Patrik Kristal

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Patrik Kristal

| image =

| fullname =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|2007|11|12}}

| birth_place = Viimsi Vald, Estonia

| height =

| position = Attacking Midfielder,
Forward

| currentclub = 1. FC Köln II

| clubnumber = 12

| youthyears1 = 2013–2016

| youthclubs1 = Harju JK

| youthyears2 = 2017–2021

| youthclubs2 = Tallinna Kalev

| youthyears3 = 2022–2023

| youthclubs3 = Levadia

| years1 = 2022–2023

| clubs1 = Levadia

| caps1 = 5

| goals1 = 0

| years2 = 2022–2023

| clubs2 = → Levadia U21

| caps2 = 62

| goals2 = 16

| years3 = 2024

| clubs3 = Paide Linnameeskond

| caps3 = 31

| goals3 = 7

| years4 = 2024

| clubs4 = → Paide U21

| caps4 = 1

| goals4 = 0

| years5 = 2025-

| clubs5 = 1. FC Köln

| caps5 = 0

| goals5 = 0

| nationalyears1 = 2022–

| nationalteam1 = Estonia U16

| nationalcaps1 = 2

| nationalgoals1 = 2

| nationalyears2 = 2022–

| nationalteam2 = Estonia U17

| nationalcaps2 = 12

| nationalgoals2 = 4

| nationalyears3 = 2024–

| nationalteam3 = Estonia U19

| nationalcaps3 = 21

| nationalgoals3 = 1

| nationalyears4 = 2024–

| nationalteam4 = Estonia U21

| nationalcaps4 = 1

| nationalgoals4 = 0

| nationalyears5 = 2024–

| nationalteam5 = Estonia

| nationalcaps5 = 2

| nationalgoals5 = 0

| club-update = 3 January 2025

| nationalteam-update = 14 October 2024

}}

Patrik Kristal (born 12 November 2007) is an Estonian footballer who plays for Regionalliga West club 1. FC Köln II and the Estonia national team.

Club career

As a youth Kristal began his career with Harju JK before moving to Tallinna Kalev in 2017.{{cite web |title=FCI Levadiaga liitus Eesti jalgpallilegendi 14-aastane poeg |date=28 January 2022 |url=https://sport.postimees.ee/7441141/fci-levadiaga-liitus-eesti-jalgpallilegendi-14-aastane-poeg |publisher=Post Timees |access-date=29 June 2023 |language=Estonian}} In the 2014 Summer Cup held in Pärnu he scored for Harju against Nõmme Kalju FC with the goal being compared to James Rodriguez's 2014 FIFA World Cup goal against Uruguay by local media.{{cite web |title=Liepaja Spring Cup-JK Tallinna Kalev |url=http://turniir.ee/liepajaspringcup2018/teams/6959?language=et |publisher=turniir.ee |access-date=29 June 2023 |language=Estonian}}{{cite web |title=Kristali poeg lõi Nõmme Kaljule James Rodriguezi iluväravaga analoogse kolli! |url=https://www.ohtuleht.ee/sport/585927/video-kristali-poeg-loi-nomme-kaljule-james-rodriguezi-iluvaravaga-analoogse-kolli |publisher=ohtuleht.ee |access-date=29 June 2023}} For the 2021 season he also played for the Estonian under-15 national team in the under-17 league. He scored 17 goals during the season while serving as captain.{{cite web |last1=Nõmm |first1=Anders |title=Levadiaga liitus Eesti koondise legendi 14-aastane poeg |date=28 January 2022 |url=https://sport.err.ee/1608482183/levadiaga-liitus-eesti-koondise-legendi-14-aastane-poeg |publisher=sport.err.ee |access-date=29 June 2023 |language=Estonian}}

In January 2022, Kristal moved to FCI Levadia Tallinn.{{cite web |title=FCI Levadiaga liitus 14-aastane ründaja Patrik Kristal |date=28 January 2022 |url=https://sport.tv3.ee/jalgpall/fci-levadiaga-liitus-14-aastane-rundaja-patrik-kristal/ |publisher=sport.tv3.ee |access-date=29 June 2023 |language=Estonian}}{{cite web |title=FCI Levadiaga liitus 14-aastane ründaja Patrik Kristal |date=28 January 2022 |url=https://fcilevadia.ee/2022/01/28/fci-levadiaga-liitus-14-aastane-rundaja-patrik-kristal/ |publisher=FCI Levadia Tallinn |access-date=29 June 2023 |language=Estonian |author1=Lauri }} On 15 July of that year he made his senior debut as an 81st-minute substitute for Zakaria Beglarišvili in a 3–0 victory over Tartu JK Tammeka.{{cite web |last1=Teemal |first1=Samal |title=Eesti jalgpallilegendi 14-aastane poeg tegi meistriliiga ajalugu |url=https://sport.delfi.ee/artikkel/120036634/eesti-jalgpallilegendi-14-aastane-poeg-tegi-meistriliiga-ajalugu |publisher=sport.delfi.ee |access-date=29 June 2023 |language=Estonian}} In the process, he became the youngest-ever player to appear in a Meistriliiga match at 14 years 11 months and 2 days old. The record had previously been held by Andrei Tjunin since 1994.{{cite web |last1=Remmelkoor |first1=Kristjan |title=14-aastaselt kõrgliigas põhisse pääsenud Kristal: füüsiliselt on tase poole parem kui Esiliigas, aga arvan, et sain hakkama |date=15 October 2022 |url=https://soccernet.ee/artikkel/14-aastaselt-korgliigas-pohisse-paasenud-kristal-fuusiliselt-on-tase-poole-parem-kui-esiliigas-aga-arvan-et-sain-hakkama |publisher=soccernet.ee |access-date=29 June 2023 |language=Estonian}}{{cite web |title=Eesti jalgpallilegendi 14-aastane poeg tegi Premium liiga ajalugu |date=15 July 2022 |url=https://sport.tv3.ee/jalgpall/premium-liiga/eesti-jalgpallilegendi-14-aastane-poeg-tegi-premium-liiga-ajalugu/ |publisher=sport.tv3.ee |access-date=29 June 2023 |language=Estonian}}{{cite web |last1=Voolaid |first1=Rasmus |title=Eesti jalgpalli ajalugu teinud 14-aastane Patrik Kristal: hoidsin naeru tagasi, väga hea tunne oli |date=15 July 2022 |url=https://soccernet.ee/artikkel/eesti-jalgpalli-ajalugu-teinud-14-aastane-patrik-kristal-hoidsin-naeru-tagasi-vaga-hea-tunne-oli |publisher=soccernet.ee |access-date=29 June 2023 |language=Estonian}}

