Martin Vetkal

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Martin Vetkal

| image =

| image_size =

| alt =

| caption =

| fullname =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|2004|2|21|df=y}}

| birth_place = Tallinn, Estonia

| death_date =

| death_place =

| height = 1.81 m

| position = Midfielder

| currentclub = IF Brommapojkarna

| clubnumber = 20

| youthyears1 = –2011

| youthclubs1 = JK Püsivus Kohila

| youthyears2 = 2012–2019

| youthclubs2 = Tallinna Kalev

| youthyears3 = 2020–2024

| youthclubs3 = Roma

| years1 = 2019–2020

| clubs1 = Tallinna Kalev

| caps1 = 19

| goals1 = 1

| years2 = 2023–2024

| clubs2 = Roma

| caps2 = 0

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 2024–

| clubs3 = IF Brommapojkarna

| caps3 = 3

| goals3 = 0

| totalcaps =

| totalgoals =

| nationalyears1 = 2018

| nationalteam1 = Estonia U16

| nationalcaps1 = 1

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| nationalyears2 = 2019

| nationalteam2 = Estonia U17

| nationalcaps2 = 11

| nationalgoals2 = 1

| nationalyears3 = 2021–

| nationalteam3 = Estonia U19

| nationalcaps3 = 7

| nationalgoals3 = 1

| nationalyears4 = 2023–

| nationalteam4 = Estonia

| nationalcaps4 = 11

| nationalgoals4 = 1

| medaltemplates =

| club-update = 13 November 2024

| nationalteam-update = 1 November 2024

}}

Martin Vetkal (born 21 February 2004) is an Estonian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Allsvenskan club IF Brommapojkarna and the Estonia national team.{{Soccerway|598915|accessdate=4 June 2020}}

Club career

Vetkal made his debut with Tallinna Kalev in Estonian top tier on 21 June 2019 against FC Flora, allegedly needing a special authorisation from the federation to play being only aged 15.{{Cite web|date=21 June 2019|title=Flora sai Kalevi vastu kindla võidu (galerii!)|url=https://soccernet.ee/artikkel/flora-sai-kalevi-vastu-kindla-voidu|access-date=4 June 2020|website=Soccernet}}

He became the youngest scorer ever of the Estonian Premium Liiga, scoring his first goal at 15 years and 261 days against Viljandi JK Tulevik on 9 November 2019.{{Cite web|date=9 November 2019|title=Vägev lõppakord: Flora veristas Maardut, Kalev jäi ellu ja noor vutimees kirjutas ajalugu|url=https://sport.postimees.ee/6822117/vagev-loppakord-flora-veristas-maardut-kalev-jai-ellu-ja-noor-vutimees-kirjutas-ajalugu|access-date=4 June 2020|website=Postimees|language=et}} He was considered as one of the top prospects of his generation in Europe at his very early age.{{Cite web|last=Gałęzewski|first=Michał|date=22 December 2019|title=PKO Ekstraklasa. Kacper Urbański z Lechii Gdańsk to trzeci najmłodszy debiutant w Europie|url=https://sportowefakty.wp.pl/pilka-nozna/860731/pko-ekstraklasa-kacper-urbanski-z-lechii-gdansk-to-trzeci-najmlodszy-debiutant-w|access-date=4 June 2020|website=sportowefakty.wp.pl|language=pl}}

Following his debut season in Estonia, he visited several Italian clubs such as Genoa, SPAL and Sassuolo.{{Cite web|last=Voolaid|first=Rasmus|date=5 December 2019|title=Premium liiga ajaloo noorim väravalööja näitab end mitmele Serie A klubile|url=https://soccernet.ee/artikkel/premium-liiga-ajaloo-noorim-varavalooja-naitab-end-mitmele-serie-a-klubile|access-date=4 June 2020|website=Soccernet}} In March 2020 he did a test for Schalke 04, along with his teammate Tristan Toomas Teeväli.{{Cite news|date=2 March 2020|title=Saksamaa tippklubi kutsus Eesti jalgpallitalendid testimisele|language=et|website=Postimees|url=https://sport.postimees.ee/6913119/saksamaa-tippklubi-kutsus-eesti-jalgpallitalendid-testimisele|access-date=4 June 2020}}{{Cite web|date=3 March 2020|title=Saksamaa kõrgliiga kuues meeskond kutsus kaks eestlast testimisele|url=https://sport.delfi.ee/a/89108903|access-date=4 June 2020|website=Delfi Sport|language=et}}

