How Vermont-Born Goalkeeper Max Weinstein Landed In Estonia
21-year-old goalkeeper Max Weinstein is getting regular minutes for Tallinn Kalev.
Max Weinstein is always looking for a challenge.
The 21-year-old goalkeeper, who has limited his screen time and sugar for stretches, took a risk in 2020 when he traded Montpelier, VT for Foxborough, MA to join the New England Revolution residency program. He was 16 years old at the time.
Here, he won MLS NEXT national titles in 2022 and 2023, being named Goalkeeper of the Tournament both years.
In 2023, he signed a professional contract with the Revolution’s second team, logging 101 saves in 27 appearances before being loaned to Tallinn Kalev of Estonia’s Premium Liiga on July 3.
It was time for a new challenge.
“Obviously, I'm very happy with the games I played for New England over the past two seasons, but the big piece for me was making sure that I was getting minutes at the professional level every single weekend,” Weinstein told The Blazing Musket.
The transfer was a whirlwind, as he could’ve seen his first minutes just two days after arriving in Estonia. The club pushed hard to get the paperwork done while Weinstein slept until the afternoon, trying to adjust to the time difference.
He walked into the locker room with his equipment, still not knowing if he would be eligible. He learned that he wasn’t just before warm-ups. There was some disappointment, though it might’ve been for the best.
“I'm proud of myself for how I viewed it, because I was just looking at it from a really good perspective,” Weinstein said. “Honestly, I was just excited to possibly play a game that day. Now I think it would have been an insane experience. I would have been so tired.”
Weinstein made his debut a week later, helping Kalev collect a 3-1 win over Laagri. Those were three critical points for a team fighting relegation. The locker room was full of joy after the final whistle blew.
“Definitely a lot of emotions walking out to the field just because it was my first game in a new country,” Weinstein said. “They have fans and away fans louder than what I've experienced; drums and yelling stuff in different languages. It's a really cool environment here, and one that I think will help me grow.”
Weinstein has already learned a lot during his brief time in Estonia, thanking goalkeeper coaches Andrus Lukjanov and Andree Marjamaa for their support.
“The goalkeeping here is something that I'm not used to,” Weinstein said. “It's a lot of 1v1 situations, a lot of closer reactions, and a lot of really fast movements across a goal with multiple balls. To be a goalkeeper here, I think you have to be very athletic, and you have to be in really good shape, and that's been cool for me to experience.”
Weinstein understands the situation he walked into, as Kalev sits last in the table with a -48 goal differential. The road ahead might not be easy, but he’s ready to face it head-on.
“I think at my age, these challenges are what you need to look for,” Weinstein said. “I was excited just to get so many shots and to help the team make more saves and to help get results.”
The opportunity will certainly spark personal growth, something that Weinstein has already encountered while living over three hours from his friends and family for the last five years.
While he had a caring host family at the Revolution’s residency house, he had to learn to take care of himself on a personal and professional level. He also had to cope with missing social events like high school dances and games.
There were times when it was hard, but he grew to value trips home and connecting digitally with the people he loves. He feels “blessed and grateful” to have so many “supportive best friends and family members around him.”
He also understands that sacrifices are necessary to do what he loves.
“I knew I was doing exactly what I want to be doing in my career, and I know there'll be times later on in life where I can connect in different ways, whether it's with friends or through social events,” Weinstein said.
Meditation has assisted Weinstein through his journey, showing him that even negative feelings can be viewed through a positive lens.
The wave emoji, which often appears in his social media posts, is a reminder to be like water.
“I've gone to places where I feel like the emotions just flow over me,” Weinstein said, “It's something my mom always tells me, and something I write down in my journey constantly: Be like water, flow with water.
“Sometimes, if you see waves, they crash. Sometimes waves are relaxed, but the aspect of a wave never changes. The wave is always water. The emoji means always be yourself.”
For Weinstein, being yourself means staying humble, focused, and passionate. The hope is that if he is these things, he will achieve the goals he’s set, including becoming an MLS starter.
But he knows that to accomplish anything, he has to stay present.
Every challenge that Weinstein has taken on has prepared him for the next one. He noted that he “wouldn’t be anywhere close” to being a first-team starter if he didn’t join the Revolution Academy.
Playing alongside Revolution first and second team players helped him mature.
Djordje Petrovic and Matt Turner, who both played in the English Premier League, reminded him to remain grounded even during the best of times. Brad Knighton, who is currently an assistant with the second team, taught him how to keep a positive mindset. Aljaz Ivacic, who Weinstein called a mentor, guides on and off the field.
“I feel like I've always been a really hard-working guy, but if you see Matt or Djordje or Aljaz after training, they go to the gym, they take care of their bodies, they do the same things every single day in terms of recovery,” Weinstein said. “If they're doing that at their age and I'm not doing that at my age, how do I think I'm going to get as good as them one day?”
Kalev will further his development as well.
Weinstein recognizes that “it would have been really easy to stay in the United States and maybe go on loan.” Heading to Estonia was intriguing because of all the experiences he would have.
So far, it’s been a good fit.
“I can't even explain how much love I have for the game, and I really play with my heart,” Weinstein said. “I feel like here they've really allowed me to play with my heart.”
He knows that there will likely be choppy waters at times, but he’s ready to navigate them, just like he has in the past.
“Something I've learned over the past few years is that confidence is something that's earned by training and by actually doing hard things,” Weinstein said. “I think that this is just another situation that will help my confidence be even higher.”