On 19 July 2024, German club 1. FC Köln announced that they had signed Kristal, starting from 1 January 2025.{{cite web|url=https://fc.de/fc-verpflichtet-talent-aus-estland|title=FC verpflichtet talent aus Estland|trans-title=FC signs talent from Estonia|publisher=FC Köln|language=de|date=19 July 2024|access-date=21 August 2024}}

International career

In October 2022, Kristal scored in a friendly against Northern Ireland U16 played in Finland. He captained the team in the match.{{cite web |title=Northern Ireland U16s defeat Estonia |url=https://www.irishfa.com/news/2022/october/northern-ireland-u16s-defeat-estonia |publisher=Irish FA |access-date=29 June 2023}} The next day he scored again in a 2–6 friendly defeat to the hosts.{{cite web |title=EFA profile |url=https://jalgpall.ee/koondis/koosseis/player/5574 |publisher=Estonia FA |access-date=29 June 2023 |language=Estonian}} Later that month, he was named to Estonia's squad for 2023 UEFA European Under-17 Championship qualification.{{cite web |last1=Ilves |first1=Kris |title=14-aastane Patrik Kristal kutsuti EM-valikmängudeks Eesti U17 koondisesse |date=25 October 2022 |url=https://soccernet.ee/artikkel/14-aastane-patrik-kristal-kutsuti-em-valikmangudeks-eesti-u17-koondisesse |publisher=soccernet.ee |access-date=29 June 2023 |language=Estonian}}

In April 2023 he captained the national under-16 team again, this time for an UEFA under-16 development tournament held in Malta.{{cite web |title=Estonia Too Strong for Malta on Opening Day |url=https://mfa.com.mt/news/national-teams/uefa-boys-under-16-development-tournament/ |publisher=Malta FA |access-date=29 June 2023}} In June 2023 Kristal scored and assisted on three goals in a 4–2 victory over Lithuania in the Under-17 Baltic Cup, again serving as captain.{{cite web |title=Noormeeste U17 koondis alistas Balti turniiri avamängus leedulased |url=https://jalgpall.ee/koondis/5/uudised/video-noormeeste-u17-koondis-alistas-balti-turniiri-avamangus-n21672 |publisher=Estonia FA |access-date=29 June 2023 |language=Estonian}} In Estonia's next match of the tournament, Kristal scored two goals in a 3–3 draw with Latvia.{{cite web |last1=Remmelkoor |first1=Kristjan |title=U17 koondis tegi kolme penaltiga mängus Lätiga viigi |date=30 June 2023 |url=https://soccernet.ee/artikkel/u17-koondis-tegi-kolme-penaltiga-mangus-latiga-viigi |publisher=soccernet.ee |access-date=1 July 2023 |language=Estonian}}

Kristal made his debut for the senior Estonia national team on 8 September 2024 in a Nations League game against Sweden at Strawberry Arena. He substituted Vlasiy Sinyavskiy in the 72nd minute, as Sweden won 3–0.{{cite web|publisher=ESPN|url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/match/_/gameId/698914/estonia-sweden|title=Sweden v Estonia game report|date=8 September 2024}}

=International=

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

Personal

Kristal is the son of former Estonia international Marko Kristal.{{cite web |last1=Koort |first1=Kaspar |title=Marko Kristal Eesti jalgpalliajalugu teinud pojast: ta saab väga hästi aru, et talle ei tehta mingeid kingitusi, vaid kõik tuleb endal välja teenida |url=https://www.ohtuleht.ee/sport/1066430/marko-kristal-eesti-jalgpalliajalugu-teinud-pojast-ta-saab-vaga-hasti-aru-et-talle-ei-tehta-mingeid-kingitusi-vaid-koik-tuleb-endal-valja-teenida |publisher=ohtuleht.ee |access-date=29 June 2023}}