Ken Kallaste

Ken Kallaste (né Akerta; born 31 August 1988) is an Estonian professional footballer who plays as a left back for Meistriliiga club Flora and the Estonia national team.

Ken Kallaste

Kallaste with Nõmme Kalju in 2015
Personal information
Full name	Ken Kallaste
Date of birth	31 August 1988
Place of birth	Tallinn, Estonia
Height	1.82 m (5 ft 11 ^1⁄2 in)
Position(s)	Left back
Club information
Current team	Flora
Number	21
Youth career
0000–2005	Flora
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2004	Lelle	22	(4)
2004–2005	Tervis Pärnu	32	(4)
2006	Warrior	16	(4)
2006–2009	Flora	36	(2)
2006–2009	Flora II	62	(21)
2008	→ Tulevik (loan)	14	(0)
2010–2015	Nõmme Kalju	213	(16)
2010	Nõmme Kalju II	1	(1)
2015–2016	Górnik Zabrze	15	(0)
2016–2019	Korona Kielce	67	(2)
2017–2019	Korona II Kielce	15	(0)
2019–2020	GKS Tychy	8	(0)
2020-	Flora	0	(0)
National team^‡
2004	Estonia U17	5	(0)
2005	Estonia U18	1	(0)
2006	Estonia U19	3	(1)
2007–2010	Estonia U21	17	(2)
2010–2012	Estonia U23	5	(0)
2012–	Estonia	46	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 1 January 2020 ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 12 October 2020

Club career

Flora

Kallaste came through the Flora youth system. He made his debut in the Meistriliiga playing for Flora affiliated Warrior on 12 March 2006, in a 0–6 away loss to Maag Tartu. In July 2006, Kallaste moved to Flora's first team.[1] He made his debut for the club on 9 July 2006, in a 0–1 home loss to Levadia.

In July 2008, Kallaste joined Tulevik on loan until the end of the season.

Nõmme Kalju

On 6 January 2010, Kallaste signed a three-year contract with Nõmme Kalju.[2] He made his debut for the club on 9 March 2010, in 1–0 home victory over Tulevik. Kallaste helped Nõmme Kalju win the Meistriliiga title in 2012.[3][4] From 8 May 2010 to 20 July 2013, Kallaste played every single minute of 116 consecutive league matches, earning himself the nickname Raudmees (Iron Man).[5]

Górnik Zabrze

On 22 December 2015, Kallaste signed for Polish club Górnik Zabrze on a one-and-a-half year deal, with an option to extend the contract for another year.[6] He made his debut in the Ekstraklasa on 13 February 2016, in a 0–3 away loss to Cracovia. Górnik Zabrze were relegated at the end of the 2015–16 season and on 25 June 2016, Kallaste was released from his contract by mutual consent.[7]

Korona Kielce

On 27 June 2016, Kallaste signed a two-year contract with Korona Kielce.[8] He made his debut for the club on 17 August 2016, in a 0–4 away loss to Zagłębie Lubin. Kallaste scored his first Ekstraklasa goal on 25 November 2017, in a 3–2 home win over Legia Warsaw.[9]

GKS Tychy

On 17 June 2019, Kallaste signed for I liga side GKS Tychy on a one-year deal, with an option to extend his contract for another year.[10]

International career

Kallaste has represented Estonia at under-17, under-18, under-19, under-21 and under-23 levels.

On 1 November 2012, Kallaste was named in Estonia's squad for a friendly match against Oman on 8 November 2012, and made his senior international debut in the 2–1 away win.[11][12]

Personal life

Kallaste was born Ken Akerta, but changed his last name to Kallaste in 2006. He is the son of former professional footballer and Estonian international Risto Kallaste.[13]

Kallaste has a daughter (born 2012).[14]

