Andres Oper


Andres Oper is an Estonian football coach and former professional player. He is currently an assistant manager of FC Levadia Tallinn.
Oper played as a forward for Lelle, Flora, Tervis Pärnu, AaB, Torpedo Moscow, Roda JC, Shanghai Shenhua, ADO Den Haag, AEK Larnaca, Nea Salamina and the Estonia national team. With 38 goals in 134 appearances, Oper is Estonia's all-time record goalscorer. Oper was named Estonian Footballer of the Year three times, in 1999, 2002 and 2005, and won the Estonian Silverball award twice, in 2001 and 2005.

Early life

Oper was born in Tallinn. He graduated from the Tallinn Secondary School No. 37. He started playing football with Tallinna Jalgpallikool under Aivar Tiidus, before moving to Taivo Uibo's Uibo Poisid and then LMSK/Pantrid, coached by Aavo Sarap.

Club career

Flora

In 1995, Oper signed for Flora. He won his first Meistriliiga title in the 1994–95 season. Oper soon became a first team regular and one of the team's leading goalscorers. He won two more league titles in the 1997–98 and the 1998 seasons, as well as the 1997–98 Estonian Cup and the Estonian Supercup in 1998.

AaB

On 2 July 1999, Oper signed for Danish Superliga champions AaB, on a five-year contract for a transfer fee of $1 million.

Torpedo Moscow

On 10 July 2003, Oper signed a two-year contract with Russian Premier League club Torpedo Moscow. Often inconsistent in Russia, scoring 8 goals in 53 appearances, Oper was placed on the transfer list after he suffered an injury to his right foot. In 2005, he was linked with a transfer to Sunderland in England, but the contract was never signed.

Roda JC

On 31 August 2005, Oper signed a one-year contract with Dutch Eredivisie club Roda JC for an undisclosed fee. He scored his first Eredivisie goal on 1 October 2005, in a 3–2 win against Vitesse Arnhem. Oper finished the 2005–06 Eredivisie season as the team's joint top scorer alongside Simon Cziommer with 8 goals and signed a contract extension for two more seasons. He was the team's top scorer in the 2006–07 Eredivisie season, scoring 12 goals in the league and 1 in the play-offs. On 16 May 2007, he signed another contract extension with Roda JC until summer 2009.

Shanghai Shenhua

On 19 July 2009, Oper signed a half-year contract with Chinese Super League club Shanghai Shenhua. He made his debut for the club on 2 August 2009, in an away match against Jiangsu Sainty. However, he suffered an injury and eventually terminated his contract with the club.

ADO Den Haag

After an unsuccessful spell in China, Oper returned to the Netherlands and on 21 January 2010, he signed a half-year contract with an option for another year with ADO Den Haag. He made his debut for the club on 13 February 2010 in a home match against Willem II. Oper scored his first goal for ADO Den Haag on 18 April 2010, in a 4–0 win against RKC Waalwijk. His contract extension stalled due to negotiations over personal terms, eventually no agreement was settled and the extension was cancelled. The contract expired in summer.

AEK Larnaca

On 9 September 2010, Oper signed a one-year contract with Cypriot First Division club AEK Larnaca. He scored on his debut against Ethnikos Achna.

Nea Salamina

In January 2012, Oper joined Cypriot First Division club Nea Salamina. He scored his first goal for the club on 3 March in a 2–0 win against Enosis Neon Paralimni.

International career

Oper made his international debut for the Estonia national football team on 19 May 1995, in a 0–2 1995 Baltic Cup defeat against Latvia. He scored his first goal for Estonia on 8 June 1997, in a 2–3 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification loss against Sweden. He won the Estonian Silverball award twice, in 2001 and 2005. On 2 September 2006, Oper played his 100th match for Estonia, a 0–1 UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying defeat against Israel. He ended his international career with a testimonial match on 26 May 2014, after a 1–1 friendly draw against Gibraltar at A. Le Coq Arena. With 38 goals in 134 international appearances, Oper is Estonia's all-time record goalscorer. He played for the Estonia national team for eighteen years in a row.

