FK Metta

In today's world, FK Metta is a topic that has gained great relevance in different areas. Whether in politics, science, technology or culture, FK Metta has captured the attention of millions of people around the world. Its impact has been so significant that it has generated debates and reflections in contemporary society. In this article, we will explore the phenomenon of FK Metta in depth, analyzing its many facets and its influence on everyday life. From its origins to its present, we will take a tour of FK Metta to understand its importance today and its projection in the future.

FK Metta
Full nameFutbola Klubs METTA
(Football Club METTA)
Founded2 May 2006
GroundDaugava Stadium, Riga
Capacity10,461
ChairmanĢirts Mihelsons
ManagerAndris Riherts
LeagueVirslīga
2024Virslīga, 7th of 10
Websitehttp://www.fsmetta.lv/

FK Metta (also called FK Metta/Latvijas Universitāte from 2007 till the end of 2018 season) is a professional Latvian football club in Riga. As of 2012 they play in the Latvian Higher League. Metta play their home games at Daugava Stadium. Until June 2018, their home venue was the Riga Hanza Secondary School Stadium.

History

FS Metta was officially founded on May 2, 2006, though the club had been active in youth tournaments since 2000. In 2007 FS Metta and University of Latvia (Latvijas Universitāte) merged as a senior professional team and participated in the Latvian Championship first division (Traffic 1. līga). They finished the season in the fourth position. The club remained at the same level for the next four seasons. Though a professional club, Metta retained the prefix FS (Futbola Skola), since their policy was to invest in youth players. In 2011 Metta won the Latvian First League championship and were automatically promoted to the Latvian Higher League – the top tier of Latvian football.[1]

The affiliation with the university provides the club with a greater financial backing and the players with the opportunity, if wanted, to study at the most prestigious Latvian University. The club was created with the aim to gather the greatest youth talents from across the country and surrounding areas to build and shape them into expensive players for sale to bigger clubs.[2]

In 2020 FK Metta were the youngest top-tier team in Europe.[3] At the end of the season, the team's average age was 19,5.[4]

In September 2020, FK Metta forward Raimonds Krollis made his debut for the Latvia national football team.[5] He became the first-ever player that has gone through the whole FK Metta academy and played for the Senior national team.

Patron of the University of Latvia

Football school "Metta" is a silver patron of the University of Latvia Foundation. They have supported the University of Latvia since 2016, donating to the football system and scholarships.[6]

Participation in Latvian Championships

Season Division (Name) Pos./Teams Pl. W D L GS GA P Latvian Football Cup
2007 2nd (1.līga) 4/(16) 30 18 7 5 67 23 61 1/8 finals
2008 2nd (1.līga) 5/(15) 28 13 9 6 43 27 48 1/8 finals
2009 2nd (1.līga) 6/(14) 26 13 6 7 47 19 45 Not Held
2010 2nd (1.līga) 5/(12) 22 10 6 6 42 25 36 1/8 finals
2011 2nd (1.līga) 1/(13) 24 17 5 2 61 14 56 1/8 finals
2012 1st (Virslīga) 8(10) 36 7 8 21 39 82 29 1/8 finals
2013 1st (Virslīga) 9(10) 27 4 7 16 15 47 19 1/16 finals
2014 1st (Virslīga) 9(10) 36 3 7 26 26 69 16 1/16 finals
2015 1st (Virslīga) 7(8) 24 3 3 18 19 56 12 1/4 finals
2016 1st (Virslīga) 7(8) 28 8 6 14 32 47 30 1/4 finals
2017 1st (Virslīga) 7(8) 24 3 6 15 21 46 15 1/4 finals
2018 1st (Virslīga) 7(8) 28 5 4 19 24 52 19 1/2 finals
2019 1st (Virslīga) 9(9) 32 6 8 18 35 60 26 1/8 finals
2020 1st (Virslīga) 9(10) 27 4 4 19 22 55 16 1/8 finals

Honours

Managers

  • Latvia Andris Riherts (02.05.2006 – 09.06.2021)
  • Latvia Andrejs Gluščuks (11.06.2021 – present)

