Andris Vanins
Encyclopedia
Andris Vaņins is a football
goalkeeper from Latvia
. He is a Latvian international
. Since 2009 his club is FC Sion
in the Swiss Super League
.
. In 2003, he left the Virsliga, signing a contract with FC Torpedo Moscow
.
, he couldn't manage to get into the first team. Playing for the reserve team didn't please him and he decided to leave.
, hoping that he would be able to play there. Vaņins was out of luck this time too, as at FC Moscow Vaņins appeared only in the reserve team.
status, meanwhile FK Ventspils
were looking for a new signing in goalkeeper's position. Both sides agreed on a contract. Vaņins finally managed to become the first-choice goalkeeper in the Ventspils club. He played there for 3 years, in 2006, 2007 and 2008 being named the best goalkeeper of the season in LMT Virslīga, as well as the Latvian Footballer of the Year
in 2008. In 2009 he started looking for a club somewhere abroad, but at first things didn't go on well, and eventually he still had to start the next season with FK Ventspils
. In February 2009 he went on trial with the Russian giants Rubin Kazan.
team, Swiss Super League
club FC Sion
offered him a three year contract. Talks lasted for two days and they reached an agreement. Currently, he has been the first-choice goalkeeper for the club since joining Sion. His debut came on 19 August 2009 versus Fenerbahçe S.K., and the club lost 0:2. His first clean sheet came against FC Echallens
. He was named the best goalkeeper of the league after the first and the second round. Vaņins is also the vice-captain of the club. In his first season at FC Sion
Vaņins played in all of the games and was named the best FC Sion
player of the season. The Swiss portal sport.ch named him the best goalkeeper of Swiss Super League
of the 2009-2010 season. After the 2010-2011 season Vaņins was named the best FC Sion player by the team's fans, who gave him 34% votes in a survey via Facebook
.
in 2000 versus Slovakia
. Latvia lost the game 1:3.
In summer of 2007, when the Latvian international
's first-choice goalkeeper Aleksandrs Koļinko
was injured, the Latvian national team
head coach Aleksandrs Starkovs
faced the choice to either play Vaņins or Deniss Romanovs
. Vaņins was chosen then, and since then he has become the first-choice goalkeeper for Latvia national football team
. So far he has made 42 appearances for the national side.
* – played games and goals
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
goalkeeper from Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
. He is a Latvian international
Latvia national football team
The Latvian national football team is controlled by the Latvian Football Federation, the governing body for football in Latvia and represents the country in international football competitions, such as the World Cup and the European Championships. So far, they have never qualified for a FIFA World...
. Since 2009 his club is FC Sion
FC Sion
FC Sion is a Swiss football team from the city of Sion. The club was founded in 1909, and play their home games at the Stade Tourbillon. They have won the Swiss Super League twice, and the Swiss Cup in each of their twelve appearances in the final, the most recent being in 2011.The first team also...
in the Swiss Super League
Swiss Super League
The Swiss Super League or Axpo Super League is the top tier of the Swiss Football League. The Swiss Super League is currently ranked 16th according to UEFA's ranking of league coefficients, which is based upon Swiss team performances in European competitions.-Names:-Participating clubs:The teams...
.
FK Ventspils
He started his professional football career in 1997, when he was only 17 years old. His first club was FK VentspilsFK Ventspils
FK Ventspils is a Latvian football club, based at Ventspils Olimpiskais Stadions in Ventspils city and is one of the most popular football clubs in the country. FK Ventspils plays in the Latvian Virsliga. They are the current champions of the tournament....
. In 2003, he left the Virsliga, signing a contract with FC Torpedo Moscow
FC Torpedo Moscow
FC Torpedo Moscow is an association football club, based in Moscow, Russia. The club was founded in 1930. On March 19, 2009 it was denied membership of the Professional Football League and did not play in the professional competitions in 2009...
.
FC Torpedo Moscow
After signing a one year contract in 2003 with FC Torpedo MoscowFC Torpedo Moscow
FC Torpedo Moscow is an association football club, based in Moscow, Russia. The club was founded in 1930. On March 19, 2009 it was denied membership of the Professional Football League and did not play in the professional competitions in 2009...
, he couldn't manage to get into the first team. Playing for the reserve team didn't please him and he decided to leave.
FC Moscow
After leaving Torpedo Moscow in 2004, he moved to another club from MoscowMoscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, hoping that he would be able to play there. Vaņins was out of luck this time too, as at FC Moscow Vaņins appeared only in the reserve team.
