		—		39	4
Flora	1992	Meistriliiga	8	1			—		—		8	1
	1992–93		18	5			—		—		18	5
	1993–94		15	1			—		—		15	1
	1994–95		19	3			1	0	3	0	23	3
	1995–96		24	3			2	0	3	0	29	3
	1996–97		4	1			2	0	—		6	1
	1997–98		18	1			2	0	—		20	1
	1998		5	0			1	0	0	0	6	0
	1999		8	2			1	0	—		9	2
	Total		119	17			9	0	6	0	134	17
Mainz 05 (loan)	1996–97	2. Bundesliga	16	0	0	0	—		—		16	0
Kuressaare (loan)	1998	Esiliiga	1	0	0	0	—		0	0	1	0
Strømsgodset	1999	Tippeligaen	8	0	0	0	—		0	0	8	0
Tulevik	2000	Meistriliiga	20	6			1	0	0	0	21	6
Start	2001	1. divisjon	29	2	3	0	—		—		32	2
Bryne	2002	Tippeligaen	26	4	3	1	—		—		29	5
	2003		25	1	3	0	—		—		28	1
	2004	1. divisjon	30	1	5	0	—		—		35	1
	2005		29	4	4	0	—		—		33	4
	Total		110	10	15	1	—		—		125	11
Levadia	2006	Meistriliiga	33	5			6	0	—		39	5
	2007		30	6			4	0	7	0	41	6
	2008		28	4			2	0	7	1	37	5
	Total		91	15			12	0	14	1	111	16
Career total			489	56	18	1	22	0	20	1	549	58

1. Includes the Commonwealth of Independent States Cup, Estonian Supercup, Baltic League and Livonia Cup

International

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Estonia
	1992	1	0
	1993	6	0
	1994	12	0
	1995	7	0
	1996	10	0
	1997	13	1
	1998	5	0
	1999	10	0
	2000	9	0
	2001	3	0
	2003	6	1
	2004	2	1
	2007	2	0
Total		86	3

International goals

Estonia score listed first, score column indicates score after each Lemsalu goal.^[8]

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	22 June 1997	Kuressaare Linnastaadion, Kuressaare, Estonia	Andorra	2–0	4–1	Friendly
2	20 August 2003	A. Le Coq Arena, Tallinn, Estonia	Poland	1–2	1–2	Friendly
3	14 February 2004	Ta' Qali National Stadium, Ta' Qali, Malta	Belarus	2–0	2–1	2004 Malta International Tournament

Honours

Club

Pärnu Kalakombinaat/MEK

• Estonian Cup: 1990

Flora

• Meistriliiga: 1993–94, 1994–95, 1997–98, 1998
• Estonian Cup: 1994–95

Levadia

• Meistriliiga: 2006, 2007, 2008
• Estonian Cup: 2006–07

Individual

• Estonian Footballer of the Year: 1996
• Meistriliiga Player of the Year: 2006