# FC Nõmme United

FC Nõmme United is an Estonian professional football club based in Nõmme, a district in Tallinn. The club was founded in 2000 and currently competes in Esiliiga, the second-highest division in the Estonian football. Their home ground is Männiku Stadium.
Led by Mart Poom, Nõmme United is renowned for its strong youth system. The club has competed in the Estonian top division Meistriliiga once, in 2024.

## History
### Early history (2000–2018)

The club was founded in 2000 by Enn Loog and was initially named FC Elion, before the name was changed to FC Nõmme United in 2006. From early years on, Mart Poom, who at the time was playing in the Premier League, contributed to the growth of the club. After Poom's retirement, Mart Poomi Jalgpallikool (English: Mart Poom's Football School) was founded which started to act as an academy to Nõmme United. The club quickly established itself as one of the leading youth academies in the country. In 2018, goalkeeper Karl Jakob Hein joined the academy of Arsenal F.C. and made his first team debut on 9 November 2022, becoming the second Estonian to feature for the Gunners after club's president Poom.

### Rise to top flight football (2019–present)

After finishing first in the Estonian third-tier Esiliiga B in 2019, the club was promoted to Esiliiga. After the 2022 season, Vladimir Vassiljev became the manager of the club and Nõmme United set their sights on gaining promotion to Premium Liiga within the next three seasons. They did it in one, as the club finished the 2023 Esiliiga season in first place with 90 points. After the end of the season, Vassiljev left for abroad and Nõmme United appointed Jani Sarajärvi as head coach for their debut in the Estonian top flight, but the Finnishman was dismissed just four games into the season. The team was first led by assistant coaches and then by Martin Klasen for the remainder of the year. Although Nõmme United had the joint-fourth highest budget in the league, the club finished their inaugural Premium Liiga season in last place with 15 points, and were relegated.

## Stadium

Nõmme United's home ground is Männiku Stadium which is part of their home base Männiku Football Centre, located at Võidu 16, Nõmme, Tallinn. In addition to the natural grass ground, the complex also has an artificial turf football pitch (90 × 60m), upon which an air dome is installed during the winter months.
At winter and early spring months, Nõmme United play their home matches at Sportland Arena.

## Players
### Current squad

    As of 1 September 2024.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | EST | Georg Mattias Lagus |
| 2 | DF | EST | Kaarel Leppsalu |
| 3 | DF | EST | Samuel Merilai |
| 4 | DF | EST | Aleksandr Alteberg |
| 5 | DF | EST | Alexander Bergman |
| 6 | MF | EST | Mihkel Järviste |
| 8 | MF | EST | Bruno Vain |
| 9 | FW | EST | Egert Õunapuu |
| 10 | FW | EST | Henri Leoke |
| 11 | MF | EST | Tristan Vendelin |
| 14 | DF | FRA | Sacha Martinez |
| 15 | DF | BRA | Ismael Garcia |
| 16 | FW | ITA | Facundo Stefanazzi |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 17 | FW | GAM | Ousman Ceesay (on loan from Falcons) |
| 19 | MF | EST | Robin Tiigiste |
| 20 | FW | EST | Kevin Mätas |
| 21 | MF | UKR | Oleksandr Musolitin |
| 22 | MF | GHA | Alfred Adomah |
| 23 | DF | EST | Karl Läänelaid |
| 24 | MF | SVK | Martin Adamec |
| 28 | DF | EST | Steven Salmistu |
| 30 | MF | EST | Markus Riisenberg |
| 33 | FW | EST | Jevgeni Demidov |
| 37 | DF | SVK | Jakub Luka (on loan from Ružomberok) |
| 66 | MF | EST | Kaspar Rõõmussaar |
| 92 | MF | EST | Karl Gustav Kokka |
For season transfers, see transfers summer 2024.