He signed for Roma in August 2020.{{Cite news|last=Arike|first=Ville|date=27 August 2020|title=Eesti jalgpallitalent sõlmis AS Romaga profilepingu|work=Postimees|url=https://leht.postimees.ee/7048009/eesti-jalgpallitalent-solmis-as-romaga-profilepingu}} During the 2022–23 season, he was part of Roma's under-19 squad that won the Coppa Italia Primavera.{{Cite web |last=Di Chiaro |first=Michael |date=25 April 2023 |title=La Roma vince la Coppa Italia Primavera: Keramitsis stende la Fiorentina ai supplementari |url=https://www.goal.com/it/notizie/fiorentina-roma-coppa-italia-primavera-chi-ha-vinto-risultato-cronaca-tabellino/blt867cd42641f0bf32 |access-date=26 April 2023 |website=Goal.com |language=it-IT}}{{Cite web |last=Andreuccetti |first=Gianluca |date=25 April 2023 |title=[FINALE] - Primavera TIM Cup, Fiorentina-Roma 1-2 d.t.s: Keramitsis regala la Coppa Italia ai giallorossi, termina l'egemonia viola |url=https://www.mondoprimavera.com/news/471772597766/finale-primavera-tim-cup-fiorentina-roma-1-2-d-t-s-keramitsis-regala-la-coppa-italia-ai-giallorossi-termina |access-date=26 April 2023 |website=MondoPrimavera |language=it-IT}}

International career

Vetkal has represented Estonia at various youth international levels.{{Cite web |title=Courte défaite face à l'Estonie (1–2) |url=https://www.fff.fr/actualites/184967-courte-defaite-face-a-l-estonie-1-2 |access-date=4 June 2020 |website=fff.fr |language=fr}}{{Cite web |date=27 August 2019 |title=Kõva sõna! Eesti U17 jalgpallikoondis võitis Rootsit |url=https://sport.delfi.ee/a/87252843 |access-date=4 June 2020 |website=Delfi Sport |language=et}}{{Cite web |date=24 September 2019 |title=La Sub-17 conquista el Torneo de Exentos pese a caer (2–3) ante Estonia |url=https://www.sefutbol.com/sub-17-conquista-torneo-exentos-pese-caer-2-3-estonia |access-date=4 June 2020 |website=sefutbol |language=es |archive-date=4 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200604190151/https://www.sefutbol.com/sub-17-conquista-torneo-exentos-pese-caer-2-3-estonia |url-status=dead }} He was set to play in the 2020 UEFA European Under-17 Championship, originally planned to be held in his homecountry, before the tournament was cancelled due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web |last=Kangur |first=Kristjan Jaak |date=24 April 2019 |title=Supervärava löönud Vetkal: võime mängida ükskõik kellega! |url=https://soccernet.ee/artikkel/supervarava-loonud-vetkal-voime-mangida-ukskoik-kellega |access-date=4 June 2020 |website=Soccernet}}

On 13 October 2023, Vetkal made his senior debut for Estonia in a Euro qualification against Azerbaijan in the 63rd minute as a substitute.{{Cite Instagram |user=eestijalgpall|postid=MTc4MmMIYmI2Ng|title= Congratulations on Martin Vetkal's debut|date=13 October 2023}} On 21 March 2024, he scored his first goal for the national team in a 1–5 Euro qualifying play-off loss against Poland.{{cite web |title=Eesti lõi Poolale värava, ent tunnistas sõelmängus kindlat kaotust |url=https://jalgpall.ee/koondis/1/uudised/eesti-loi-poolale-varava-ent-tunnistas-soelmangus-kindlat-kaotust-n22790 |website=jalgpall.ee |publisher=Estonian Football Association |access-date=23 March 2024 |language=et |date=21 March 2024}}

Career statistics

=International=

{{updated|match played 21 March 2024|{{NFT player|75466|access-date=24 November 2019}}}}

National team	Year	Apps
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" \|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year
rowspan="2"\|Estonia \|2023	3	0
2024	1	1
colspan="2"\|Total	4	1

:Scores and results list Estonia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Vetkal goal.

class="wikitable sortable" \|+ List of international goals scored by Martin Vetkal
scope="col"\|No. !scope="col"\|Date !scope="col"\|Venue !scope="col"\|Opponent !scope="col"\|Score !scope="col"\|Result !scope="col"\|Competition
style="text-align:center"\|1	21 March 2024	National Stadium, Warsaw, Poland	{{fb\|POL}}	style="text-align:center"\|1–5	style="text-align:center"\|1–5	UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying

class="wikitable sortable"

|+ List of international goals scored by Martin Vetkal

scope="col"|No.

!scope="col"|Date

!scope="col"|Venue

!scope="col"|Opponent

!scope="col"|Score

!scope="col"|Result

!scope="col"|Competition

style="text-align:center"|1

21 March 2024

National Stadium, Warsaw, Poland