Markus Poom shared his story in an interview with FIFA, opening up about the pressure of following in his legendary father’s footsteps, the defining moments of his career, and his ambitions for Estonia’s national team.
The 25-year-old midfielder has already earned 29 caps for Estonia, but his passion for the national team was ignited long before he pulled on the blue shirt. Growing up in England, he watched his father, Mart Poom, a national icon and former Premier League goalkeeper, represent Estonia with pride. Those experiences left a lasting impression.
“I always felt those games were the most important,” Poom recalled. “It was a real privilege to be there and watch my dad play. He always gave everything for the national team. He played through injuries, and his mentality was just incredible. Seeing that made me want to follow in his footsteps. I’ve always felt Estonian, even when I was living in England. When I’d go to the stadium for Estonia’s matches, my family and friends would be there. It made me think, ‘This is the level I want to reach.’”
Despite the weight of expectations, Poom has embraced his own path. “When I was younger, I didn’t really think about it too much. Watching my dad play in the Premier League every week just felt normal. Now, looking back, I appreciate it even more. It was a crazy world we were living in. When I knew I wanted to be a professional footballer, there was definitely some added pressure because of the surname. But as I’ve got older, I’ve started to relish it. His boots are big to fill, but I’ve always said – this is my journey. He had his career, and this is mine. It’s not something that should be judged as one. My dad has always been incredibly supportive, and I just hope that I make him proud.”
Poom has built an impressive career, winning domestic titles with Flora Tallinn and spending a successful two-year spell with Shamrock Rovers in Ireland. His time in Dublin saw him win a league title and score a famous goal against Chelsea in the Europa Conference League at Stamford Bridge – just days after his daughter, Matilde, was born.
“My wife and I had just welcomed our little girl, and then came the Chelsea game. It was an emotional whirlwind. I had this strange feeling the whole week leading up to the match that we were going to score at Stamford Bridge – I just never thought it would be me! When the ball hit the net and I saw the 3,000 Rovers fans going wild, it was an unbelievable moment. Even though we lost the match, it’s something I’ll remember forever.”
Now back at Flora, Poom is balancing fatherhood with pre-season preparations. “I’m trying to be as hands-on as possible,” he said. “It’s a special time in my life, and I’m making the most of it.” He is also eager to help his club reclaim the Meistriliiga title under new coach Konstantin Vassiljev. “Konstantin was a special player. I think he can be one of those managers who sees the game differently. To be a top coach, you need to have that X factor. From what I’ve seen so far, I’m hopeful he can get us back to winning trophies.”
On the international stage, Estonia faces a daunting World Cup qualifying group, with potential clashes against Germany or Italy, as well as Norway, Israel, and Moldova. But Poom remains undaunted.
“It’s a tough group, but we’re always underdogs,” he said. “We’ll go into those matches full of hope. Of course, we’re going to be up against some incredible players. When you play against the best, you see the level you need to aspire to. You learn so much from facing them – every little detail of how they play, how they move, how they think. It will be a big challenge, but we relish that. Hopefully, we can cause some upsets.”
His confidence has been further boosted by the appointment of Jurgen Henn as Estonia’s national team coach. “Jurgen is relentless,” Poom said. “He’s incredibly smart tactically and is always looking to learn and evolve. That’s so important in a modern coach—being able to adapt to new styles of play. I think he’s perfect for the national team. We have a lot of young talent coming through, and having a young coach makes for a really good blend.”
Among the national team coaching staff is a familiar figure – his father, Mart, who now serves as Estonia’s goalkeeping coach. “It’s a funny dynamic,” Poom admitted. “We have a great relationship, but there are boundaries you don’t cross. When we’re with the national team, it’s all business. But every now and then, we’ll have a moment to catch up. When I was playing abroad for a few years, joining up with the national team was sometimes the only chance I had to see my dad, so that made it even more special.”
Poom has experienced some surreal moments in his career, but one stands out – when Estonia faced Belgium in 2021, and Thierry Henry, then Belgium’s assistant coach, recognized him.
“My dad was at Arsenal when I was a kid, and I got to meet Henry back then. We even took some pictures together. Then, years later, I was playing for Estonia, and he was on the opposing team’s coaching staff. We took a new picture, this time as professionals. I was still starstruck. It was amazing that he remembered meeting me when I was little, and now here I was, all grown up, playing against his team.”
Now, Poom is fully focused on the future and on making history with Estonia. The country has never qualified for a major tournament, but he is convinced that will change.
“As a nation, that’s our dream,” he said. “We’ve come close a few times, but maybe we weren’t ready to take that next step. I truly believe that one day, we will do it. Time will tell when, but every new qualifying campaign is a fresh start. Hopefully, this time, we can make history.”