Hein dropped by the "Hommik Anuga" studio Sunday to talk about finding joy in the grind despite limited games at Werder Bremen so far. However, since Hein, formerly on loan from this year's English Premier League (EPL) champions Arsenal, recently joined the Bundesliga side full-time, for €3 million. That and the fact that Werder's first choice goalkeeper up to now, Mio Backhaus, is joining Freiburg, mean things are looking up for the Estonian.

"The boys who know me might agree that after Ronaldo, I'm the second hardest-working… okay, perhaps joking aside, but I really am very, very hardworking. I feel like I completely thrive on and truly enjoy working hard," Hein told the show.

"Sometimes I might even overdo things a little. Even when I'm on holiday in Estonia, I go out to the pitch with the boys and they take shots at me for two hours straight, yet I still don't get tired because I just want to get better. That kind of system is coded into me.

Naturally no conversation with an Estonian footballer, still less a 'keeper, is going to go very long before legendary goalie and now coach Mart Poom gets referenced.

"Very Mart Poom-like," Hein characterized his work rate as. "If you've read his book, then a complete workhorse. I enjoy the hard work, I enjoy chasing my dreams."

Alongside limited playing time, Hein suffered another setback this season when he injured his hand back in March. The Estonian says he plans to shake that off to be back between the posts for the upcoming Baltic tournament, and to play his part in helping the Estonian national team lift the trophy.

"I think that injury was a bit of a wake-up call, as if to say, 'Karl, it's time to start taping those thumbs!' I think I'll start taping them a bit more securely now," he said of the lesson learned.

"At least to help a little. Honestly, I can't really be bothered dealing with these hand injuries anymore. I've already had three, and gone through the entire process three times."

Hein, now 24, started taking football seriously at the age of eight and soon found himself in goal.

"My brother played football more as a hobby and always took me along. I caught the football bug from a young age and I'm absolutely crazy about football," he said. "Football really is such an important part of my life. I basically think about football all the time."

As for the color and noise of big league European football such as seen in the EPL or Bundesliga, Hein said the more chaos there is around him, the better.

"For me, it's amazing. The more powerful the atmosphere, the cooler it is to play. I've been in matches where opposing fans have thrown coins at me, insulted me every possible way. They shout, 'Hein, you're this and that.' But in the end, you hope you'll get the win and then wave and smile at them. Give them a little back."

When Hein talks about football's huge role in his life, he means more than just from a player's perspective.

"I'm studying at university. After finishing high school, I joined a local education program in England, which has now permitted me to attend university. A few years ago I started fitness coaching courses, and this year I started studying sports management. It is really cool to see the office side of things too."

As to whether this back-office aspect might eventually lead to him becoming, for example, president of the Estonian FA one day, after hanging up his boots and gloves, Hein said: "I'm not ruling it out, but I definitely want to stay involved in football after my career. That much is one hundred percent certain," he replied.

As to whether this would be in Estonia or abroad, Hein said he was "not ruling out either, but right now my wish is to give as much as I can back to Estonian football."

Although he says he thinks about football practically all the time, last summer Hein was picked up by the ERR cameras in a very different setting, albeit one which attracts even larger crowds than EPL football — the Estonia Song Festival (Laulupidu).

The 'keeper said of his attendance that he: "Likes listening to music. Music is very important in my life. It is wonderful to listen, and the Song Festival was my first experience of it last year."

There was also an element of national pride at play here, just as there is when Hein pulls on the national shirt.

"It was incredible because, as a patriot, it was a very proud feeling that day. When I was in high school, I wasn't really aware of it. But now, living abroad, the football season has always started when the Song Festival is happening. Last year I managed to go and experience a truly amazing event for the Estonian people. It was a very proud feeling," he went on.

"Something like that has personally motivated me to achieve much bigger things with the national team, since what has been achieved in, for instance, [Estonian] basketball, is remarkable," Hein continued, at a time when another Estonian sports star, Henri Veesaar, is on the cusp of being drafted into the NBA.

"It's powerful what they've been able to give the Estonian people — a sense of unity. That's my biggest dream with the Estonian national team as well. To accomplish something great."

Hein does not have to wait long until he gets the next chance to do so: Estonia is defending its Baltic Cup title from June 6–9. The team is at home at the A. Le Coq Arena in its first match, facing the Faroe Islands. Three days later, Estonia will face either Latvia or Lithuania, depending on how things pan out. The hosts won the Baltic Cup, their 5th title, in 2024, the last time it was held. This was also the first time the Faroes were invited as the fourth team to compete, and invite which has been extended this time too.

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