Marek Lemsalu
Lemsalu with Levadia in 2008
Personal information
Full name Marek Lemsalu
Date of birth (1972-11-24) 24 November 1972
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

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.

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[lower-alpha 1] Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Pärnu KEK19882. liiga120——120
1989172——172
Total 292——292
Eesti Tööstus/Flora1989Kõrgliiga10——10
Sport Tallinn1989Soviet Second League40——40
1990Baltic League220——220
Total 260——260
Pärnu Kalakombinaat/MEK1990Kõrgliiga161——161
1991233——233
Total 394——394
Flora1992Meistriliiga81——81
1992–93185——185
1993–94151——151
1994–951931030233
1995–962432030293
1996–974120—61
1997–9818120—201
199850100060
19998210—92
Total 11917906013417
Mainz 05 (loan)1996–972. Bundesliga16000——160
Kuressaare (loan)1998Esiliiga1000—0010
Strømsgodset1999Tippeligaen8000—0080
Tulevik2000Meistriliiga2061000216
Start20011. divisjon29230——322
Bryne2002Tippeligaen26431——295
200325130——281
20041. divisjon30150——351
200529440——334
Total 11010151——12511
Levadia2006Meistriliiga33560—395
20073064070416
20082842071375
Total 911512014111116
Career total 4895618122020154958

International

National team Year Apps Goals
Estonia
199210
199360
1994120
199570
1996100
1997131
199850
1999100
200090
200130
200361
200421
200720
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 1997Kuressaare Linnastaadion, Kuressaare, Estonia Andorra2–04–1Friendly
2 20 August 2003A. Le Coq Arena, Tallinn, Estonia Poland1–21–2Friendly
3 14 February 2004Ta' Qali National Stadium, Ta' Qali, Malta Belarus2–02–12004 Malta International Tournament

Honours

Club

Pärnu Kalakombinaat/MEK
Flora
Levadia

Individual

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Lemsalu, Marek" (in Estonian). ESBL.
  2. ↑ "Football: This Week's Transfers". The Independent. 13 December 1997.
  3. ↑ "Marek Lemsalu ümber pöörlevad miljonid" (in Estonian). Eesti Päevaleht. 15 October 1996. Retrieved 14 April 2017.
  4. ↑ "Marek Lemsalu ühines FK Brynega" (in Estonian). Soccernet.ee. 11 December 2002.
  5. ↑ "Ekskoondislane Marek Lemsalu ühineb FC Levadiaga" (in Estonian). Postimees. 17 January 2006.
  6. ↑ Järvela, Ott (17 November 2008). "Lemsalu: sisetunne ütleb, et aeg sai ümber" (in Estonian). Õhtuleht. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
  7. ↑ Marek Lemsalu at National-Football-Teams.com
  8. ↑ "Football PLAYER: Marek Lemsalu". eu-football.info. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
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