FK Venta
After two frustrating seasons in Russia, he went back to Latvia in 2005. FK Venta offered him a contract, which Vaņins accepted. Unfortunately, he didn't play much there either, as the club went bankrupt at the second half of the season.FK Ventspils
After FK Venta, Vaņins had a free agentFree agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
status, meanwhile FK Ventspils
FK Ventspils
FK Ventspils is a Latvian football club, based at Ventspils Olimpiskais Stadions in Ventspils city and is one of the most popular football clubs in the country. FK Ventspils plays in the Latvian Virsliga. They are the current champions of the tournament....
were looking for a new signing in goalkeeper's position. Both sides agreed on a contract. Vaņins finally managed to become the first-choice goalkeeper in the Ventspils club. He played there for 3 years, in 2006, 2007 and 2008 being named the best goalkeeper of the season in LMT Virslīga, as well as the Latvian Footballer of the Year
Latvian Footballer of the Year
Latvian Footballer of the Year is an association football award for Latvia. It is held by the Latvian Football Federation.-Winners:* 1995: Vitālijs Astafjevs* 1996: Vitālijs Astafjevs* 1997: Jurijs Ševļakovs* 1998: Mihails Zemļinskis* 1999: Marians Pahars...
in 2008. In 2009 he started looking for a club somewhere abroad, but at first things didn't go on well, and eventually he still had to start the next season with FK Ventspils
FK Ventspils
FK Ventspils is a Latvian football club, based at Ventspils Olimpiskais Stadions in Ventspils city and is one of the most popular football clubs in the country. FK Ventspils plays in the Latvian Virsliga. They are the current champions of the tournament....
. In February 2009 he went on trial with the Russian giants Rubin Kazan.
FC Sion
When he had played a half-season in FK VentspilsFK Ventspils
FK Ventspils is a Latvian football club, based at Ventspils Olimpiskais Stadions in Ventspils city and is one of the most popular football clubs in the country. FK Ventspils plays in the Latvian Virsliga. They are the current champions of the tournament....
team, Swiss Super League
Swiss Super League
The Swiss Super League or Axpo Super League is the top tier of the Swiss Football League. The Swiss Super League is currently ranked 16th according to UEFA's ranking of league coefficients, which is based upon Swiss team performances in European competitions.-Names:-Participating clubs:The teams...
club FC Sion
FC Sion
FC Sion is a Swiss football team from the city of Sion. The club was founded in 1909, and play their home games at the Stade Tourbillon. They have won the Swiss Super League twice, and the Swiss Cup in each of their twelve appearances in the final, the most recent being in 2011.The first team also...
offered him a three year contract. Talks lasted for two days and they reached an agreement. Currently, he has been the first-choice goalkeeper for the club since joining Sion. His debut came on 19 August 2009 versus Fenerbahçe S.K., and the club lost 0:2. His first clean sheet came against FC Echallens
FC Echallens
FC Echallens is a Swiss football club from Echallens, canton Vaud. The team currently plays in Liga 1., the third highest tier in the Swiss football pyramid. The club was formed in 1921.-Stadium:...
. He was named the best goalkeeper of the league after the first and the second round. Vaņins is also the vice-captain of the club. In his first season at FC Sion
FC Sion
FC Sion is a Swiss football team from the city of Sion. The club was founded in 1909, and play their home games at the Stade Tourbillon. They have won the Swiss Super League twice, and the Swiss Cup in each of their twelve appearances in the final, the most recent being in 2011.The first team also...
Vaņins played in all of the games and was named the best FC Sion
FC Sion
FC Sion is a Swiss football team from the city of Sion. The club was founded in 1909, and play their home games at the Stade Tourbillon. They have won the Swiss Super League twice, and the Swiss Cup in each of their twelve appearances in the final, the most recent being in 2011.The first team also...
player of the season. The Swiss portal sport.ch named him the best goalkeeper of Swiss Super League
Swiss Super League
The Swiss Super League or Axpo Super League is the top tier of the Swiss Football League. The Swiss Super League is currently ranked 16th according to UEFA's ranking of league coefficients, which is based upon Swiss team performances in European competitions.-Names:-Participating clubs:The teams...
of the 2009-2010 season. After the 2010-2011 season Vaņins was named the best FC Sion player by the team's fans, who gave him 34% votes in a survey via Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
.
International career
Vaņins made his national debut for LatviaLatvia national football team
The Latvian national football team is controlled by the Latvian Football Federation, the governing body for football in Latvia and represents the country in international football competitions, such as the World Cup and the European Championships. So far, they have never qualified for a FIFA World...
in 2000 versus Slovakia
Slovakia national football team
The Slovakia national football team represents Slovakia in association football and is controlled by the Slovak Football Association , the governing body for football in Slovakia. Slovakia's home stadium is Štadión Pasienky and their head coach is Vladimír Weiss...
