Estonia men's national volleyball team explained

Estonia
Nickname:	Sinilõvid (Blue Lions)
Federation:	Estonian Volleyball Federation
Confederation:	CEV
Coach:	Alar Rikberg
Regional Name:	European Championship
Regional Cup Apps:	7
Regional Cup First:	2009
Regional Cup Best:	11th (2015)
Website:	volley.ee
Pattern B1:	_whitecollar
Pattern Sh1:	_whitesides
Leftarm1:	0048BA
Body1:	0048BA
Rightarm1:	0048BA
Shorts1:	000000
Pattern B2:	_bluecollar
Pattern Sh2:	_whitesides
Leftarm2:	FFFFFF
Body2:	FFFFFF
Rightarm2:	FFFFFF
Shorts2:	000000

The Estonia men's national volleyball team (Estonian: Eesti meeste võrkpallikoondis) is controlled by the Estonian Volleyball Federation (Eesti Võrkpalli Liit) and represents Estonia in international volleyball competitions. The team has reached the European Championships seven times (2009, 2011, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023).

Results

Champions   Runners up   Third place   Fourth place

European Championship

European Championship record										Qualification
width=150	Year	width=150	Round	width=150	Position	width=30		width=30			width=30		width=30		width=30		width=40	Squad	width=30		width=30		width=30
1948–1991	Did not enter due to Soviet occupation
1993	Did not qualify	2	1	1
1995–1999	Did not enter
2001	Did not qualify	6	4	2
2003	6	6	0
2005	6	1	5
2007	8	4	4
2009	Group stage	14th place	3	0	3	2	9	Squad		6	5	1
2011	Playoffs	12th place	4	1	3	3	9	Squad		8	6	2
2013	Did not qualify	6	2	4
2015	Playoffs	11th place	4	1	3	6	9	Squad		8	6	2
2017	Group stage	13th place	3	0	3	4	9	Squad		8	5	3
2019	Group stage	24th place	5	0	5	2	15	Squad		4	4	0
2021	Group stage	21st place	5	1	4	6	14	Squad		Host country
2023	Group stage	20th place	5	1	4	4	14	Squad		4	2	2
Total	7/33	0 Titles	29	4	25	27	79			72	46	26

World League / Nations League

World League record
width=150	Year	width=150	Round	width=150	Position	width=30		width=30		width=30		width=30		width=30		width=40	Squad
1990–2015	Did not enter
2016	Did not qualify
2017	Final four (Group 3)		8	7	1	22	7	Squad
Total	1/28	0 Titles	8	7	1	22	7
Nations League record
2018–2019	Did not qualify
2020	Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2021–2024	Did not qualify
Total	0/6	0 Titles	0	0	0	0	0

From 2018, the World League was replaced by the Nations League.^[1]

Challenger Cup

Challenger Cup record
width=150	Year	width=150	Round	width=150	Position	width=30		width=30		width=30		width=30		width=30		width=40	Squad
2018	Final round	3rd place	4	2	2	7	7	Squad
2019	Did not qualify
2020–2021	Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2022–2024	Did not qualify
Total	1/5	0 Titles	4	2	2	7	7

European League

European League record
width=150	Year	width=150	Round	width=150	Position	width=30		width=30		width=30		width=30		width=30		width=40	Squad
2004	Did not enter
2005	League round	8th place	12	2	10	13	33	Squad
2006	League round	8th place	12	1	11	7	34	Squad
2007–2014	Did not enter
2015	Final four	4th place	12	10	2	30	13	Squad
2016	Final four	Champions	8	8	0	24	7	Squad
2017	Did not enter
2018	Final four	Champions	8	7	1	21	6	Squad
2019	Final four	4th place	8	2	6	9	22	Squad
2020	Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2021	Final four	3rd place	8	7	1	23	7	Squad
2022	League round	5th place	6	4	2	13	10	Squad
2023	League round	8th place	6	3	3	11	11	Squad
2024	Final four	4th place	8	4	4	17	15	Squad
Total	10/20	2 Titles	88	48	40	168	158

Current squad

The following is the roster of Estonia men's national volleyball team for the 2023 Men's European Volleyball Championship

• Head coach: Alar Rikberg
• Assistant coach: Avo Keel
• Assistant coach: Lauris Iecelenieks
• Physiotherapist: Toms Zvonkvos
• Physiotherapist: Mark Leinfeld
• Athletic trainer: Ott-Erik Kalmus
• Statistic: Märt Pajusalu
• Team manager: Robin Ristmäe

