{{Short description|Estonian footballer (born 1988)}} {{Update|date=July 2025}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Kaimar Saag | image = | fullname = Kaimar Saag | height = {{convert|1.80|m|ftin|0|abbr=on}} | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1988|08|05}} | birth_place = Viljandi, Estonian SSR, Soviet Union | currentclub = Paide Linnameeskond | clubnumber = 11 | position = Striker | youthyears1 = –2005 | youthclubs1 = Viljandi SK | youthyears2 = 2005 | youthclubs2 = Levadia | years1 = 2004 | caps1 = 17 | goals1 = 26 | clubs1 = Suure-Jaani Kirm | years2 = 2005 | caps2 = 9 | goals2 = 2 | clubs2 = Viljandi Kodugaas | years3 = 2005–2007 | caps3 = 18 | goals3 = 4 | clubs3 = Levadia | years4 = 2005–2007 | caps4 = 41 | goals4 = 50 | clubs4 = → Levadia II (reserves) | years5 = 2007 | caps5 = 14 | goals5 = 1 | clubs5 = → Tallinna Kalev (loan) | years6 = 2008–2012 | caps6 = 84 | goals6 = 14 | clubs6 = Silkeborg | years7 = 2012–2014 | caps7 = 24 | goals7 = 6 | clubs7 = Vejle Kolding | years8 = 2014 | caps8 = 5 | goals8 = 0 | clubs8 = Assyriska | years9 = 2015 | caps9 = 28 | goals9 = 5 | clubs9 = Levadia | years10 = 2016–2018 | caps10 = 50 | goals10 = 26 | clubs10 = Nybergsund-Trysil | years11 = 2018 | caps11 = 27 | goals11 = 11 | clubs11 = B36 Tórshavn | years12 = 2019–2021 | caps12 = 88 | goals12 = 28 | clubs12 = Viljandi Tulevik | years13 = 2022- | caps13 = 56 | goals13 = 10 | clubs13 = Paide Linnameeskond | club-update = 22 November 2023 | nationalyears1 = 2009–2010 | nationalcaps1 = 9 | nationalgoals1 = 4 | nationalteam1 = Estonia U21 | nationalyears2 = 2007–2014 | nationalcaps2 = 46 | nationalgoals2 = 3 | nationalteam2 = Estonia | ntupdate = | totalgoals = 178 | totalcaps = 419 }}
'''Kaimar Saag''' (born 5 August 1988) is an Estonian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Paide Linnameeskond.
==Club career== ===Levadia=== At the age of 16, Saag started his professional career with Levadia.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.soccernet.ee/news.php?id=7972|title=Kaimar Saag liitus FC Levadiaga – Soccernet.ee|website=soccernet.ee|accessdate=11 April 2018}}</ref> He scored his first Meistriliiga goal on 16 October 2005, in the 28th minute of a 2–3 victory over Merkuur.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablese/est05.html|title=Estonia 2005|website=RSSSF|accessdate=11 April 2018}}</ref> In 2007 Meistriliiga season, he had a short loan with Tallinna Kalev where he scored once in 14 games.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.soccernet.ee/news.php?id=16083|title=Kaimar Saag naases Levadiasse – Soccernet.ee|website=soccernet.ee|accessdate=11 April 2018}}</ref> At the age of 19, after three seasons in Levadia, Saag moved abroad.