Career statistics

Club

International

International goals

No.DateVenueCapOpponentScoreResultCompetition
18 June 1997Kadriorg Stadium, Tallinn, Estonia161–32–31998 FIFA World Cup qualification
222 June 1997Kuressaare Linnastaadion, Kuressaare, Estonia173–04–1Friendly
34 June 1998Kadriorg Stadium, Tallinn, Estonia254–05–0UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying
422 June 1998Kuressaare Linnastaadion, Kuressaare, Estonia262–12–1Friendly
59 June 1999Kadriorg Stadium, Tallinn, Estonia411–01–2UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying
69 October 1999Kadriorg Stadium, Tallinn, Estonia441–01–4UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying
71 November 1999Mohammad bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates462–12–2Friendly
818 December 1999Trikala Municipal Stadium, Trikala, Greece481–12–2Friendly
918 December 1999Trikala Municipal Stadium, Trikala, Greece482–12–2Friendly
1023 February 2000Rajamangala National Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand492–42–42000 King's Cup
1126 April 2000Stade Josy Barthel, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg511–01–1Friendly
124 June 2000Kadriorg Stadium, Tallinn, Estonia521–02–0Friendly
134 June 2000Kadriorg Stadium, Tallinn, Estonia522–02–0Friendly
143 September 2000Kadriorg Stadium, Tallinn, Estonia551–31–32002 FIFA World Cup qualification
157 October 2000Estadi Comunal, Andorra la Vella, Andorra562–02–12002 FIFA World Cup qualification
1619 March 2001Cairo International Stadium, Cairo, Egypt581–13–3Friendly
172 June 2001A. Le Coq Arena, Tallinn, Estonia611–02–42002 FIFA World Cup qualification
1814 March 2002Stadio Enzo Mazotti, Montecatini Terme, Italy692–02–0Friendly
1927 March 2002A. Le Coq Arena, Tallinn, Estonia701–02–1Friendly
2027 March 2002A. Le Coq Arena, Tallinn, Estonia702–12–1Friendly
2120 November 2002A. Le Coq Arena, Tallinn, Estonia762–02–0Friendly
2229 March 2003A. Le Coq Arena, Tallinn, Estonia781–12–1Friendly
2329 March 2003A. Le Coq Arena, Tallinn, Estonia782–12–1Friendly
244 September 2004A. Le Coq Arena, Tallinn, Estonia863–04–02006 FIFA World Cup qualification
2513 October 2004Skonto Stadium, Riga, Latvia881–12–22006 FIFA World Cup qualification
2626 March 2005A. Le Coq Arena, Tallinn, Estonia911–01–22006 FIFA World Cup qualification
274 June 2005A. Le Coq Arena, Tallinn, Estonia932–02–02006 FIFA World Cup qualification
283 September 2005A. Le Coq Arena, Tallinn, Estonia961–02–12006 FIFA World Cup qualification
2912 October 2005Stade Josy Barthel, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg981–02–02006 FIFA World Cup qualification
3012 October 2005Stade Josy Barthel, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg982–02–02006 FIFA World Cup qualification
3115 November 2006A. Le Coq Arena, Tallinn, Estonia1021–02–1Friendly
3215 November 2006A. Le Coq Arena, Tallinn, Estonia1022–12–1Friendly
3317 November 2007Estadi Comunal, Andorra la Vella, Andorra1081–02–0UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying
3420 August 2008A. Le Coq Arena, Tallinn, Estonia1092–12–1Friendly
356 September 2008Stade Maurice Dufrasne, Liège, Belgium1102–32–32010 FIFA World Cup qualification
3621 May 2010A. Le Coq Arena, Tallinn, Estonia1151–02–0Friendly
371 June 2012Tamme Stadium, Tartu, Estonia1231–21–22012 Baltic Cup
3816 October 2012Estadi Comunal, Andorra la Vella, Andorra1291–01–02014 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours

Club

;Flora