No.	Name	Date of birth	Height	Position	Spike	Block	Club
			2.02 m	Middle blocker	363cm (143inches)	344cm (135inches)	Knack Roeselare
			1.93 m	Setter	333cm (131inches)	319cm (126inches)	Greenyard Maaseik
			1.92 m	Outside spiker	340cm (130inches)	325cm (128inches)	Hapoel Mate-Asher Ako
			1.95 m	Outside spiker	347cm (137inches)	320cm (130inches)	Bigbank Tartu
				1.97 m	Opposite	360cm (140inches)	345cm (136inches)	MKS Będzin
			1.96 m	Outside spiker	345cm (136inches)	320cm (130inches)	Tours Volley-Ball
			1.92 m	Outside spiker	352cm (139inches)	330cm (130inches)	Vôlei São José dos Campos
			1.84 m	Libero	315cm (124inches)	300cm (100inches)	VK Dukla Liberec
			2.10 m	Opposite	355cm (140inches)	335cm (132inches)	Al Rayyan SC
			1.90 m	Libero	322cm (127inches)	314cm (124inches)	Selver/TalTech
			2.02 m	Middle blocker	363cm (143inches)	343cm (135inches)	Berlin Recycling Volleys
			2.07 m	Middle blocker	367cm (144inches)	340cm (130inches)	Selver/TalTech
			1.91 m	Setter	331cm (130inches)	320cm (130inches)	VC Cherno More Baske
			2.03 m		Middle blocker	330cm (130inches)	320cm (130inches)	Selver/TalTech

Statistics

Most games for Estonia

^[2]

Rank	Player	Years	Games
1	Kert Toobal	2001–2021	308
2	Ardo Kreek	2004–2022	244
3	Oliver Venno	2008–present	205
4	Rait Rikberg	2007–2021	183
5	Andri Aganits	2013–present	177
6	Argo Meresaar	2000–2013	175
7	Keith Pupart	2006–2016	170
8	Raimo Pajusalu	2000–2014	160
9	Renee Teppan	2014–present	156
10	Janis Sirelpuu	1998–2011	154
11	Robert Täht	2013–present	150
12	Veiko Lember	1998–2009	143
13	Timo Tammemaa	2015–present	142
14	Jaanus Nõmmsalu	1999–2013	133
15	Henri Treial	2015–present	130
16	Kristjan Õuekallas	2003–2013	124
17	Eerik Jago	2000–2011	123
18	Sten Esna	2003–2011	112
	Andres Toobal	2010–2017	112
20	Kristo Kollo	2014–2022	108

Players in bold are still active at club level.
All players with over 100 games are listed in the table.

Head coaches

^[3]

width=75	Years	width=150	Head coach					width=250	Major NT tournament appearances	width=200	Achievements
1992–1996	(n/a)	22	13	9	59.1
1996–2000	Laimons Raudsepp	27	9	18	33.3
2000–2001	Andres Toode	20	9	11	45.0
2001–2003	Andres Skuin	15	8	7	53.3
2003–2004	Pasi Sakari Rautio	39	15	24	38.5
2004–2014	Avo Keel	133	57	76	42.9	European Championships 2009, 2011
2014–2019	Gheorghe Crețu	140	92	48	65.7	European Championships 2015, 2017, 2019	2016 EL, EL 2018, 2018 CC
2019–2021	Cédric Énard	21	16	5	76.2	European Championships 2021	2021 EL
2021–2023	Fabio Soli	17	8	9	47.1
2023–	Alar Rikberg	8	5	3	62.5	European Championships 2023

Major NT tournaments include the Olympic Games, the World Championships and the European Championships.

External links

• Official website
• FIVB profile

Notes and References

1. http://www.worldofvolley.com/News/Latest_news/FIVB/85965/fivb-drastically-changes-format-for-2018-world-league-and-grand-prix-italy-remain-member-of-elite.html FIVB drastically changes format for 2018 World League and Grand Prix
2. https://volley.ee/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Koondislaste-mangud-19.08.23.M.pdf Mängud koondises (mehed).
3. https://volley.ee/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Koondislaste-mangud-T-25.06.23..pdf Mängud koondises (treenerid).