===Silkeborg=== On 25 January 2008, he signed a 4-year contract with Danish 1st Division club Silkeborg.<ref>[http://tartu.postimees.ee/250108/esileht/sport/308320.php?kaimar-saag-solmis-silkeborgiga-lepingu-neljaks-aastaks Kaimar Saag sõlmis Silkeborgiga lepingu neljaks aastaks – Postimees] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720125953/http://tartu.postimees.ee/250108/esileht/sport/308320.php?kaimar-saag-solmis-silkeborgiga-lepingu-neljaks-aastaks |date=20 July 2011 }}</ref> Seven days later, Saag played his first game for Silkeborg against Aarhus. He scored his first goal for Silkeborg on 6 April 2008, in a 2–1 victory against Fredericia.<ref>[http://sport.postimees.ee/060408/esileht/sport/322099.php Kaimar Saag lõi Silkeborgi eest värava – Postimees] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080410045847/http://sport.postimees.ee/060408/esileht/sport/322099.php |date=10 April 2008 }}</ref> In April 2012, after spending four and a half years at the club, he announced his intention to leave the club due to limited play time.<ref>{{cite web|title=Saag lahkub suvel Silkeborgist|url=http://sport.postimees.ee/819152/saag-lahkub-suvel-silkeborgist/|publisher=Postimees|accessdate=5 August 2012|language=Estonian|date=24 April 2012}}</ref>
===Vejle Kolding=== In May 2012, Saag signed a two-year contract with Danish side Vejle Kolding and joined the team later in the summer after his contract expired at Silkeborg.<ref>{{cite web|title=Kaimar Saag til Vejle Boldklub Kolding|url=http://www.vejleboldklubkolding.dk/index.php?nyhedsarkivet&newsId=5127|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130213004908/http://www.vejleboldklubkolding.dk/index.php?nyhedsarkivet&newsId=5127|url-status=dead|archive-date=13 February 2013|publisher=Vejle Boldklub Kolding|accessdate=5 August 2012|language=Danish|format=1 May 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Eesti koondise ründaja leidis uue koduklubi|url=http://sport.postimees.ee/827364/|publisher=Postimees|accessdate=5 August 2012|language=Estonian|date=2 May 2012}}</ref> He started well at his new club, scoring seven goals in pre-season matches.<ref>{{cite web|title=16–0 over Løsning IF|url=http://www.vejleboldklubkolding.dk/index.php?nyhedsarkivet&newsId=5306|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130212202151/http://www.vejleboldklubkolding.dk/index.php?nyhedsarkivet&newsId=5306|url-status=dead|archive-date=12 February 2013|publisher=Vejle Boldklub Kolding|accessdate=5 August 2012|language=Danish|date=6 July 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Flot sejr i Silkeborg|url=http://www.vejleboldklubkolding.dk/index.php?nyhedsarkivet&newsId=5308|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130212201336/http://www.vejleboldklubkolding.dk/index.php?nyhedsarkivet&newsId=5308|url-status=dead|archive-date=12 February 2013|publisher=Vejle Boldklub Kolding|accessdate=5 August 2012|language=Danish|date=8 July 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=2–0 sejr over Viborg|url=http://www.vejleboldklubkolding.dk/index.php?nyhedsarkivet&newsId=5328|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130212231716/http://www.vejleboldklubkolding.dk/index.php?nyhedsarkivet&newsId=5328|url-status=dead|archive-date=12 February 2013|publisher=Vejle Boldklub Kolding|accessdate=5 August 2012|language=Danish|date=20 July 2012}}</ref> On 29 July 2012, he made league debut for the club in a 1–1 draw against Køge.<ref>{{cite web|title=Saag ja Sidorenkov alustasid hooaega põhikoosseisus|url=http://sport.err.ee/jalgpall/708cae10-c1db-42cc-8ca7-df3812ffbaf9|publisher=Estonian Public Broadcasting|accessdate=5 August 2012|language=Estonian|date=30 July 2012}}</ref> A week later on his birthday, 5 August, Saag scored a hat-trick and helped his side beat Skive 4–1.<ref>{{cite web|title=Hattrick af fødselaren|url=http://www.vejleboldklubkolding.dk/index.php?nyheder&newsId=5357|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130212200949/http://www.vejleboldklubkolding.dk/index.php?nyheder&newsId=5357|url-status=dead|archive-date=12 February 2013|accessdate=5 August 2012|language=Danish|format=5 August 2012}}</ref>
===Assyriska===
