Sander Puri (born 7 May 1988) is an Estonian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Meistriliiga club Tartu Tammeka[3] and the Estonia national team.
![]() Puri playing for York City in 2013 | |||
Personal information | |||
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Full name | Sander Puri[1] | ||
Date of birth | (1988-05-07) 7 May 1988 (age 34)[1] | ||
Place of birth | Tartu, Estonia | ||
Height | 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)[2] | ||
Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
Club information | |||
Current team | Tartu Tammeka | ||
Youth career | |||
0000–2004 | Tartu SK 10 | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2004 | Tartu SK 10 | 18 | (12) |
2005–2009 | FCI Levadia Tallinn | 73 | (24) |
2005–2009 | → FCI Levadia U21 (reserves) | 66 | (27) |
2007 | → Viljandi JK Tulevik (loan) | 14 | (4) |
2010–2012 | Larissa | 21 | (1) |
2011 | → Korona Kielce (loan) | 8 | (1) |
2011–2012 | → Pápa (loan) | 12 | (0) |
2012 | KuPS | 19 | (2) |
2013 | St Mirren | 3 | (0) |
2013–2014 | York City | 8 | (0) |
2015 | Sligo Rovers | 27 | (4) |
2016 | Karviná | 9 | (2) |
2016 | Nõmme Kalju | 13 | (2) |
2017–2018 | Waterford | 35 | (5) |
2019–2020 | Nõmme Kalju | 48 | (9) |
2021 | TJK Legion | 25 | (2) |
2022- | Tartu Tammeka | 0 | (0) |
National team‡ | |||
Estonia U17 | |||
Estonia U19 | |||
Estonia U21 | |||
2008– | Estonia | 92 | (4) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18 February 2022 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 30 August 2022 |
Puri was born in Tartu, Tartu County.[1] In 2005, at the age of 16, Puri started his professional career with FCI Levadia Tallinn.[4] He scored his first Meistriliiga goal on 1 June 2005, in a 2–0 victory over Kuressaare.[5] On 30 July 2007, Sander and his twin brother Eino Puri joined Tulevik a half-year loan.[6] He played 14 league matches, scoring four goals.[7] In 2008, Puri had two trials with Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund[8] and in late 2009 with Scottish Premier League club Celtic.[9]
On 14 December 2009, Puri signed a five-year contract with Super League Greece club Larissa.[10] On 18 March 2010, Puri scored the winning goal against PAOK, in the final moment of the match with a tap in from close range.[11] However, in his second season, Puri's place in the team became increasingly limited which resulted him being loaned out twice.[12] His contract was mutually terminated on 31 January 2012.[13]
In January 2011, Puri went on loan to Ekstraklasa club Korona Kielce, on a contract until the end of the season.[14] He made his debut in a 1–1 draw against Zagłębie Lubin on 26 February 2011.[15] Puri scored his first goal for the club in a 3–3 home draw against Polonia Bytom on 12 March 2011.[2] However, due to injuries he only made eight appearances for the club.[16][17]
In July 2011, Puri was loaned to Nemzeti Bajnokság I club Pápa.[18] On 23 July 2011, Puri made his debut in a 2–0 home win over Siófok.[2] On 21 September 2011, Puri scored his first goal in a 10–0 win against Győrszemere in the third round of the 2011–12 Magyar Kupa.[2][19] The loan contract was mutually terminated on 19 January 2012 after spending six months at the club.[2][20] At Pápa, Puri made 14 appearances, scoring one goal.[2][19]
Puri joined Veikkausliiga club KuPS on 27 March 2012 on a contract until the end of the season,[21] after a successful trial.[22] He made his debut after starting in a 1–0 away win over VPS in the 2012 Finnish League Cup group stage on 25 February.[2] His first goal came in a 5–1 away win over JJK on 11 June 2012.[2] Puri scored for KuPS in the UEFA Europa League qualifying 1–0 home win against Bursaspor.[23] He scored the winning goal against MYPA in the semi-final of the 2012 Finnish Cup on 30 August,[24] but received a straight red card in the final, which the team lost to Honka.[25]
On 12 December 2012, Puri was released by the club after one season.[26] After his release, Puri was offered a contract with A Group club Beroe Stara Zagora,[27] but he rejected the move.[28]
On 15 March 2013, Puri signed a contract until the end of 2012–13 with Scottish Premier League club St Mirren,[29] despite the interest of divisional rivals Kilmarnock, but was not offered a contract following a trial.[30][31] He made his debut on 31 March 2013 as an 88th-minute substitute in a league match against Celtic.[2] Having made three appearances for the club,[2] Puri was released on 15 May 2013.[32]
Puri signed for League Two club York City on 13 June 2013 on a one-year contract with the option of a one-year extension.[33][34] He made his debut in a 1–0 home win over Northampton Town on 3 August 2013, in the first match of 2013–14.[35] He was released by York in May 2014.[34]
Puri signed for League of Ireland Premier Division club Sligo Rovers after a successful trial on 1 February 2015.[36][37] On 22 May 2015, he scored his first goal in a 1–1 away draw with Derry City,[2] after rounding the ball past goalkeeper Shaun Patton.[38]
Puri signed for Czech National Football League club Karviná on 18 February 2016.[39]
In August 2016, Puri returned to Estonia and signed a contract with Nõmme Kalju.[40]
