Flora

Full name	FC Flora
Founded	10 March 1990; 34 years ago (1990-03-10)
Ground	Lilleküla Stadium
Capacity	14,336[1]
President	Pelle Pohlak
Head coach	Taavi Viik
League	Meistriliiga
2023	Meistriliiga, 1st of 10 (champions)
Website	Club website
Home colours Away colours

FC Flora, commonly known as Flora Tallinn, or simply as Flora, is an Estonian professional football club based in Tallinn that competes in the Meistriliiga, the top flight of Estonian football. The club's home ground is Lilleküla Stadium.

Formed in 1990, Flora were founding members of the Meistriliiga, and is one of two clubs which have never been relegated from the Estonian top division, along with Narva Trans. Flora is the first and only Estonian football club to have played in the group stage of a UEFA club competition, having achieved this in the 2021–22 UEFA Europa Conference League season. Flora have won more trophies than any other club in Estonian football, with 35 titles; a record 15 Meistriliiga titles, eight Estonian Cups and a record 12 Estonian Supercups.^[2]

Flora is known for playing exclusively with Estonian players as the club's transfer policy is to sign players that are native Estonians or who hold Estonian citizenship.^[3] The policy is related to Estonian nationalism and to the club's overall aim to develop Estonian football and its culture, which was also the basis upon which Flora was established in 1990.^[3]

Flora was founded on 10 March 1990 by Aivar Pohlak as an effort to revive Estonian football during the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The team was mainly based on players from Lõvid youth team. Flora finished their first season in last place and were relegated. The situation changed after the formation of the Meistriliiga in 1992. After 52 years of the Soviet occupation (Estonian SSR), Estonian clubs could once again play for the Estonian League Championship title. Flora finished the inaugural season of the Meistriliiga in fourth place. After the first season, the league was reformed to run from Autumn to Spring. Flora finished the 1992–93 season as runners-up. In 1993, Roman Ubakivi was appointed as manager. One round before the end of the 1993–94 season, Tevalte, who led the Meistriliiga table at the time, was controversially disqualified over allegations of match fixing. The season ended with Flora and Norma both on equal 36 points. Flora won the championship play-off match 5–2 and was awarded their first league title. The club made their European debut in the 1994–95 UEFA Cup, losing to Odense 0–6 on aggregate in the preliminary round. Flora managed to defend the league title in the 1994–95 season and won the 1994–95 Estonian Cup, defeating Lantana-Marlekor 2–0 in the final.^[4]

In January 1996, Teitur Thordarson replaced Ubakivi as manager. Disappointing start in the 1995–96 season left the team in second place. Flora finished the 1996–97 season as runners-up once again. In the 1997–98 season, the club won their first league title under Thordarson. Subsequently, the league format was changed and Flora managed to win another title in the same calendar year. Flora made their debut in the UEFA Champions League for the first time in the 1998–99 season, narrowly losing to Steaua București 4–5 on aggregate in the first qualifying round. The club added another Estonian Cup trophy after defeating Lantana 3–2 in the finals. Since 1999, Meistriliiga adopted the current league format with the season running from Spring to Autumn within a single calendar year. The 1999 season was unsuccessful as Flora placed third. In 2000, Tarmo Rüütli was appointed as manager. Under Rüütli, Flora finished the 2000 season as runners-up behind Levadia, who won the title without a single loss.^[4]

In 2001, a new era began for Flora as the club moved to the new Lilleküla Stadium and Rüütli was replaced by Arno Pijpers. Under Pijpers, Flora won three consecutive Meistriliiga titles in 2001, 2002 and 2003. In the 2003 season, Flora won the league without losing a single league match, extending their unbeaten run from the previous season to 37, while Tor Henning Hamre scored a record 39 goals in a season. Pijpers left Flora in September 2004, before the end of the 2004 season, and was replaced by Janno Kivisild. The team failed to defend the league title for another season, finishing in third place.^[4]

The 2005 season was unsuccessful as Flora placed fourth, 26 points behind the league champions TVMK. This was the first time Flora didn't win a Meistriliiga medal since 1992. After the disappointing season, Kivisild was replaced by Pasi Rautiainen. In the 2006–07 UEFA Cup, Flora defeated Lyn Oslo 1–1 on aggregate on away goals in the first qualifying round, before losing to Brøndby 0–4 on aggregate in the second qualifying round. The club finished the 2006 season in third place and placed second in the 2007 season. Flora also suffered their biggest margin of defeat in the Meistriliiga thus far, losing 0–6 to TVMK in 2007.^[5] Flora finished the 2008 season as runners-up, behind Levadia once again, despite amassing 91 points and scoring 113 goals. Tarmo Rüütli returned to Flora for the 2009 season, but failed to lead the club to winning the league, placing fourth. Flora were more successful in the Estonian Cup, winning the trophy in 2008 and 2009.^[4]

