Ott Nomm: Estonia’s next number one?

By Harry Brown

Ott Nomm is a rising star that has already established himself as a regular in Estonian football. At the age of 21, the Pärnu number one and Estonia U-21 goalkeeper has already played 153 games for his club and is looking to develop into a key player for Estonia.

A Premium Liiga mainstay so far, Ott has been Pärnu JK Vaprus’ number one for four years, meaning he became the first choice goalkeeper at just 17 years old. Standing at a towering 6ft 5in (1.95m) he is a commanding goalkeeper who has a huge presence between the sticks. We spoke to Ott on his journey so far.

On being an established number one from a young age Nomm gave us insight about how it feels to have that responsibility.

‘I try not to put too much pressure on myself, of course it’s a great honour to achieve something like this at a young age, but I try to keep things simple. My main focus is giving my best every time I step onto the pitch and doing as much as I can to help the team.’

Ott’s fine performances were rewarded in 2023 when he was called up to the Estonia u-19 national team. Making six appearances in the Euro Qualifiers, He recalled this being his biggest moment and best experience of his career so far.

‘The u-19 Euro qualifiers is the first thing that comes to mind. I kept a clean sheet against Italy, and we also beat Bosnia. We reached the elite round for only the third time in Estonia’s history, which was a really special achievement.’

Nomm went on to speak about how he gained a lot of confidence from those games. ‘After that tournament, I received some trial offers and noticed that people were paying attention to me. This showed me that I’m able to compete at a higher level.’

The Estonian has been a Pärnu player his whole life and they have been key in aiding his development. ‘I feel like I’ve taken a step forward in every area of my game, especially in my shot-stopping and reflexes.’

However, Ott knows what steps he has to take to make that step up. ‘The biggest thing I need to improve is my consistency. At the moment, my performances can sometimes rollercoaster. I can make difficult saves, but then make a mistake in a situation that should be simple. For me, the next step is to become more reliable and perform at the same level every week.’

As we enter the final stretch of the Premium Liiga season with six games remaining, we asked Nomm what his expectations are for the rest of the season.

‘The main goal is to collect as many points as possible and secure our place in the league. There is a lot of potential in this team. We have a good mix of young and experienced players, and I believe this team is capable of achieving a lot.’

Not only has the Pärnu number one been called up to the Estonia u-19 team, but he has also been called up to the national sides u-21 team. Making seven competitive appearances. He spoke about the pride he has playing for the national side.

‘It is a huge honour to represent my country and wear the Estonia shirt regardless of the result. Singing the national anthem before a game still gives me chills every time.’

Ott said he relishes the challenge of playing for the u-21 national team. ‘It is a big challenge, because of the quality of teams and players we face.’ He went on to add how this helps him grow as a player. ‘Competing at that level gives me more motivation to keep improving and working towards my goals.’

The shot stopper is yet to play for the senior national team but it is certainly something that could happen in the future. Although he knows it isn’t a guarantee. ‘I know I still have work to do before I’m ready for the senior national team, when it comes to consistency. But it is something I work on everyday, and playing for the senior team is definitely a goal I want to achieve in the future.’

Finally, we asked Nomm what he wants to be known for and what he wants players to remember him for.

‘I’d like people to remember me as a good teammate and someone they can always rely on. Whenever I stepped on the pitch, I want them to know that I gave everything I had for the team.’

Ott Nomm has been a stalwart in the Pärnu ranks for almost half a decade, a player who only at the age of 21 has achieved so much and is striving for more. A player that has the potential to be Estonia’s future number one goalkeeper.