# Karl Hein (footballer)

Karl Jakob Hein (born 13 April 2002) is an Estonian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for La Liga club Real Valladolid, on loan from Premier League club Arsenal, and the Estonia national team.

## Club career
### Nõmme United

Hein began his youth career at JK Loo at the age of eight, before moving to the youth team of Nõmme United in 2015. He made five senior appearances for Nõmme United in the Estonian third tier, Esiliiga B, before joining the academy of English club Arsenal in May 2018.

### Arsenal

Hein signed his first professional contract with the club in May 2019. He appeared in the Arsenal squad as an unused substitute for the first time on 29 October 2020, in the Europa League match against Dundalk.
After playing for the Arsenal first-team in the 2021–22 pre-season, including his non-competitive debut against Hibernian, Hein signed a new long-term contract with Arsenal on 17 September 2021.
On 10 November 2022, Hein made his debut for the Arsenal first-team in the EFL Cup third round against Brighton & Hove Albion at the Emirates Stadium, conceding a foul in the penalty area and the resulting spot-kick against Danny Welbeck as Arsenal lost 3–1.

#### Loan to Reading

On 24 January 2022, Reading announced the signing of Hein on loan from Arsenal until the end of the 2021–22 season.

#### Loan to Valladolid

On 13 August 2024, Hein completed a season-long loan move to newly-promoted La Liga side Real Valladolid.
Hein and Valladolid started the season with a clean-sheet and a 1–0 victory over Espanyol.

## International career

Hein was capped by Estonia at under-17, under-19 and under-21 level. He made his international debut for the Estonia national team on 5 September 2020, in a 0–1 loss against Georgia in the UEFA Nations League. Since his debut, Hein has become a regular starter for Estonia.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of match played 13 December 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | National Cup | National Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Europe | Europe | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Nõmme United | 2018 | Esiliiga B | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 0 |
| Arsenal |
| Arsenal | 2018–19 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Arsenal | 2019–20 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| Arsenal | 2020–21 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Arsenal | 2021–22 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| Arsenal | 2022–23 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| Arsenal | 2023–24 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Arsenal | 2024–25 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Arsenal | Total | Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Arsenal U21 | 2020–21 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Arsenal U21 | 2021–22 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Arsenal U21 | 2022–23 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Arsenal U21 | 2023–24 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Arsenal U21 | Total | Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Reading (loan) | 2021–22 | Championship | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 5 | 0 |
| Real Valladolid (loan) | 2024–25 | La Liga | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 17 | 0 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 27 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 31 | 0 |
* 1 2 3 4 Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy

### International

    As of match played 19 November 2024
Appearances and goals by national team and year :
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
| Estonia | 2020 | 6 | 0 |
| Estonia | 2021 | 6 | 0 |
| Estonia | 2022 | 6 | 0 |
| Estonia | 2023 | 9 | 0 |
| Estonia | 2024 | 9 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 36 | 0 |

## Honours

International
* Baltic Cup: 2020, 2024
Individual
* Estonian Young Footballer of the Year: 2020, 2021