Mart Poom

Mart Poom (born 3 February 1972) is an Estonian football coach and former
Mart Poom
professional player who is regarded as one of the greatest Estonian footballers of all
time.[3][4] He is the goalkeeping coach of the Estonia national team.

Poom played as a goalkeeper for Lõvid, Sport Tallinn, KuPS, Flora, Wil,
Portsmouth, Derby County, Sunderland, Arsenal, and Watford. Poom made his
international debut on 3 June 1992 in the Estonia national team's first official match
since restoration of independence, a 1–1 draw against Slovenia in a friendly. He
made a total of 120 appearances for Estonia and was the team's captain. Poom won
the Estonian Footballer of the Year award six times, in 1993, 1994, 1997, 1998, 2000
and 2003, the second highest number of times won, behind only Ragnar Klavan. In
November 2003, Poom was named Estonia's Golden Player. He ended his career on
10 June 2009, after a 0–0 draw against Portugal.[5]

Early life
Poom with Estonia in 2019
Poom was born in Tallinn[1] and grew up in Mustamäe. He graduated from the Personal information
Tallinn Secondary School No. 49 with a gold medal and enrolled at the Tallinn Full name Mart Poom[1]
University of Technology, but didn't finish his studies, focusing on football. Date of birth 3 February 1972[1]
Place of birth Tallinn, Estonia
Height 1.94 m (6 ft 4 in)[2]
Club career Position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career

Early career 1979–1989 Lõvid

Senior career*
Poom started playing football with Tallinna Lõvid (English: Lions of Tallinn), before
Years Team Apps (Gls)
moving to Soviet Second League club Sport Tallinn in 1989.
1988 Lõvid/Flora 20 (0)
1989–1990 Sport Tallinn 59 (0)
KuPS 1992 KuPS 9 (0)
In 1992, Poom joined Finnish Veikkausliiga club KuPS. He played only 9 games in 1992–1993 Flora 22 (0)
Finland, before returning to Estonia. 1993–1994 Wil 13 (0)
1994–1997 Portsmouth 4 (0)
1995–1997 → Flora (loan) 19 (0)
Flora 1997–2003 Derby County 146 (0)
Back in Estonia, Poom and signed for Meistriliiga club Flora, the successor of the 2002–2003 → Sunderland (loan) 0 (0)
Lõvid team. 2003–2006 Sunderland 58 (1)
2005–2006 → Arsenal (loan) 0 (0)
2006–2007 Arsenal 1 (0)
Wil
2007–2009 Watford 19 (0)
On 1 August 1993, Poom left Flora and joined Nationalliga B side Wil for a reported Total 370 (1)
transfer fee of £128,000.[6] International career
1992–2009 Estonia 120 (0)
Portsmouth *Club domestic league appearances and goals

On 4 August 1994, Poom moved to England and signed for First Division side
Portsmouth for a reported transfer fee of £170,000. He made four league appearances for Portsmouth.

Flora (loan)
In 1995, Poom joined his former club Flora on loan, where he broke the club record by keeping a clean sheet for 756 minutes.
Derby County
On 26 March 1997, Poom joined Derby County for a reported transfer fee of £595,000, following a strong performance for Estonia (a
0–0 draw against Scotland, in a rearranged match played in Monaco).[7] He made his Premier League debut on 5 April 1997, against
Manchester United in Derby's 3–2 away win at Old Trafford, becoming the first player from Estonia to play in the PL. Poom soon
became a fan favourite, with supporters often confusing unfamiliar commentators with a low chant of 'Pooooom' before games, which
sounded like booing. Poom was named Derby County's Player of the Year in the 1999–2000 season and in 2022, the best footballer of
the 2000s decade by Derby County [8]

Sunderland
On 18 November 2002, following Derby County's relegation to the First Division in the 2001–02 season, Poom joined Sunderland on
loan. The move was made permanent on 10 January 2003, for a fee of £3.19 million. On 20 September 2003, he headed a 90th-minute
equaliser for Sunderland against Derby County at Pride Park. This was described as "the best goal ever scored by a goalkeeper in the
90th minute on his first match against his former club" by the commentator. The goal was cheered by both sets of fans.[9] Poom's career
in Sunderland was beset by several injuries, and he was forced to spend much of the 2004–05 season on the sidelines, making 11
league appearances as Sunderland won the 2004–05 Football League Championship.

