Estonia men's national volleyball team

Estonia men's national volleyball team
Medal record
European Volleyball League
Challenger Cup

Estonia
Nickname(s)	Sinilõvid (Blue Lions)
Association	Estonian Volleyball Federation
Confederation	CEV
Head coach	Alar Rikberg
FIVB ranking	40 (as of 10 July 2024)
Uniforms
Home	Away
World Championship
Appearances	0
European Championship
Appearances	7 (First in 2009)
Best result	11th (2015)
	volley.ee (in Estonian)

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
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	L	SW	SL	Squad	Pld	W	L
1948–1991	Did not enter due to Soviet occupation
1993	Did not qualify								2^[a]	1	1
1995–1999	Did not enter
2001	Did not qualify								6^[b]	4	2
2003									6^[c]	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

^ Eliminatory Matches against Ukraine.
^ 2nd place in Pool 1 of Category B, not promoted.
^ 1st place in Pool 2 of Category B, promoted to Category A.

World League / Nations League

World League record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	L	SW	SL	Squad
1990–2015	Did not enter
2016	Did not qualify
2017	Final four (Group 3)	1st place (25th place)	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
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	L	SW	SL	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
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	L	SW	SL	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
1	Henri Treial	28 May 1992	2.02 m	Middle blocker	363 cm (143 in)	344 cm (135 in)	Knack Roeselare
2	Renet Vanker	22 September 1998	1.93 m	Setter	333 cm (131 in)	319 cm (126 in)	Greenyard Maaseik
3	Karli Allik	25 September 1996	1.92 m	Outside spiker	340 cm (130 in)	325 cm (128 in)	Hapoel Mate-Asher Ako
6	Martti Juhkami	6 June 1988	1.95 m	Outside spiker	347 cm (137 in)	320 cm (130 in)	Bigbank Tartu
7	Renee Teppan	26 September 1993	1.97 m	Opposite	360 cm (140 in)	345 cm (136 in)	MKS Będzin
8	Märt Tammearu	17 March 2001	1.96 m	Outside spiker	345 cm (136 in)	320 cm (130 in)	Tours Volley-Ball
9	Robert Täht	15 August 1993	1.92 m	Outside spiker	352 cm (139 in)	330 cm (130 in)	Vôlei São José dos Campos
10	Silver Maar	11 February 1999	1.84 m	Libero	315 cm (124 in)	300 cm (120 in)	VK Dukla Liberec
11	Oliver Venno	23 May 1990	2.10 m	Opposite	355 cm (140 in)	335 cm (132 in)	Al Rayyan SC
11	Johan Vahter	19 November 1995	1.90 m	Libero	322 cm (127 in)	314 cm (124 in)	Selver/TalTech
17	Timo Tammemaa	18 November 1991	2.02 m	Middle blocker	363 cm (143 in)	343 cm (135 in)	Berlin Recycling Volleys
19	Andri Aganits	7 September 1993	2.07 m	Middle blocker	367 cm (144 in)	340 cm (130 in)	Selver/TalTech
22	Markkus Keel	18 August 1995	1.91 m	Setter	331 cm (130 in)	320 cm (130 in)	VC Cherno More Baske
30	Marx Aru	8 November 2002	2.03 m	Middle blocker	330 cm (130 in)	320 cm (130 in)	Selver/TalTech

Statistics

Avo Keel, head coach from 2004 to 2014.

Ardo Kreek has appeared in 244 games for the national team.

Most games for Estonia

As of 19 August 2023.^[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
18	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

As of 25 June 2023.^[3]

Years	Head coach	Pld	W	L	Win %	Major NT tournament appearances	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.

References

^ FIVB drastically changes format for 2018 World League and Grand Prix - World of Volley, 19 June 2017
^ Mängud koondises (mehed). Volley.ee (in Estonian)
^ Mängud koondises (treenerid). Volley.ee (in Estonian)

External links

Official website (in Estonian)
FIVB profile

[1] Eliminatory Matches against Ukraine.

[2] 2nd place in Pool 1 of Category B, not promoted.

[3] 1st place in Pool 2 of Category B, promoted to Category A.

[4] FIVB drastically changes format for 2018 World League and Grand Prix - World of Volley, 19 June 2017

[5] Mängud koondises (mehed). Volley.ee (in Estonian)

[6] Mängud koondises (treenerid). Volley.ee (in Estonian)

[a]

[b]

[c]

[1]

[2]

[3]

Medal record
European Volleyball League
	2016 Bulgaria
	2018 Czech Republic
	2021 Belgium
Challenger Cup
	2018 Portugal

v t e Men's national volleyball teams of Europe (CEV)
BVA (Sv)	Albania Bosnia and Herzegovina Bulgaria Greece Kosovo Malta Moldova Montenegro North Macedonia Romania Serbia Turkey
EEVZA (Pl)	Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Estonia Georgia Latvia Lithuania Poland Russia Ukraine
MEVZA (Sv)	Austria Czech Republic Cyprus Croatia Hungary Israel Slovakia Slovenia
NEVZA (Sv)	Denmark England Finland Faroe Islands Greenland Iceland Norway Sweden
WEVZA (Sv)	Belgium France Italy Germany Netherlands Portugal Switzerland Spain
SCA (Sv)	Andorra Faroe Islands Gibraltar Greenland Ireland Iceland Liechtenstein Luxembourg Malta Monaco Northern Ireland San Marino Scotland Wales
Defunct	Czechoslovakia East Germany Serbia and Montenegro Soviet Union Yugoslavia Great Britain (Inactive)

v t e National sports teams of Estonia
Men	Bandy Baseball Basketball U20 U18 U16 3x3 Beach soccer Cricket Floorball Football U23 U21 U19 U17 Futsal Handball Ice hockey U20 U18 Rugby league Rugby union Tennis Volleyball
Women	Bandy Basketball U20 U18 U16 3x3 Cricket Floorball Football U17 Ice hockey U18 Tennis Volleyball
Mixed	Badminton
Olympics Youth Paralympics Deaflympics Universiade European Games EYOF