In January 2017, Puri signed for League of Ireland First Division club Waterford.[41] He made his debut in a 1–0 defeat to Athlone Town on 24 February 2017.[42] A lengthy injury absence prevented Puri being involved with Waterford from March to July 2017. Despite returning to training in July it was only on 18 August Puri made a return for Waterford as he appeared as an unused substitute in the teams crucial 1–0 win over UCD.[43] The Estonian international finally made his long-awaited return for Waterford in the 1–1 draw against Shelbourne on 1 September and he nearly scored a late winner on two occasions, his first effort struck the post and then he was only inches away from tapping home from close range but his outstretched leg couldn't convert.[44] His impressive cameo earned him a start for the game against Wexford on 15 September, he assisted Mark O'Sullivan for his second goal in that game, Waterford beat Wexford 3–0.[45] That win coupled with Cobh Ramblers 3–0 defeat to Cabinteely crowned Waterford as league champions with two games to spare.[46]
Puri signed a new one-year contract with Waterford for the 2018 season as the club entered the League of Ireland Premier Division.[47] Puri scored his first goal for Waterford in their 1–0 win over Bohemians.[48]
In February 2019 Puri returned to Nõmme Kalju, signing a two-year contract.[49]
On 7 February 2021, Puri signed a contract with TJK Legion.[50] Puri made his debut for the new club in a 3–4 Loss against FCI Levadia Tallinn.[51]
Puri was capped by Estonia at under-17, under-19 and under-21 level.[52] He made his debut for the senior national team on 30 May 2008 against Latvia in the 2008 Baltic Cup.[53] He scored his first national team goal on 22 November 2008, in a 1–1 draw against Lithuania in a Mayors Cup match.[54] A goal against Saint Kitts and Nevis saw him awarded the Estonian Silverball, for the best goal scored for Estonia in 2015.[55]
Puri is one of three triplets: his brother, Eino Puri, is also a footballer and his sister, Kadri Puri, is a volleyball player.[56]
Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Tartu SK 10 | 2004[57] | IV liiga | 18 | 12 | — | — | 18 | 12 | ||||||
FCI Levadia U21 | 2005[7] | Esiliiga | 22 | 6 | — | — | 22 | 6 | ||||||
2006[7] | Esiliiga | 29 | 17 | — | — | 29 | 17 | |||||||
2007[7] | Esiliiga | 14 | 4 | — | — | 14 | 4 | |||||||
2009[7] | Esiliiga | 1 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||||||
Total | 66 | 27 | — | — | 66 | 27 | ||||||||
FCI Levadia Tallinn | 2005[2][7][58] | Meistriliiga | 13 | 2 | — | 0 | 0 | 1[lower-alpha 1] | 0 | 14 | 2 | |||
2006[7][59] | Meistriliiga | 6 | 1 | — | 3[lower-alpha 2] | 0 | — | 9 | 1 | |||||
2007[2][7] | Meistriliiga | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||||
2008[2][7][60] | Meistriliiga | 34 | 11 | — | 2[lower-alpha 3] | 0 | 1[lower-alpha 1] | 1 | 37 | 12 | ||||
2009[2][7][61] | Meistriliiga | 19 | 10 | 1 | 0 | — | 5[lower-alpha 4] | 0 | 1[lower-alpha 1] | 0 | 26 | 10 | ||
Total | 73 | 24 | 1 | 0 | — | 10 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 87 | 25 | |||
Tulevik (loan) | 2007[7] | Meistriliiga | 14 | 4 | — | — | — | 14 | 4 | |||||
Larissa | 2009–10[2] | Super League Greece | 11 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 11 | 1 | ||||
2010–11[2] | Super League Greece | 10 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 12 | 0 | ||||
Total | 21 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 23 | 1 | |||||
Korona Kielce (loan) | 2010–11[2] | Ekstraklasa | 8 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 8 | 1 | ||||
Pápa (loan) | 2011–12[2][19] | Nemzeti Bajnokság I | 12 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | 14 | 1 | |||
KuPS | 2012[2] | Veikkausliiga | 19 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5[lower-alpha 5] | 1 | — | 28 | 4 | |
St Mirren | 2012–13[2] | Scottish Premier League | 3 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | 3 | 0 | |||
York City | 2013–14[35] | League Two | 8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | |
Sligo Rovers | 2015[2][62] | League of Ireland Premier Division | 27 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 30 | 5 | ||
Karviná | 2015–16[2] | Czech National Football League | 9 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 9 | 2 | ||||
Nõmme Kalju | 2016[2] | Meistriliiga | 13 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 14 | 2 | |||
Waterford | 2017[2] | League of Ireland First Division | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | |
2018[2] | League of Ireland Premier Division | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | 0 | 0 | 10 | 2 | ||
Total | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | 0 | 0 | 17 | 2 | |||
Career total | 307 | 80 | 13 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 15 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 342 | 86 |
National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
---|---|---|---|
Estonia | 2008 | 9 | 1 |
2009 | 8 | 1 | |
2010 | 10 | 0 | |
2011 | 11 | 0 | |
2012 | 9 | 0 | |
2013 | 7 | 1 | |
2014 | 3 | 0 | |
2015 | 6 | 1 | |
2016 | 6 | 0 | |
2018 | 5 | 0 | |
2019 | 4 | 0 | |
Total | 78 | 4 |
No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 22 November 2008 | Kuressaare Stadium, Kuressaare, Estonia | ![]() | 1–0 | 1–1 | Friendly |
2 | 1 April 2009 | A. Le Coq Arena, Tallinn, Estonia | ![]() | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification |
3 | 11 June 2013 | A. Le Coq Arena, Tallinn, Estonia | ![]() | 1–0 | 1–1 | Friendly |
4 | 17 November 2015 | A. Le Coq Arena, Tallinn, Estonia | ![]() | 3–0 | 3–0 | Friendly |
FCI Levadia Tallinn
Waterford
Individual
Estonian Silverball | |
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