In 2010, Rüütli was replaced by the former Flora player and Estonia national team record cap holder Martin Reim. Under Reim, rejuvenated Flora ended the reign of Levadia who had won the four previous Meistriliiga titles and won the league in the 2010 season. Flora successfully defended their title in the 2011 season and won the 2010–11 Estonian Cup, defeating Narva Trans 2–0 in the final. Flora finished the 2012 season in third place, behind the champions Nõmme Kalju and Levadia. After the season, Reim left the club and was replaced Marko Lelov in December 2012. Lelov won the 2012–13 Estonian Cup, but was sacked in July 2013 after disappointing results in the league. He was replaced by Norbert Hurt, initially as a caretaker, with position being made permanent later. Flora finished the 2013 season in fourth place and placed third in 2014.^[4]

In 2015, Flora celebrated their 25th anniversary by winning their 10th league title in the 34th round of the season.^[6] The club also won the 2015–16 Estonian Cup, defeating Sillamäe Kalev 3–0 in extra time in the final. In May 2016, Aivar Pohlak resigned from the club's presidency and was succeeded by his son Pelle Pohlak. In the first qualifying round of the 2016–17 UEFA Champions League, Flora lost to Lincoln Red Imps 2–3 on aggregate, after which Hurt resigned and was replaced by Argo Arbeiter. Flora finished the disappointing 2016 season in fourth place. Arbeiter was sacked and in January 2017, Arno Pijpers returned to take over as manager. In the 2017 season, Flora won their 11th Meistriliiga title.^[7] In December 2017, it was announced that Pijpers will not continue as manager.

Jürgen Henn was appointed in Pijpers' place in January 2018. Under Henn, Flora won the 2019 Meistriliiga and advanced through the first qualifying round of Europa League, beating Radnički Niš 4–2 on aggregate. Flora faced Eintracht Frankfurt in the second round which brought a record 8,537 people onto the stands in Tallinn, as Flora narrowly lost 1–2 with Mihkel Ainsalu scoring for the hosts.^[8] The second leg saw Flora face the German side at the sold out Waldstadion, where they were again defeated 1–2 in front of a crowd of 48,000.^[9] Despite the result, Flora players were celebrated by the Eintracht fans after the final whistle for their impressive performance, with Eintracht manager Adi Hütter labelling the scene as extraordinary and touching.^[10][11] Led by Jürgen Henn, Flora won the treble in 2020 by lifting the 2020 Estonian Supercup, the 2019–20 Estonian Cup and the 2020 Meistriliiga title. The club also advanced to the UEFA Europa League qualifying play-offs, where they lost 1–3 to Dinamo Zagreb on 1 October 2020.

Flora became the first Estonian side to advance to a UEFA club competitions group stage when they beat Shamrock Rovers 5–2 on aggregate to qualify for the 2021–22 UEFA Europa Conference League on 26 August 2021,^[12] where they were drawn into group B against Gent of Belgium, Partizan of Serbia and Anorthosis Famagusta of Cyprus.^[13] The 2–2 draw away against Anorthosis was the first ever point picked up by an Estonian side in UEFA group stage history, with Rauno Sappinen scoring both goals as Flora came from 2–0 down to earn a point in Cyprus. On match day 5, Flora made more history by beating Partizan 1–0 in Tallinn, thanks to a goal from Martin Miller. This result meant that they became the first ever Estonian side to win a game in a UEFA group stage.

After finishing the 2021 Meistriliiga season as runners-up, FC Flora won their 14th Estonian championship title in the 2022 season, earning 97 points and thus repeating Levadia's 2009 record of most points in a season. Flora lifted their 15th league title in 2023. On 30 November 2023, Jürgen Henn announced he will be stepping down after six years in charge, marking the end of the longest and most successful managerial tenure in Flora's history.^[14]

Flora replaced Henn with their sporting director and former manager Norbert Hurt, under whom the club started the 2024 season by lifting their 12th Estonian Supercup in February 2024. However in July, Hurt resigned after a disappointing 0–5 home loss to Celje in the Champions League first qualifying round and was replaced by the club's U21 head coach Taavi Viik.^[15]

Flora crest features the Greco-Roman goddess Flora, after whom the club is named. The club's colours are green and white, symbolizing growth, purity and honesty.^[16] Since 2024, Flora's first team crest also features three stars as the club won their 15th league title in 2023.