. Latvia lost the game 1:3.
In summer of 2007, when the Latvian international
Latvia national football team
The Latvian national football team is controlled by the Latvian Football Federation, the governing body for football in Latvia and represents the country in international football competitions, such as the World Cup and the European Championships. So far, they have never qualified for a FIFA World...
's first-choice goalkeeper Aleksandrs Koļinko
Aleksandrs Kolinko
Aleksandrs Koļinko is a professional footballer, currently playing for FC Baltika Kaliningrad in Russian First Division.- Club career :...
was injured, the Latvian national team
Latvia national football team
The Latvian national football team is controlled by the Latvian Football Federation, the governing body for football in Latvia and represents the country in international football competitions, such as the World Cup and the European Championships. So far, they have never qualified for a FIFA World...
head coach Aleksandrs Starkovs
Aleksandrs Starkovs
Aleksandrs Starkovs is a Latvian football coach and a former footballer. Starkovs is currently in his second spell as manager of the Latvian national team and is also the manager of FK Baku, having previously managed clubs such as Spartak Moscow in Russia and Skonto FC in Latvia.-Playing...
faced the choice to either play Vaņins or Deniss Romanovs
Deniss Romanovs
Deniss Romanovs is a football goalkeeper from Latvia, currently playing for Cenderawasih FC in Liga Primer Indonesia.Previously he played for Skonto-Metals, FK Valmiera, FK Ventspils and FC Ditton in Latvia, Dinamo Bucharest in Romania, Slavia Prague in Czech Republic and Khazar Lankaran in...
. Vaņins was chosen then, and since then he has become the first-choice goalkeeper for Latvia national football team
Latvia national football team
The Latvian national football team is controlled by the Latvian Football Federation, the governing body for football in Latvia and represents the country in international football competitions, such as the World Cup and the European Championships. So far, they have never qualified for a FIFA World...
. So far he has made 42 appearances for the national side.
* – played games and goals
Honours
- Latvian championVirsliga-Past Virslīga winners:-Top scorers:-Riga football league winners:* 1910 Union Riga* 1911 British FC Riga* 1912 Union Riga* 1913 British FC Riga* 1914 British FC Riga* 1915 British FC Riga-Champions of Latvia before Virslīga:* 1922 Ķeizarmežs...
(3) – 2006, 2007, 2008 - Latvian Cup (1) - 2007
- The best goalkeeper of VirsligaVirsliga-Past Virslīga winners:-Top scorers:-Riga football league winners:* 1910 Union Riga* 1911 British FC Riga* 1912 Union Riga* 1913 British FC Riga* 1914 British FC Riga* 1915 British FC Riga-Champions of Latvia before Virslīga:* 1922 Ķeizarmežs...
(3) – 2006, 2007, 2008 - Latvian Footballer of the YearLatvian Footballer of the YearLatvian Footballer of the Year is an association football award for Latvia. It is held by the Latvian Football Federation.-Winners:* 1995: Vitālijs Astafjevs* 1996: Vitālijs Astafjevs* 1997: Jurijs Ševļakovs* 1998: Mihails Zemļinskis* 1999: Marians Pahars...
(1) – 2008 - Baltic CupBaltic CupThe Baltic Cup is a biennial football competition contested between national teams from the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania every two years. During the Soviet era, Belarus also participated in some of the competitions...
(1) - 2008 - Swiss Cup (1) - 2010-20112010–11 Swiss CupThe 2010–11 Swiss Cup was the 86th season of Switzerland's annual football cup competition. It began on 18 September 2010 with the first games of Round 1 and ended on 29 May 2011 with the Final...
- Swiss Super LeagueSwiss Super LeagueThe Swiss Super League or Axpo Super League is the top tier of the Swiss Football League. The Swiss Super League is currently ranked 16th according to UEFA's ranking of league coefficients, which is based upon Swiss team performances in European competitions.-Names:-Participating clubs:The teams...
best goalkeeper of the season (1) - 2009-2010 - The best FC SionFC SionFC Sion is a Swiss football team from the city of Sion. The club was founded in 1909, and play their home games at the Stade Tourbillon. They have won the Swiss Super League twice, and the Swiss Cup in each of their twelve appearances in the final, the most recent being in 2011.The first team also...
player of the season (2) - 2009-2010, 2010–2011