Arsenal
On 31 August 2005, Poom was signed by Arsenal on loan as temporary cover for Jens Lehmann and
Manuel Almunia. The move was made permanent on 23 January 2006.[10] He was Arsenal's third-choice
keeper, and did not play a single match in the 2005–06 season. However, he became the first Estonian to
receive a Champions League runners-up medal after Arsenal lost to Barcelona in the 2006 UEFA
Champions League Final. Poom did not play nor did he make the substitutes' bench for the final, but was in
Arsenal's 25-man European squad, each of whom won a silver medal.[11]

He made his debut for Arsenal on 8 November 2006 in a League Cup match against Everton, replacing the
injured Manuel Almunia at half-time. Arsenal won the match 1–0 from an Emmanuel Adebayor goal.[12]
His first and only appearance for Arsenal in the Premier League, came on the last day of the 2006–07
season, against his former club, Portsmouth, in a 0–0 draw.[13][14]

Watford Poom warming up prior

to a match against
On 26 May 2007, Poom signed for Watford, who had recently been relegated from the Premier League, for Bolton Wanderers in
an undisclosed fee.[15] He started the new season as Watford's first choice, but went on to lose his place to January 2007
Richard Lee.

Poom returned to the side for the start of the 2008–09 season, but sustained a dislocated shoulder in a game against Reading on 20
September 2008 that ruled him out for the majority of the season. Although he returned to training before the end of the season, he was
not considered for the first-team squad and he was released from his contract, which was due to end in June, on 30 April 2009.[16]

International career
Poom made his international debut for the Estonia national team on 3 June 1992, in a historic 1–1 friendly draw against Slovenia. The
match was Estonia's first official match since restoration of independence and Slovenia's first match ever. In November 2003, the
Estonian Football Association named Poom Estonia's greatest player of the last 50 years. Poom ended his international career with a
testimonial match on 10 June 2009, after a 0–0 friendly draw against Portugal in Tallinn.[17] He made 120 appearances, keeping a clean
sheet in 31 matches.[18]

Personal life
Poom and his wife, Lissel, have three sons: Markus, Andreas and Patrick.[19][20] Markus is also a footballer, while Andreas is a music
artist.
Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

League National cup League cup Continental Other Total
Club Season
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals

Estonian
Lõvid/Flora 1988 20 0 — — 20 0
Championship
Soviet
1989 Second 33 0 — — 33 0
Sport League
Tallinn
1990 Baltic League 26 0 — — 26 0

Total 59 0 — — 59 0
KuPS 1992 Veikkausliiga 9 0 — — 9 0

1992–
Meistriliiga 11 0 — — 11 0
93
Flora 1993–
Meistriliiga 11 0 — — 11 0
94

Total 22 0 — — 22 0

1993–
Wil Nationalliga B 13 0 — — 13 0
94
1994–
First Division 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 0 0 0
95

Portsmouth 1995–
First Division 4 0 0 0 3 0 — 0 0 7 0
96

Total 4 0 0 0 3 0 — 0 0 7 0
1995–
Meistriliiga 7 0 0 0 — 0 0 0 0 7 0
96

Flora (loan) 1996–

Meistriliiga 12 0 0 0 — 2 0 0 0 14 0
97

Total 19 0 0 0 — 2 0 0 0 21 0
1996– Premier
4 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 0 4 0
97 League

1997– Premier
36 0 2 0 3 0 — 0 0 41 0
98 League

1998– Premier
17 0 2 0 3 0 — 0 0 22 0
99 League
1999– Premier
Derby 28 0 1 0 0 0 — 0 0 29 0
2000 League
County
2000– Premier
33 0 2 0 4 0 — 0 0 39 0
01 League

2001– Premier
15 0 1 0 0 0 — 0 0 16 0
02 League
2002–
First Division 13 0 0 0 2 0 — 0 0 15 0
03

Total 146 0 8 0 12 0 — 0 0 166 0

2002– Premier
4 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 0 4 0
03 League
2003–
First Division 43 1 6 0 1 0 — 2 0 52 1
Sunderland 04

2004–
Championship 11 0 0 0 1 0 — 0 0 12 0
05

Total 58 1 6 0 2 0 — 2 0 68 1
Arsenal 2005– Premier
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
06 League
 2006– Premier
1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
07 League
Total 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0

2007–
Championship 12 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 0 12 0
08

Watford 2008–
Championship 7 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 0 7 0
09
Total 19 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 0 19 0

Career total 370 1 14 0 18 0 2 0 2 0 406 1

International

Appearances and goals by national team

and year

National team Year Apps Goals

1992 5 0

1993 14 0

1994 8 0
1995 7 0

1996 12 0

1997 12 0
1998 5 0

1999 6 0

2000 7 0
Estonia
2001 3 0

2002 7 0

2003 11 0
2004 4 0

2005 1 0

2006 6 0
2007 8 0

2008 3 0

2009 1 0
Total 120 0

Honours
Sunderland

Football League Championship: 2004–05

Arsenal

Football League Cup runner-up: 2006–07[21]

UEFA Champions League runner-up: 2005–06
Individual

Estonian Footballer of the Year: 1993, 1994, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2003
Derby County Player of the Year: 1999–2000
UEFA Jubilee Awards – Greatest Estonian Footballer of the last 50 Years (Golden Player): 2003
Order of the White Star, 4th Class
See also
List of men's footballers with 100 or more international caps