• 
  1990–2016
• 
  2016–present

The club's home ground is the 14,336-seat Lilleküla Stadium. Opened in 2001 and expanded from 2016 to 2018, it is the largest football stadium in Estonia. The Lilleküla Football Complex also includes two grass surface pitches, two artificial turf pitches and an indoor hall. Lilleküla Stadium is located at Jalgpalli 21, Kesklinn, Tallinn.^[1]

Flora use Sportland Arena artificial turf ground, located next to Lilleküla Stadium, for home matches during winter and early spring months, as natural grass grounds are not playable during the period due to the region's harsh winter climate.^[19]

Flora's deepest rivalry is with FCI Levadia and the fixture between the two clubs is known as the Tallinn Derby (Estonian: Tallinna derbi). Flora and Levadia are the two biggest and most successful clubs in Estonian football. The rivalry began in 1999, when Levadia entered Meistriliiga and immediately challenged the reigning champions Flora for the title, winning the treble in their first year in top-flight football.^[20] In the early 2000s, language and nationality was also one of the separating factors between the two clubs, as Levadia was seen as the club of choice for the Russian speaking population of the city and Flora for the Estonian speaking. However, that image of Levadia has since then faded away. From 2019, the two clubs also share their home ground A. Le Coq Arena. The attendance record of 3,510 was set on 28 June 2023.^[21]

The fixture between Flora and Nõmme Kalju FC is known as raudteederbi (English: The Railway Derby). The name derives from the fact that the stadiums of the two clubs are connected via a railway. The rivalry emerged in the early 2010s, when Kalju started challenging Flora in terms of on-field success, as well as in fan popularity. Throughout the years, the rivalry has also intensified due to an enmity between Flora's founder Aivar Pohlak and Kalju's president Kuno Tehva. Flora's signing of Kalju's homegrown players Henrik Pürg and Vlasiy Sinyavskiy in 2018 caused a further strife in the relationship of the two clubs^[22] and since then, no transfer deals have taken place between them. In an interview in 2023, Flora's academy graduate and current national team player Rauno Sappinen said he would rather retire than join Kalju, also calling the rival club 'appalling'.^[23] The fixture's attendance record of 3,521 was set in the 2013 Estonian Cup final.^[24]

As of 9 August 2024^[25][26]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  EST Silver Rebane 3 DF  EST Andreas Vaher 4 DF  EST Marco Lukka 5 MF  EST Vladislav Kreida 6 DF  EST Robert Veering 7 FW  EST Tony Varjund 8 MF  EST Danil Kuraksin 9 FW  EST Rauno Alliku 11 FW  EST Rauno Sappinen 13 MF  EST Nikita Mihhailov 14 MF  EST Konstantin Vassiljev (captain) 15 MF  EST Oliver Cekredzi 16 DF  EST Erko Jonne Tõugjas 17 FW  EST Mait Eenmaa

No. Pos. Nation Player 18 MF  EST Remo Valdmets 20 FW  EST Sergei Zenjov 22 FW  EST Mark Anders Lepik 23 DF  EST Mihhail Kolobov 24 DF  EST Oscar Pihela (on loan from Kuressaare) 26 DF  EST Kristo Hussar 28 MF  EST Markus Soomets 29 FW  EST Sander Alamaa 33 GK  EST Evert Grünvald 71 FW  EST Gregor Rõivassepp 77 GK  EST Kristen Lapa 80 MF  EST Roland Lukas 89 MF  EST Maksim Kalimullin (on loan from FC Tallinn) 93 MF  EST Sten Patrick Prunn

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player — GK  EST Kaur Kivila (at Kuressaare until 31 December 2024) — FW  EST Mattias Männilaan (at Kuressaare until 31 December 2024) — FW  EST Tristan Pajo (at Pärnu Vaprus} until 31 December 2024)

No. Pos. Nation Player — FW  EST Aleksandr Šapovalov (at PAOK B until 31 December 2024) — DF  EST Markkus Seppik (at Pärnu Vaprus until 31 December 2024)

For season transfers, see transfers summer 2024.

