FK Kauno Žalgiris

Futbolo klubas Kauno Žalgiris (Football club Kauno Žalgiris) is a professional football club based in Kaunas, Lithuania, that competes in the A lyga, the top tier of Lithuania. The club was founded as FM Spyris Kaunas in 2004, became the football section of basketball club Žalgiris Kaunas and moved to their current stadium, the Darius and Girėnas Stadium, in 2015. After their debut season in the A Lyga, the club adopted the name FK Kauno Žalgiris in 2016.

Kauno Žalgiris
Full nameFutbolo klubas Kauno Žalgiris
Nickname(s)Žaliai Balti (The Green-Whites)
Founded2004 as FM Spyris
GroundDarius and Girėnas Stadium
Capacity15,315
Owner(s)Paulius Motiejūnas (70%)
Mantas Kalnietis (30%)[1]
ChairmanMantas Kalnietis
ManagerSaulius Širmelis
2023A Lyga, 4th of 10
WebsiteClub website

History

2005–2014: Early years

The idea of professional club was raised by the Kaunas football school "Tauras" in 2004, when coaches of the school decided to give an opportunity for school graduates to continue their football careers professionally, this became a reality in 2005 when FM Spyris was formed. The club initially played in the LFF II league's southern division, wearing yellow and blue. On 1 May 2005, FM Spyris played their first official match, defeated 2–1 by FK Sveikata Kybartai.[2] For a single season in 2010, FM Spyris was renamed to FM Aisčiai Kaunas, the team finished as runners-up. Despite struggling to get back on top of the league, by 2013, the club had moved up to the LFF I league and enjoyed a couple of competitive seasons and were competitive in the LFF Cup.[3]

2015–present: Kauno Žalgiris

After their recent success, the club made it official that they would like to join the premier Lithuanian football league for the 2015 season, Spyris was accepted on the first check up. Before the season started it was announced that 6 new players will join the club Dzmitry Rekish, Giuseppe Palma (on loan from S.S.C. Napoli), Andrius Velička, Paulius Daukša, Klimas Gusočenko and Jevgenij Maroz. Prior to the start of the season, the club announced their cooperation with BC Žalgiris and plans of adapting the name Žalgiris. The name change would spark a controversy due to the fact another Lithuanian club FK Žalgiris Vilnius would also be competing in the league. The club from Vilnius would file a complaint under the basis of LFF regulations not allowing two teams being under the same name. On 1 March 2015, the club debuted in the A Lyga by defeating FK Klaipėdos Granitas 2–1 in Kaunas as FK Spyris Kaunas. The club's green and white kits would sport the name Žalgiris and the basketball club's logo, alongside the logo they used as FK Spyris. Spyris finished fifth in the league, also reached the Lithuanian Football Cup semi-final, but was defeated by Žalgiris Vilnius.[4] Before the start of the 2016 season, the club changed its name to FK Kauno Žalgiris, adapting the name of the namesake basketball club. Although the newly developing fan base were happy about it, the name change was shadowed by more legal issues with FK Žalgiris Vilnius, so the future of club's name was uncertain. The club started its preseason by signing a former Kaunas football school Tauras graduate Mantas Fridrikas. Later the club announced the oldest player on the team Audrius Kšanavičius was retiring, winger Jevgenij Moroz and one of the best 2015 A lyga players, Dzmitry Rekish, were leaving the club. After a brief spell of silence, the club announced the signings of three new players just before the beginning of the season who were former FK Šiauliai right back Ernestas Pilypas, Russian winger Leonid Mushnikov, who also was part of Šiauliai team from 2011 to 2013 and 2013 Lithuanian Footballer of the Year Mindaugas Kalonas whose career at that time was on a downfall.

The club signed a contract with 2016 Best I Lyga manager Vitalijus Stankevičius.[5]

In 2020 season team won third place in A lyga. In 2021 season again won third place.

Stadium

The club plays its home matches at the Darius and Girėnas Stadium. The stadium is a multi-use facility in Ąžuolynas park in the Žaliakalnis district of Kaunas, Lithuania. The all-seater stadium holds 15,315 spectators and is the largest in Lithuania and the Baltic States. In 1998 it was renovated according to UEFA regulations, and in 2005 it was modernized with an installation of the biggest digital scoreboard in the Baltic states. The latest renovation started in 2018 and ended in 2022

Kit

  • When the club was called FK Spyris, they wore yellow/blue (Yellow kits, blue shorts and blue socks).
  • Since 2015, FK Žalgiris Kaunas's colours have been green and white. The kit is a green and white jersey, and the shorts and socks is a variation of green and white.
  • The Goalkeeper's kits were brown with black shorts and socks in the 2018 season. Currently, in the 2020 season, the goalkeeper's jersey is in blue.
"Spyris" home kit until 2015
2015–2018
home
2015–2018
away
2018 goalkeepers
2019–2021
home
2019–2021
away
Since 2020
goalkeepers

Kit manufacturers and shirt sponsors

Manufacturers

Joma

Hummel

Period Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor Ref
2022 Hummel TOPsport [6]

Crest

FK Kauno Žalgiris is using the same logo as BC Žalgiris. The logo design is a green and white shield with the sign "BC Žalgiris", a basketball, and the letter "Ž". The club's name commemorates the victorious Battle of Žalgiris (Battle of Grunwald) (The meanings of Žalgiris and Grunwald are both "green grove").