In July 2014, Saag signed a one-year contract with Swedish Superettan club.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://soccernet.ee/kaimar-saag-liitus-rootsi-klubiga|title=Kaimar Saag liitus Rootsi klubiga|first=Kasper|last=Elissaar|date=8 July 2014|website=soccernet.ee|accessdate=11 April 2018}}</ref>
===B36 Tórshavn=== In January 2018, Saag moved to Faroe Islands' club B36 Tórshavn.<ref>[http://soccernet.ee/artikkel/kaimar-saag-jatkab-karjaari-faari-saartel Kaimar Saag jätkab karjääri Fääri saartel] Soccernet.ee, 16 January 2018 {{in lang|et}}</ref> Saag left the club again at the end of 2018 and then went to train at his former youth club Viljandi SK, just to hold his form.<ref>[https://soccernet.ee/artikkel/saag-meenutas-elu-faari-saartel-u15-karikafinaalist-besiktaseni Saag meenutas elu Fääri saartel – U15 karikafinaalist Besiktaseni (hetkeseisuga jätkub karjäär Viljandis!)], soccernet.ee, 16 January 2019</ref>
==International career== For Estonia national football team, Saag is capped 46 times. He made his national team debut on 8 September 2007 against Croatia national football team in a UEFA Euro 2008 qualification.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.soccernet.ee/news.php?id=16951|title=Kaimar Saag alustab põhikoosseisus – Soccernet.ee|website=soccernet.ee|accessdate=11 April 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://jalgpall.ee/news.php?st=style_fp.css&news_id=726 |title=Kõik Eesti internatsionaalid |trans-title=All Estonian internationals |language=Estonian |publisher=Eesti Jalgpalli Liit}}</ref>
He scored his first goal for the national team on 30 December 2009, in a friendly match against Angola.
===International goals=== {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;" ! # !! Date !! Venue !! Opponent !! Score !! Result !! Competition |-align=center |1 |align=left|30 December 2009 |align=left|Estadio Algarve, Faro, Portugal |align=left|{{fb|ANG}} |1–0 |1–0 |align=left|Friendly |-align=center |2 |align=left|11 August 2010 |align=left|Lilleküla Stadium, Tallinn, Estonia |align=left|{{fb|FRO}} |1–1 |2–1 |align=left|UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying |-align=center |3 |align=left|6 September 2011 |align=left|Lilleküla Stadium, Tallinn, Estonia |align=left|{{fb|NIR}} |4–1 |4–1 |align=left|UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying |-align=center |- | colspan="12"|<small>''Correct as of 13 January 2017''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://eu-football.info/_player.php?id=18244|title=Kaimar Saag – national football team player|website=eu-football.info|accessdate=11 April 2018}}</ref></small> |- |}
==Honours== ===Club=== ;Levadia * Meistriliiga: 2006, 2007 * Estonian Cup: 2004–05, 2006–07 * Estonian Supercup: 2015
;B36 Tórshavn * Faroe Islands Cup: 2018
===Individual=== * Esiliiga top goalscorer: 2006
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{EFA|5768}} * {{EFA2|301|old_id=5768}} * {{Soccerway|kaimar-saag/42263}} * {{NFT|23409}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saag, Kaimar}} Category:1988 births Category:Living people Category:Footballers from Viljandi Category:Estonian men's footballers Category:Meistriliiga players Category:Danish Superliga players Category:Superettan players Category:FCI Levadia Tallinn players Category:JK Tallinna Kalev players Category:Estonia men's international footballers Category:Silkeborg IF players Category:Vejle Boldklub Kolding players Category:Assyriska FF players Category:B36 Tórshavn players Category:Estonian expatriate men's footballers Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Denmark Category:Estonian expatriate sportspeople in Denmark Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Sweden Category:Estonian expatriate sportspeople in Sweden Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Norway Category:Estonian expatriate sportspeople in Norway Category:Expatriate men's footballers in the Faroe Islands Category:Estonian expatriate sportspeople in the Faroe Islands Category:FCI Levadia U21 players Category:Men's association football forwards Category:Viljandi JK Tulevik players Category:21st-century Estonian sportsmen