## Honours
### League

* Esiliiga
** Winners (1): 2023
* Esiliiga B
** Winners (1): 2019

## Statistics
### League and Cup

| Season | Division | Pos | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Top goalscorer | Estonian Cup | Notes |
| 2000 | V liiga E | 2 | 20 | 14 | 6 | 0 | 54 | 16 | +36 | 48 | Ivar Sova (12) | | as Eesti Telefoni SK |
| 2001 | IV liiga E | 1 | 18 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 103 | 16 | +87 | 47 | Jaanus Juhalu (28) | | as Eesti Telefoni SK |
| 2002 | III liiga N | 5 | 18 | 8 | 2 | 8 | 32 | 33 | −1 | 26 | Ivar Sova (10) | | as Eesti Telefoni SK |
| 2003 | III liiga N | 3 | 18 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 55 | 28 | +27 | 37 | Ivar Sova Jaanus Juhalu (9) | | as Eesti Telefoni SK |
| 2004 | III liiga N | 1 | 18 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 54 | 14 | +40 | 39 | Jaanus Juhalu (13) | | as FC Elion |
| 2005 | II liiga S/W | 3 | 28 | 16 | 4 | 8 | 67 | 51 | +16 | 52 | Ivar Sova (13) | | as FC Elion |
| 2006 | II liiga S/W | 4 | 28 | 15 | 6 | 7 | 68 | 44 | +22 | 51 | Ivar Sova (22) | | as FC Nõmme United |
| 2007 | II liiga S/W | 9 | 26 | 10 | 1 | 15 | 72 | 84 | −12 | 31 | Ivar Sova (21) | Third round | as FC Nõmme United |
| 2008 | II liiga S/W | 2 | 26 | 18 | 1 | 7 | 72 | 36 | +36 | 55 | Ivar Sova (25) | – | as FC Nõmme United |
| 2009 | II liiga S/W | 1 | 26 | 18 | 4 | 4 | 100 | 31 | +69 | 58 | Ivar Sova (39) | Second round | as FC Nõmme United |
| 2010 | II liiga S/W | 3 | 26 | 14 | 5 | 7 | 67 | 52 | +15 | 47 | Sander Lepik (20) | Fourth round | as FC Nõmme United |
| 2011 | II liiga S/W | 7 | 26 | 13 | 2 | 11 | 55 | 56 | −1 | 41 | Alex Jelagin Raido Reinsalu (17) | Fourth round | as FC Nõmme United |
| 2012 | II liiga S/W | 14 | 26 | 3 | 2 | 21 | 25 | 113 | −88 | 11 | Henri Rüütli Roland Mäe (5) | First round | as FC Nõmme United |
| 2013 | II liiga S/W | 4 | 26 | 15 | 1 | 10 | 90 | 60 | +30 | 46 | Sander Lepik (25) | Second round | as FC Nõmme United |
| 2014 | II liiga S/W | 9 | 26 | 9 | 1 | 15 | 69 | 75 | −6 | 28 | Sander Lepik (21) | Third round | as FC Nõmme United |
| 2015 | II liiga S/W | 4 | 26 | 14 | 5 | 7 | 88 | 41 | +47 | 47 | Ander Ott Valge (26) | Second round | as FC Nõmme United |
| 2016 | II liiga S/W | 3 | 26 | 19 | 3 | 4 | 131 | 38 | +93 | 60 | Kevin Mätas (49) | Fourth round | as FC Nõmme United |
| 2017 | II liiga S/W | 1 | 26 | 23 | 2 | 1 | 158 | 18 | +140 | 71 | Mark Kolosov (52) | Second round | as FC Nõmme United |
| 2018 | Esiliiga B | 5 | 36 | 17 | 9 | 10 | 100 | 57 | +43 | 60 | Pavel Fedorenko (20) | First round | as FC Nõmme United |
| 2019 | Esiliiga B | 1 | 36 | 27 | 4 | 5 | 118 | 38 | +80 | 85 | Oliver Jürgens (28) | Second round | as FC Nõmme United |
| 2020 | Esiliiga | 3 | 32 | 16 | 7 | 9 | 76 | 43 | +33 | 55 | Kevin Mätas (22) | Second round | as FC Nõmme United |
| 2021 | Esiliiga | 4 | 30 | 12 | 5 | 13 | 79 | 67 | +12 | 41 | Robi Saarma (28) | First round | as FC Nõmme United |
| 2022 | Esiliiga | 6 | 36 | 18 | 6 | 12 | 79 | 56 | +23 | 60 | Egert Õunapuu (36) | Third round | as FC Nõmme United |
| 2023 | Esiliiga | 1 | 36 | 28 | 6 | 2 | 114 | 29 | +85 | 90 | Egert Õunapuu (32) | Third round | as FC Nõmme United |
| 2024 | Meistriliiga | 10 | 36 | 2 | 9 | 25 | 22 | 79 | –57 | 15 | Oleksandr Musolitin Egert Õunapuu (3) | Fourth round | as FC Nõmme United |