References
1. "Mart Poom" (http://barryhugmansfootballers.com/player/15901). Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 24 December
2024.
2. "Mart Poom: Overview" (https://www.premierleague.com/players/1161/Mart-Poom/overview). Premier League.
Retrieved 24 December 2024.
3. "Jalka suur edetabel: Eesti kõigi aegade 100 parimat jalgpallurit" (https://sport.postimees.ee/3643335/jalka-suur-edetab
el-eesti-koigi-aegade-100-parimat-jalgpallurit). Jalgpall (in Estonian). 5 April 2016. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
4. Peelo, Taavi. "Top 5 Estonian football players of all time" (https://www.sportskeeda.com/football/top-5-estonian-football-
players-of-all-time). www.sportskeeda.com. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
5. "Poom set for one final game" (http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12010_5361525,00.html). skysports.com. 3
June 2009. Retrieved 3 June 2009.
6. http://www.legioner.kulichki.com/index.php?id=11&lang=en&player=20 in Russian
7. Brewin, John (10 October 2014). "One team in Tallinn: when Scotland kicked off against nobody – and still didn't win"
(http://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/one-team-tallinn-when-scotland-kicked-against-nobody-and-still-didnt-win).
FourFourTwo. Retrieved 14 October 2019.
8. "Mart Poom on endiselt inglaste südametes: endine Eesti koondislane valiti oma ajastu parimaks mängijaks" (https://sp
ort.postimees.ee/7524134/mart-poom-on-endiselt-inglaste-sudametes-endine-eesti-koondislane-valiti-oma-ajastu-pari
maks-mangijaks). Postimees. 16 May 2022.
9. "Derby 1–1 Sunderland" (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/3109550.stm). BBC Sport. 20 September
2003. Retrieved 8 November 2008.
10. "Gunners snap up goalkeeper Poom" (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/a/arsenal/4641082.stm). BBC
Sport. BBC. 23 January 2006. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
11. "Photograph of Poom with his medal" (https://web.archive.org/web/20070710200336/http://www.postimees.ee/foto/4/2/
36824446d9faaf1ca2.jpg). Postimees. Archived from the original (http://www.postimees.ee/foto/4/2/36824446d9faaf1ca
2.jpg) on 10 July 2007.
12. "Everton 0–1 Arsenal" (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/league_cup/6116408.stm). BBC Sport. BBC. 8
November 2006. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
13. Hughes, Ian (13 May 2007). "Portsmouth 0–0 Arsenal" (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/6627833.st
m). BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
14. "Games played by Mart Poom in 2006/2007" (https://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=6408&season_
id=136). Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
15. "Keeper Mart Poom transferred to Watford" (https://web.archive.org/web/20140222140908/http://www.arsenal.com/new
s/news-archive/keeper-mart-poom-transferred-to-watford). Arsenal.com. Archived from the original (http://www.arsenal.
com/news/news-archive/keeper-mart-poom-transferred-to-watford) on 22 February 2014.
16. "Poom Agreement" (https://web.archive.org/web/20120216092401/http://www.watfordfc.com/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%
2C10400~1644385%2C00.html). watfordfc.com. Archived from the original (http://www.watfordfc.com/page/NewsDetai
l/0,,10400~1644385,00.html) on 16 February 2012.
17. "Mart Poomi lahkumismäng Eesti - Portugal lõppes 0:0" (https://sport.ohtuleht.ee/333214/mart-poomi-lahkumismang-e
esti-portugal-loppes-00) (in Estonian). Õhtuleht. 10 June 2009. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
18. "Mart Poom – Century of International Appearances" (https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/poom-intl.html).
Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation.
19. "Mart Poom sai isaks" (https://epl.delfi.ee/archive/mart-poom-sai-isaks?id=50769196) (in Estonian). Delfi. 2 March
1999.
20. "Mart Poom pühendas nullimängu vastsündinud pojale Andreasele" (http://www.ohtuleht.ee/146976/mart-poom-puhend
as-nullimangu-vastsundinud-pojale-andreasele) (in Estonian). Õhtuleht. 6 October 2003.
21. "Chelsea 2–1 Arsenal" (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/league_cup/6371613.stm). BBC Sport. 24 February
2008. Retrieved 25 March 2024.

External links
Mart Poom (https://jalgpall.ee/voistlused/player/34) at the Estonian Football Association (in Estonian)
Mart Poom (https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/clubs/players/18521/) – UEFA competition record (archive (htt
ps://web.archive.org/web/2020/https://www.uefa.com/teamsandplayers/players/player=18521/profile/index.html))
Mart Poom (https://web.archive.org/web/20150905/http://www.fifa.com/fifa-tournaments/players-coaches/people=9503
8/index.html) – FIFA competition record (archived)
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mart_Poom&oldid=1265038382"