# 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.
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.

## 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.

### 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. In December 1997 he had a trial at English club Barnsley who were then in the Premier League, 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.

### Strømsgodset

In 1999, Lemsalu signed for Norwegian Tippeligaen side Strømsgodset.

### Tulevik

In 2000, Lemsalu returned to Estonia and joined Tulevik.

### Start

In 2001, Lemsalu signed for Norwegian 1. divisjon side Start. 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.

### Levadia

On 17 January 2006, Lemsalu returned to the Meistriliiga, joining Levadia. 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. Lemsalu retired from professional football after the 2008 season, playing his last match on 15 November 2008 against TVMK.

## 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.

## 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 | League | League | Cup | Cup | Europe | Europe | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Pärnu KEK | 1988 | 2. liiga | 12 | 0 | | | — | — | — | — | 12 | 0 |
| Pärnu KEK | 1989 | 2. liiga | 17 | 2 | | | — | — | — | — | 17 | 2 |
| Pärnu KEK | Total | Total | 29 | 2 | | | — | — | — | — | 29 | 2 |
| Eesti Tööstus/Flora | 1989 | Kõrgliiga | 1 | 0 | | | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| Sport Tallinn | 1989 | Soviet Second League | 4 | 0 | | | — | — | — | — | 4 | 0 |
| Sport Tallinn | 1990 | Baltic League | 22 | 0 | | | — | — | — | — | 22 | 0 |
| Sport Tallinn | Total | Total | 26 | 0 | | | — | — | — | — | 26 | 0 |
| Pärnu Kalakombinaat/MEK | 1990 | Kõrgliiga | 16 | 1 | | | — | — | — | — | 16 | 1 |
| Pärnu Kalakombinaat/MEK | 1991 | Kõrgliiga | 23 | 3 | | | — | — | — | — | 23 | 3 |
| Pärnu Kalakombinaat/MEK | Total | Total | 39 | 4 | | | — | — | — | — | 39 | 4 |
| Flora | 1992 | Meistriliiga | 8 | 1 | | | — | — | — | — | 8 | 1 |
| Flora | 1992–93 | Meistriliiga | 18 | 5 | | | — | — | — | — | 18 | 5 |
| Flora | 1993–94 | Meistriliiga | 15 | 1 | | | — | — | — | — | 15 | 1 |
| Flora | 1994–95 | Meistriliiga | 19 | 3 | | | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 23 | 3 |
| Flora | 1995–96 | Meistriliiga | 24 | 3 | | | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 29 | 3 |
| Flora | 1996–97 | Meistriliiga | 4 | 1 | | | 2 | 0 | — | — | 6 | 1 |
| Flora | 1997–98 | Meistriliiga | 18 | 1 | | | 2 | 0 | — | — | 20 | 1 |
| Flora | 1998 | Meistriliiga | 5 | 0 | | | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Flora | 1999 | Meistriliiga | 8 | 2 | | | 1 | 0 | — | — | 9 | 2 |
| Flora | Total | 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 |
| Bryne | 2003 | Tippeligaen | 25 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 28 | 1 |
| Bryne | 2004 | 1. divisjon | 30 | 1 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 35 | 1 |
| Bryne | 2005 | 1. divisjon | 29 | 4 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 33 | 4 |
| Bryne | Total | Total | 110 | 10 | 15 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 125 | 11 |
| Levadia | 2006 | Meistriliiga | 33 | 5 | | | 6 | 0 | — | — | 39 | 5 |
| Levadia | 2007 | Meistriliiga | 30 | 6 | | | 4 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 41 | 6 |
| Levadia | 2008 | Meistriliiga | 28 | 4 | | | 2 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 37 | 5 |
| Levadia | Total | Total | 91 | 15 | | | 12 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 111 | 16 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 489 | 56 | 18 | 1 | 22 | 0 | 20 | 1 | 549 | 58 |
* ↑ Includes the Commonwealth of Independent States Cup, Estonian Supercup, Baltic League and Livonia Cup

### International

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

### International goals

    Estonia score listed first, score column indicates score after each Lemsalu goal.
| 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