Honours

Rankings in Domestic competitions

SeasonLeaguePosPWDLFAPtsCup
2005II Lyga6th2613310444342
2006II Lyga4th181044352631
2007II Lyga11th266713404325
2008II Lyga7th22769293327
2009II Lyga5th20947392531
2010II Lyga2nd161213591737
2011II Lyga10th17101622753
2012II Lyga5th221138603636
2013I Lyga5th2712411554940Round of 16
2014I Lyga4th311975732956Third round
2015A Lyga5th3613617477445Semi-finals
2016A Lyga8th282917235515Quarter-finals
Round of 32
2017A Lyga8th283619195615Round of 32
2018A Lyga5th3311616294139Semi-finals
2019A Lyga4th3316512544553Quarter-finals
2020A Lyga3rd201226301838Quarter-finals
2021A Lyga3rd361899553963Second round
2022 A Lyga 2nd 36 18 9 9 55 37 63 Semi-finals
2023 A Lyga 4th 36 15 14 7 61 40 59 Semi-finals

European Competitions record

Season Competition Round Club Home Away Agg.
2019–20 UEFA Europa League 1QR Apollon Limassol 0–2 0–4 0–6
2020–21 UEFA Europa League 1QR Bodø/Glimt 1–6
2021–22 UEFA Europa Conference League 1QR Europa 2–0 0–0 2–0
2QR The New Saints 0–5 1–5 1–10
2022–23 UEFA Europa Conference League 1QR Ružomberok 0–0 0–2 0–2
2023–24 UEFA Europa Conference League 2QR Lech Poznań 1–2 1–3 2–5
Notes
  • QR: Qualifying round

Current squad

As of 21 June 2024

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
7 MF  LTU Artūr Dolžnikov
8 MF  LTU Vilius Armanavičius
9 FW  CRO Filip Dangubić
10 MF  LTU Gratas Sirgėdas
11 MF  GHA David Anane
13 GK  LTU Ignas Plūkas
14 MF  LTU Karolis Uzėla
15 MF  LTU Karolis Šilkaitis
16 MF  NGA Abdulgafar Opeyemi
17 FW  NGA Oyinlola Kayode
18 DF  NGA Seth Sincere
19 MF  LTU Fedor Černych
No. Pos. Nation Player
20 DF  FIN Matias Rale
21 MF  SVN Žan Benedičič
22 GK  LTU Deividas Mikelionis
23 DF  COL Aldayr Hernández
24 MF  GHA Divine Naah
30 MF  LTU Nidas Vosylius
35 GK  LTU Jurgis Mikšiūnas
43 DF  NED Jason Noslin
50 DF  LTU Gabrielius Buslys
80 MF  LTU Edvinas Kloniūnas
83 DF  LTU Pijus Nainys
99 DF  ALG Maxime Spano

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player

Technical staff

PositionName
President Mantas Kalnietis
Managing Director Eimantas Pūras
Head coach Saulius Širmelis
Assistant coach Alexander McCarthy
Goalkeeper Coach Mantas Gintalas
Fitness Coach Paulius Ragauskas
Doctor Algirdas Narkevičius
Physio Ainis Čepulis

References

  1. Augustis, Mindaugas (17 May 2022). "Koncernas "Žalgiris": tankiame įmonių voratinklyje – ataušusios Sabonio pėdos". Delfi (in Lithuanian). Archived from the original on 4 July 2022. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  2. "2005 m. gegužės 1 d. Sveikata – Spyris 2 : 1 – LFE". lfe.lt. Archived from the original on 2020-06-30. Retrieved 2017-07-18.
  3. "Football – Žalgiris". zalgiris.lt. Archived from the original on 30 June 2020. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  4. "Pradžia – A Lyga". smscredit.lt. Archived from the original on 9 July 2015. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  5. "Naujasis "Kauno Žalgirio" futbolo komandos treneris – Vitalijus Stankevičius" (in Lithuanian). FK Kauno Žalgiris. 3 January 2017. Archived from the original on 29 August 2018. Retrieved 3 January 2017.
  6. "Kauno Žalgiris Kit History". Football Kit Archive. Archived from the original on 2023-03-14. Retrieved 2023-03-14.
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