Kristers Tobers (born 13 December 2000) is a Latvian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back or defensive midfielder for Swiss Super League side Grasshoppers and the Latvia national team.[1]

Kristers Tobers
Personal information
Date of birth (2000-12-13) 13 December 2000 (age 23)
Place of birth Dobele, Latvia
Height 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Centre-back, defensive midfielder
Team information
Current team
Grasshoppers
Number 4
Youth career
0000–2017 Liepāja
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018–2020 Liepāja 47 (7)
2020Lechia Gdańsk (loan) 6 (0)
2020–2023 Lechia Gdańsk 59 (0)
2023– Grasshoppers 36 (1)
International career
2016 Latvia U17 11 (4)
2017–2018 Latvia U19 10 (2)
2018 Latvia U21 4 (0)
2019– Latvia 29 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 24 August 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 10:58, 13 December 2023 (UTC)

Career

edit

Club career

edit

In January 2020, he joined Lechia Gdańsk on a loan with an option of permanent transfer after the end of the season.[2] On 7 February 2020 he made his Ekstraklasa debut against Śląsk Wrocław playing as a midfielder. After only seven games, Lechia triggered the option and Tobers signed a permanent deal until June 2023.[3]

On 2 July 2023, he signed with Swiss record champion Grasshoppers, who play in the Swiss Super League.[4] He signed a two-year contract with an option to extend. He quickly established himself as the lead in Grasshopper's defense, as he started in 32 games for the club.[5]

On 24 August 2024, he finally scored his first goal for Grasshoppers, a skillful volley into the upper right corner of the goal, in a 3–1 victory over FC Sion.[6]

International career

edit

Tobers made his international debut for Latvia on 21 March 2019, coming on as a substitute for Artūrs Karašausks in the 68th minute of the UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying match against North Macedonia, which finished as a 1–3 away loss.[7]

Ahead of their UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying games in June 2023, he was chosen to captain the national team, by coach Dainis Kazakevičs.[8] In his first match as captain, he scored his first international goal, the 2–2 equalizer, against Turkey.

Career statistics

edit

Club

edit
As of 24 August 2024[5]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
FK Liepāja 2017 Virslīga 2 0 2[a] 0 2 0
2018 23 2 3 0 2[b] 0 28 2
2019 24 3 2 0 4[b] 0 30 3
Total 47 5 7 0 8 0 60 5
Lechia Gdańsk 2019–20 Ekstraklasa 10 0 1 0 11 0
2020–21 17 0 1 0 18 0
2021–22 11 0 11 0
2022–23 27 0 1 0 2[c] 0 30 0
Total 65 0 3 0 2 0 70 0
Grasshoppers 2023–24 Super League 29 0 1 0 2[d] 0 32 0
2024–25 5 1 0 0 5 1
Total 34 1 1 0 2 0 2 0 37 1
Career Total 141 5 11 0 10 0 2 0 164 5
  1. ^ Appearances in UEFA Youth League
  2. ^ a b Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  3. ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League
  4. ^ Appearances in the relegation play-off

International

edit
As of 11 June 2024[7]
Latvia
Year Apps Goals
2019 6 0
2020 3 0
2021 3 0
2022 8 0
2023 9 1
2024 2 0
Total 31 1
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 16 June 2023 Skonto Stadium, Riga, Latvia   Turkey 2–2 2–3 UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying

Notes

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ Kristers Tobers at WorldFootball.net
  2. ^ Kristers Tobers nowym piłkarzem Lechii!
  3. ^ PKO Ekstraklasa. Kristers Tobers został wykupiony. Lechia Gdańsk związała się na dłużej z Łotyszem, sportowefakty.wp.pl, 22 May 2020
  4. ^ "GC Zurich signs Kristers Tobers". Grasshopper Club Zürich. 3 July 2023. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  5. ^ a b Kristers Tobers at Soccerway  
  6. ^ "Tor-Premieren für Lee und Tobers: GC schlägt Sion mit 3:1". SRF. 24 August 2024. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
  7. ^ a b "Kristers Tobers". EU-Football.info. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
  8. ^ "National team captain Tober will continue his career in the Swiss club "Grasshopper"". Grasshopper Club Zürich. 3 July 2023. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
edit