Arnold Pihlak facts for kids
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 17 July 1902 | ||
| Place of birth | Tallinn, Governorate of Estonia, Russian Empire | ||
| Date of death | 1 November 1985 (aged 83) | ||
| Place of death | Bradford, England | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| JK Tallinna Kalev | |||
| FK Austria Wien | |||
| National team | |||
| 1920–1931 | Estonia | 44 | (17) |
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Arnold Pihlak was a famous Estonian footballer. He was born on July 17, 1902, and passed away on November 1, 1985. Pihlak was known for his amazing skills on the field. He played for Estonia's national team. He also played for football clubs in Estonia and Austria.
Club Career Highlights
Arnold Pihlak started playing football as a school kid. This was in a place called Pelgulinn. His studies and sports were paused for a bit. He joined the Estonian War of Independence. He served on an armoured train during this time. This train helped protect the country.
After the war, Pihlak joined a football club. It was called Tallinna Kalev. He first played as a defender. But his coach, Antal Mally, saw his talent for scoring goals. So, Pihlak became an attacker.
In 1927, Pihlak played very well in a tournament in Helsinki. The next year, in 1928, he was playing in Riga. A coach named Karl Kurz asked him to join Austria Wien. This was a big club in Austria.
Pihlak played his first unofficial game for Austria Wien in December 1928. This was during their tour in Italy. He made a great first impression. In his first official game, he scored two goals! This helped his team win 3–0 in an Austrian Cup match. This happened on January 20, 1929.
In 1930, Pihlak helped start a new club. It was called JS Estonia Tallinn. He stopped playing football in 1934. This was because he got hurt in a car accident. His truck was hit by a train the year before.
Playing for Estonia
Pihlak first played for the Estonia national football team when he was 18 years old. This was on October 17, 1920. It was Estonia's very first national team match. They played against Finland.
He also played in the 1924 Summer Olympics. These games were held in Paris. Overall, Pihlak played 44 games for Estonia. He scored 17 goals for his country.