12 – Club supporters (the 12th Man)

Current technical staff Position[27] Name Head coach Taavi Viik Assistant coaches Taavi Trasberg Karl-Sander Eensoo Goalkeeping coach Aiko Orgla Video analyst Ants Jaakson Fitness coach Raul Jerva Physiotherapist Maali Pruul Masseur Oliver Papp Management[28] President Pelle Pohlak Chief Executive Officer Sergei Hohlov-Simson Head of Academy Taavi Trasberg

Managerial history Dates Name 1990–1991 Aivar Pohlak 1992 Raimondas Kotovas 1993–1995 Roman Ubakivi 1996–1999 Teitur Thordarson 2000 Tarmo Rüütli 2001–2004 Arno Pijpers 2004–2005 Janno Kivisild 2006–2008 Pasi Rautiainen 2009 Tarmo Rüütli 2010–2012 Martin Reim 2012–2013 Marko Lelov 2013–2016 Norbert Hurt 2016 Argo Arbeiter 2017–2018 Arno Pijpers 2018–2023 Jürgen Henn 2024 Norbert Hurt 2024– Taavi Viik

• Meistriliiga
  • Winners (15): 1993–94, 1994–95, 1997–98, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2010, 2011, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023

• Estonian Cup
  • Winners (8): 1994–95, 1997–98, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2012–13, 2015–16, 2019–20
• Estonian Supercup
  • Winners (12): 1998, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2020, 2021, 2024

• Livonia Cup
  • Winners (3): 2011, 2018, 2023

Season	Division	Pos	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Top goalscorer	Cup	Supercup
1992	Meistriliiga	4	13	8	3	2	53	13	+40	19	Urmas Kirs (11)
1992–93		2	22	15	4	3	63	13	+50	34	Indro Olumets Martin Reim (11)	Quarter-finals
1993–94		1	22	15	6	1	61	9	+52	36	Urmas Kirs (8)	Semi-finals
1994–95		1	24	17	7	0	59	10	+49	58	Ričardas Zdančius (12)	Winners
1995–96		2	24	12	6	6	51	22	+29	42	Lembit Rajala (16)	Quarter-finals
1996–97		2	24	16	4	4	52	16	+36	52	Andres Oper (13)	Quarter-finals
1997–98		1	24	19	3	2	73	16	+57	60	Andres Oper (15)	Winners
1998		1	14	11	2	1	46	14	+32	35	Andres Oper Indrek Zelinski (10)		Winners
1999		3	28	13	8	7	60	33	+27	47	Indrek Zelinski (14)	Semi-finals	Runners-up
2000		2	28	16	7	5	51	25	+26	55	Meelis Rooba (10)
2001		1	28	21	5	2	62	18	+44	68	Aleksandr Kulik (14)	Runners-up
2002		1	28	20	4	4	79	25	+54	64	Tor Henning Hamre (23)	Quarter-finals	Winners
2003		1	28	24	4	0	105	21	+84	76	Tor Henning Hamre (39)	Runners-up	Winners
2004		3	28	18	4	6	83	25	+58	58	Vjatšeslav Zahovaiko (28)	Semi-finals	Winners
2005		4	36	21	6	9	81	36	+45	69	Vjatšeslav Zahovaiko (19)	Semi-finals
2006		3	36	26	4	6	93	34	+59	82	Vjatšeslav Zahovaiko (25)	Runners-up	Runners-up
2007		2	36	26	5	5	108	30	+78	83	Jarmo Ahjupera (17)	Second round
2008		2	36	28	7	1	113	28	+85	91	Sander Post (19)	Winners
2009		4	36	22	6	8	79	31	+48	72	Alo Dupikov Vjatšeslav Zahovaiko (13)	Winners	Winners
2010		1	36	29	4	3	104	32	+72	91	Sander Post (24)	Runners-up	Runners-up
2011		1	36	26	8	2	100	24	+76	86	Henri Anier (21)	Winners	Winners
2012		3	36	26	3	7	87	24	+63	81	Zakaria Beglarishvili (17)	Semi-finals	Winners
2013		4	36	21	5	10	83	40	+43	68	Albert Prosa (16)	Winners
2014		3	36	24	7	5	88	36	+52	79	Albert Prosa (22)	Fourth round	Winners
2015		1	36	27	3	6	72	24	+48	84	Rauno Sappinen (16)	Semi-finals
2016		4	36	21	10	5	96	31	+65	73	Rauno Sappinen (19)	Winners	Winners
2017		1	36	28	6	2	100	28	+72	90	Rauno Sappinen (27)	Fourth round	Runners-up
2018		3	36	25	8	3	116	32	+84	83	Zakaria Beglarishvili (30)	Runners-up	Runners-up
2019		1	36	29	3	4	110	21	+89	90	Erik Sorga (31)	Fourth round
2020		1	29	26	2	1	76	17	+59	80	Rauno Sappinen (26)	Winners	Winners
2021		2	32	23	8	1	90	23	+67	77	Rauno Sappinen (23)	Runners-up	Winners
2022		1	36	31	4	1	94	21	+73	97	Konstantin Vassiljev (13)	Semi-finals	Runners-up
2023		1	36	23	10	3	74	24	+50	79	Konstantin Vassiljev (14)	Runners-up	Runners-up

