# 2008 Meistriliiga

The 2008 season of Meistriliiga, the first level in the Estonian football system, was the 18th season in the league's history. It began on 8 March 2008 and ended on 15 November 2008. The defending champions were Levadia.

## Promotion and relegation

10th placed Ajax were directly relegated after the end of the previous season. Since reserve squads are not allowed to be promoted to Meistriliiga, third placed Esiliiga team Sillamäe Kalev were directly promoted to 2008 Meistriliiga.
Kuressaare (9th placed Meistriliiga team) and Kalju (6th placed Esiliiga team) competed in promotion/relegation play-offs for one spot in 2008 Meistriliiga. The aggregate score was 2–2 and Nõmme Kalju were promoted due to scoring more away goals.

## Clubs and venues

| Team | Location | Stadium | Capacity | Manager |
| Flora | Tallinn | A. Le Coq Arena | 9,300 | Pasi Rautiainen |
| Kalju | Tallinn | Hiiu Stadium | 500 | Getúlio Fredo |
| Levadia | Tallinn | Kadriorg Stadium | 5,000 | Igor Prins |
| Maag Tammeka | Tartu | Tartu Tamme Stadium | 1,500 | Sergei Zamogilnõi |
| Sillamäe Kalev | Sillamäe | Sillamäe Kalev Stadium | 800 | Vadym Dobizha |
| Tallinna Kalev | Tallinn | Kalev Keskstaadion | 11,500 | Aavo Sarap |
| Narva Trans | Narva | Kreenholm Stadium | 1,065 | Aleksei Yagudin |
| Tulevik | Viljandi | Viljandi linnastaadion | 1,084 | Marko Lelov |
| TVMK | Tallinn | Kadriorg Stadium | 5,000 | Sergei Ratnikov |
| Vaprus | Pärnu | Pärnu Kalev Stadium | 1,900 | Ants Kommussaar |

## League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Levadia (C) | 36 | 29 | 6 | 1 | 105 | 22 | +83 | 93 | Qualification for Champions League second qualifying round |
| 2 | Flora | 36 | 28 | 7 | 1 | 113 | 28 | +85 | 91 | Qualification for Europa League second qualifying round |
| 3 | Narva Trans | 36 | 16 | 8 | 12 | 62 | 54 | +8 | 56 | Qualification for Europa League first qualifying round |
| 4 | Kalju | 36 | 16 | 7 | 13 | 65 | 64 | +1 | 55 | Qualification for Europa League first qualifying round |
| 5 | Sillamäe Kalev | 36 | 13 | 6 | 17 | 49 | 79 | −30 | 45 | |
| 6 | Tulevik | 36 | 9 | 4 | 23 | 31 | 74 | −43 | 31 | |
| 7 | Maag Tammeka | 36 | 9 | 4 | 23 | 45 | 76 | −31 | 31 | |
| 8 | Tallinna Kalev | 36 | 6 | 8 | 22 | 37 | 70 | −33 | 26 | |
| 9 | Vaprus (R) | 36 | 5 | 2 | 29 | 41 | 125 | −84 | 17 | Qualification for relegation play-off |
| 10 | TVMK (R) | 36 | 20 | 6 | 10 | 91 | 47 | +44 | 66 | Relegation to Esiliiga |
* ↑ Flora won the 2008–09 Estonian Cup and qualified for second qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League. Therefore, Nõmme Kalju, fourth-placed team and cup runners-up, earned a spot in the first qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League.
* 1 2 TUL: 6 pts, 7–5; M-T: 6 pts, 5–7
* ↑ On 6 November 2008, the Estonian Football Association decided not to grant TVMK a license to play in Meistriliiga or Esiliiga, due to financial difficulties during the season. The Estonian Football Association allowed them to play until the end of the season and as they finished in third place, the players and coaches received bronze medals, but the club itself was dropped to 10th place. TVMK were eventually disbanded.

### Relegation play-off

Vaprus and Esiliiga side Paide Linnameeskond competed in a two-legged relegation play-off for one spot in 2009 Meistriliiga. Aggregate score was 5–5 and Paide Linnameeskond secured their place in 2009 Meistriliiga because they scored more away goals (3–1).

## Results

Each team played every opponent four times, twice at home and twice on the road, for a total of 36 games.

## Season statistics
### Top scorers

| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
| 1 | Ingemar Teever | Kalju | 23 |
| 2 | Nikita Andreev | Levadia | 22 |
| 3 | Sander Post | Flora | 19 |
| 4 | Jarmo Ahjupera | Flora | 17 |
| 4 | Felipe Nunes | Kalju | 17 |
| 6 | Tarmo Kink | Levadia | 16 |
| 7 | Henri Anier | Flora | 15 |
| 7 | Indrek Zelinski | Levadia | 15 |
| 9 | Irfan Ametov | Sillamäe Kalev | 13 |
| 9 | Artjom Dmitrijev | TVMK | 13 |
| 9 | Vladislav Gussev | TVMK | 13 |
| 9 | Nikolai Lõsanov | Narva Trans | 13 |

## Awards
### Monthly awards

| Month | Manager of the Month | Manager of the Month | Player of the Month | Player of the Month |
| Month | Manager | Club | Player | Club |
| March | Getúlio Fredo | Kalju | Sander Post | Flora |
| April | Igor Prins | Levadia | Ingemar Teever | Kalju |
| May | Pasi Rautiainen | Flora | Konstantin Nahk | Levadia |
| June | Igor Prins | Levadia | Vjatšeslav Zahovaiko | Flora |
| July | Pasi Rautiainen | Flora | Mihhail Starodubtsev | Sillamäe Kalev |
| August | Igor Prins | Levadia | Juha Hakola | Flora |
| September | Vadym Dobizha | Sillamäe Kalev | Tarmo Kink | Levadia |
| October | Aleksei Yagudin | Narva Trans | Marek Lemsalu | Levadia |