Current players

First-team squad

As of 25 March, 2025 [7] Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Latvia LVA Alvis Sorokins
2 DF Italy ITA Gianluca Scremin
3 DF Brazil BRA Lauan
4 DF Latvia LVA Kārlis Vilnis
5 DF Latvia LVA Ivo Minkevičs
6 DF Latvia LVA Hugo Jesse
7 MF Latvia LVA Kristaps Grabovskis
8 MF Sierra Leone SLE Mohamed Bai Kamara
9 FW Nigeria NGA Sadiq Saleh
10 MF Latvia LVA Rūdolfs Kļavinskis
11 MF Latvia LVA Markuss Ivulāns
12 GK Latvia LVA Kristers Gabriels Bite
No. Pos. Nation Player
15 MF Latvia LVA Daņiils Čiņajevs
16 DF Latvia LVA Lenards Bērziņš
17 DF Latvia LVA Alans Kangars
18 FW Latvia LVA Emīls Evelons
19 DF Latvia LVA Aleksandrs Molotkovs
21 MF Latvia LVA Kristofers Rēķis
23 MF Ghana GHA Mahamud Karimu
24 GK Latvia LVA Ņikita Parfjonovs
27 MF Latvia LVA Kevins Cēsnieks
29 FW Sierra Leone SLE Abdul Bangura
30 MF Sierra Leone SLE Saymah Kamara
32 GK Latvia LVA Toms Tolmanis

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF Latvia LVA Lūkass Vapne (at Sogndal until 31 December 2025)

Player of the year

Season Player
2006 Latvia Jānis Kauss
2007 Latvia Vladimirs Cīmanis
2008 Latvia Ivars Gailis
2009 Latvia Marsels Vapne
2010 Latvia Juris Skābardis
2011 Latvia Rūdolfs Puķītis
2012 Latvia Mārtiņš Milašēvičs
2013 Latvia Gatis Kalniņš
2014 Latvia Edgars Vardanjans
2015 Latvia Eduards Emsis
2016 Latvia Roberts Uldriķis
2017 Latvia Dāvis Indrāns
2019 Latvia Dāvis Ošs
2019 South Africa Kgotso Masangane
2020 Latvia Raimonds Krollis
2021 Latvia Lūkass Vapne
2022 Latvia Jānis Beks

Club officials

Board of directors

  • General secretary: Ģirts Mihelsons
  • Executive Director: Maira Mihelsone

Coaching staff

  • Manager: Andris Riherts
  • Coach: Kristaps Niemans
  • Coach: Jurģis Rosenbergs
  • Fitness Coach: Filips Grojsmans
  • Second team coach: Aleksejs Berezins
  • Goalkeeping Coach: Vsevolods Popkovs

Medical staff

  • Physiotherapist: Rajmonds Hegels
  • Physiotherapist: Aleksandrs Volodins

Staff

  • Press Officer: Māris Gerhards
  • PR manager: Vladimirs Morozovs
  • Technical manager: Ivans Rebrovs

Shirt sponsors and manufacturers

Period Kit manufacturer Shirt Sponsor
2007 United States Nike Latvia Deac
2008 Latvia Elko
2009 Latvia Deac
2010
2011
2012 Latvia SMScredit.lv
2013
2014 none
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021

References

  1. ^ "Metta" uzvar 1. līgā un nākamgad spēlēs Virslīgā Archived 2012-12-05 at the Wayback Machine (Latvian)
  2. ^ Komanda Archived 2016-07-27 at the Wayback Machine (Latvian)
  3. ^ "FK Metta - the youngest team in European football highest leagues". 25 July 2020.
  4. ^ "Sezonas apskats - Andris Riherts: Paši sevi nolikām uz izkrišanas sliekšņa, kas nebija patīkami.". 6 December 2020.
  5. ^ "Atskats METTAs vēsturē: Zīmīgākie notikumi septembrī". 9 September 2020.
  6. ^ "Futbola skola "METTA"".
  7. ^ "Players".