Season	Competition	Round	Opponent	Home	Away	Agg.
1994–95	UEFA Cup	Preliminary round	Odense	0–3	0–3	0–6
1995–96	UEFA Cup	Preliminary round	Lillestrøm	1–0	0–4	1–4
1996–97	UEFA Cup	Preliminary round	Haka	0–1	2–2	2–3
1997–98	UEFA Cup	First qualifying round	Hapoel Petah Tikva	1–2	0–1	1–3
1998–99	UEFA Champions League	First qualifying round	Steaua București	3–1	1–4	4–5
1999–00	UEFA Champions League	First qualifying round	Partizan Belgrade	1–4	0–6	1–10
2000–01	UEFA Cup	Qualifying round	Club Brugge	0–2	1–4	1–6
2001–02	UEFA Cup	Qualifying round	Dinamo Zagreb	0–1	0–1	0–2
2002–03	UEFA Champions League	First qualifying round	APOEL	0–0	0–1	0–1
2003–04	UEFA Champions League	First qualifying round	Sheriff Tiraspol	1–1	0–1	1–2
2004–05	UEFA Champions League	First qualifying round	Gorica	2–4	1–3	3–7
2005–06	UEFA Cup	First qualifying round	Esbjerg	0–6	2–1	2–7
2006–07	UEFA Cup	First qualifying round	Lyn Oslo	0–0	1–1	1–1 (a)
		Second qualifying round	Brøndby	0–0	0–4	0–4
2007–08	UEFA Cup	First qualifying round	Vålerenga	0–1	0–1	0–2
2008–09	UEFA Cup	First qualifying round	Djurgården	2–2	0–0	2–2 (a)
2009–10	UEFA Europa League	Second qualifying round	Brøndby	1–4	1–0	2–4
2010–11	UEFA Europa League	First qualifying round	Dinamo Tbilisi	0–0	1–2	1–2
2011–12	UEFA Champions League	Second qualifying round	Shamrock Rovers	0–0	0–1	0–1
2012–13	UEFA Champions League	Second qualifying round	Basel	0–2	0–3	0–5
2013–14	UEFA Europa League	First qualifying round	Kukësi	1–1	0–0	1–1 (a)
2015–16	UEFA Europa League	First qualifying round	Rabotnički	1–0	0–2	1–2
2016–17	UEFA Champions League	First qualifying round	Lincoln Red Imps	2–1	0–2	2–3
2017–18	UEFA Europa League	First qualifying round	Domžale	2–3	0–2	2–5
2018–19	UEFA Champions League	First qualifying round	Hapoel Be'er Sheva	1–4	1–3	2–7
	UEFA Europa League	Second qualifying round	APOEL	2–0	0–5	2–5
2019–20	UEFA Europa League	First qualifying round	Radnički Niš	2–0	2–2	4–2
		Second qualifying round	Eintracht Frankfurt	1–2	1–2	2–4
2020–21	UEFA Champions League	First qualifying round	Sūduva	1–1 (a.e.t.) (2–4 p)	—	—
	UEFA Europa League	Second qualifying round	KR	2–1	—	—
		Third qualifying round	Floriana	—	0–0 (a.e.t.) 4–2 p	—
		Play-off round	Dinamo Zagreb	—	1–3	—
2021–22	UEFA Champions League	First qualifying round	Hibernians	2–0	3–0	5–0
		Second qualifying round	Legia Warsaw	0–1	1–2	1–3
	UEFA Europa League	Third qualifying round	Omonia	2−1 (a.e.t.)	0–1	2−2 (4–5 p)
	UEFA Europa Conference League	Play-off round	Shamrock Rovers	4–2	1–0	5–2
		Group B	Gent	0–1	0–1	4th
			Partizan	1–0	0–2
			Anorthosis Famagusta	2–2	2–2
2022–23	UEFA Europa Conference League	First qualifying round	SJK	1–0	2–4 (a.e.t.)	3–4
2023–24	UEFA Champions League	First qualifying round	Raków Częstochowa	0–3	0–1	0–4
	UEFA Europa Conference League	Second qualifying round	Bye	—	—	—
		Third qualifying round	Farul Constanța	0–2	0–3	0–5
2024–25	UEFA Champions League	First qualifying round	Celje	0–5	1–2	1–7
	UEFA Conference League	Second qualifying round	Virtus	5–2 (a.e.t.)	0–0	5–2
	UEFA Conference League	Third qualifying round	Víkingur Reykjavík	1–2	1–1	2–3

Wikimedia Commons has media related to FC Flora.

• Official website (in Estonian)
• Flora at Estonian Football Association
• Flora at UEFA.com