Career statistics

Club

As of 17 June 2019.[15][16][17]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			Cup[lower-alpha 1]		Europe		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Lelle	2004	II liiga	22	4	0	0	—		—		22	4
Tervis Pärnu	2004	Esiliiga	3	1	1	0	—		—		4	1
	2005	Esiliiga	29	3	1	0	—		—		30	3
	Total		32	4	2	0	—		—		34	4
Warrior	2006	Meistriliiga	16	4	1	1	—		—		17	5
Flora	2006	Meistriliiga	10	0	1	2	3[lower-alpha 2]	0	1[lower-alpha 3]	0	15	2
	2007	Meistriliiga	0	0	0	0	0	0	1[lower-alpha 4]	0	1	0
	2008	Meistriliiga	3	1	0	0	0	0	3[lower-alpha 4]	0	6	1
	2009	Meistriliiga	23	1	1	0	2[lower-alpha 2]	0	1[lower-alpha 3]	0	27	1
	Total		36	2	2	2	5	0	6	0	49	4
Flora II	2006	Esiliiga	6	5	0	0	—		—		6	5
	2007	Esiliiga	31	9	3	1	—		—		34	10
	2008	Esiliiga	16	3	2	1	—		—		18	4
	2009	Esiliiga	9	4	0	0	—		—		9	4
	Total		62	21	5	2	—		—		67	23
Tulevik (loan)	2008	Meistriliiga	14	0	3	2	—		—		17	2
Nõmme Kalju	2010	Meistriliiga	35	4	3	0	—		2[lower-alpha 4]	0	40	4
	2011	Meistriliiga	36	2	2	0	2[lower-alpha 2]	0	—		40	2
	2012	Meistriliiga	36	1	4	0	2[lower-alpha 2]	0	—		42	1
	2013	Meistriliiga	36	2	6	1	6[lower-alpha 5]	0	1[lower-alpha 3]	0	49	3
	2014	Meistriliiga	35	4	0	0	4[lower-alpha 2]	0	—		39	4
	2015	Meistriliiga	35	3	4	1	4[lower-alpha 2]	0	—		43	4
	Total		213	16	19	2	18	0	3	0	253	18
Nõmme Kalju II	2010	II liiga	1	1	0	0	—		—		1	1
Górnik Zabrze	2015–16	Ekstraklasa	15	0	0	0	—		—		15	0
Korona Kielce	2016–17	Ekstraklasa	24	0	0	0	—		—		24	0
	2017–18	Ekstraklasa	31	1	4	0	—		—		35	1
	2018–19	Ekstraklasa	12	1	1	0	—		—		13	1
	Total		67	2	5	0	—		—		72	2
Korona II Kielce	2016–17	IV liga	1	0	—		—		—		1	0
	2018–19	IV liga	14	0	—		—		—		14	0
	Total		15	0	—		—		—		15	0
Career total			493	54	37	9	23	0	9	0	562	63

1. Includes the Estonian Cup and Polish Cup
2. Appearances in UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League
3. Appearance in Estonian Supercup
4. Appearance(s) in Baltic League
5. Four appearances in UEFA Champions League, two appearances in UEFA Europa League

International

As of 20 August 2019.[18]

Appearances and goals by national team and year

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Estonia	2012	1	0
	2013	1	0
	2014	10	0
	2015	10	0
	2016	10	0
	2017	5	0
	2018	4	0
Total		41	0

Honours

Club

Flora

• Estonian Cup: 2008–09
• Estonian Supercup: 2009

Nõmme Kalju

• Meistriliiga: 2012
• Estonian Cup: 2014–15

References

1. "Kallaste ja Mošnikov FC Florasse" [Kallaste and Mošnikov to FC Flora]. Eesti Päevaleht (in Estonian). 4 July 2006.
2. "Ken Kallaste liitus Nõmme Kaljuga" [Ken Kallaste joined Nõmme Kalju] (in Estonian). Nõmme Kalju FC. 6 January 2010.
3. "Viikmäe kuldne tabamus kindlustas Kaljule meistritiitli" [Viikmäe's golden goal secures Kalju's championship title] (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. 10 October 2012.
4. "Soccerneti video: Ken Kallaste: "Lõpuks ometi midagi võidetud!"" [Ken Kallaste: Finally something won!] (in Estonian). Soccernet.ee. 3 November 2012.
5. "Ken Kallaste uskumatu seeria sai läbi" [Ken Kallaste's incredible run came to an end] (in Estonian). ERR Sport. 28 July 2013.
6. "Ken Kallaste liitub Poola meistriliiga klubiga" [Ken Kallaste joins Polish top-flight club] (in Estonian). ERR Sport. 22 December 2015.
7. "Ken Kallaste lõpetas Poola klubiga lepingu" [Ken Kallaste terminated his contract with Polish club] (in Estonian). ERR Sport. 25 June 2016.
8. "Ken Kallaste leidis Poolas uue koduklubi" [Ken Kallaste found a new club in Poland] (in Estonian). ERR Sport. 28 June 2016.
9. "Ken Kallaste lõi Varssavi Legia vastu tähtsa värava" [Ken Kallaste scored an important goal against Legia Warsaw] (in Estonian). ERR Sport. 26 November 2017.
10. "Ken Kallaste vahetas Poolas klubi" [Ken Kallaste switched clubs in Poland] (in Estonian). ERR Sport. 18 June 2019.
11. "Eesti koondise koosseis järgmisteks maavõistlusteks" [Estonia national team squad for the next friendly] (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. 1 November 2012.
12. "Eesti koondis alistas tänu lõpuspurdile Omaani" [Estonia team defeated Oman with a late surge] (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. 8 November 2012.
13. "Kallaste, Risto" (in Estonian). ESBL.
14. "Beebibuum Nõmme Kaljus: ka Ken Kallaste sai isaks!" [Baby boom at Nõmme Kalju: Ken Kallaste also became a father!] (in Estonian). Nõmme Kalju FC. 3 September 2012. Archived from the original on 23 November 2012.
15. "Ken Kallaste" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association.
16. "Ken Kallaste". Soccerway.com.
17. "Ken Kallaste". 90minut.pl (in Polish).
18. "Ken Kallaste" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association.

External links

• Ken Kallaste at the Estonian Football Association (in Estonian)
• Ken Kallaste national team profile at the Estonian Football Association (in Estonian)
• Ken Kallaste – FIFA competition record
• Ken Kallaste – UEFA competition record