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Saulius Mikoliūnas

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Not to be confused with Saulius Mikalajūnas.

Saulius Mikoliūnas
Mikoliūnas in 2011
Personal information
Date of birth (1984-05-02) 2 May 1984 (age 40)
Place of birth Vilnius, Lithuanian SSR, Soviet Union
Height 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Right winger
Team information
Current team
 Žalgiris Vilnius
Number 13
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2002–2003 Šviesa Vilnius 13 (1)
2003 Ekranas 16 (0)
2004–2009 FBK Kaunas 23 (0)
2005–2009 → Heart of Midlothian (loan) 102 (11)
2009–2012 Arsenal Kyiv 78 (6)
2013–2014 Sevastopol 16 (0)
2014–2015 Shakhtyor Soligorsk 32 (4)
2016– Žalgiris Vilnius 150 (11)
International career‡
2004– Lithuania 100 (5)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23 October 2022
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 25 September 2022

Saulius Mikoliūnas (born 2 May 1984) is a Lithuanian professional footballer who plays as a right winger for Žalgiris Vilnius and the Lithuania national team. He has previously played for Scottish Premier League club Heart of Midlothian and FBK Kaunas. Mikoliūnas also represented Lithuania at under-21 level.

Club career

Mikoliūnas playing for Hearts in 2009

Mikoliūnas was a regular in the first team for Heart of Midlothian, however inconsistency always dogged his Hearts career. He silenced many critics with the winner at Tynecastle versus city rivals Hibernian on 26 December 2006. Mikoliūnas announced on 2 December 2008 that he wanted to leave the Edinburgh club after the 2008–09 season, to take up a new football challenge after spending four years at the club. On 27 April 2009, it was confirmed with immediate effect that the midfielder and his Lithuanian colleague Deividas Česnauskis had left Hearts.[1]

The following month, Mikoliūnas states he was to sign for Swansea City on a free transfer during the summer transfer window, but the move broke down after Swansea manager Roberto Martínez moved to Wigan Athletic.[2]

Eventually, Mikoliūnas signed a three-year contract with Ukrainian side Arsenal Kyiv.[3]

On 9 May 2019, Mikoliūnas received a UEFA B coaching license.[4]

International career

Mikoliūnas made his debut for the Lithuania national team in 2004, he scored his first international goal in 2007 against Georgia. He followed that up a year later with a second goal, against Romania. On 11 October 2013, in 2014 FIFA World Cup Qualification he scored his most recent goal, against Latvia in a 2–0 home victory. After appearing in a Nations League match against Kazakhstan on 4 September 2020, Mikoliūnas attained his 85th cap for his country and become the most capped player for Lithuania, surpassing previous record holder Andrius Skerla.[5] On 25 September 2022, he become the first Lithuanian player to reach the 100th cap in the Nations League match against Luxembourg.[6]

Position

Mikoliūnas is a right-sided winger who sometimes plays in the right-back position.

Career statistics

Scores and results list Lithuania's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Mikoliūnas goal.
List of international goals scored by Saulius Mikoliūnas
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 2 June 2007 S. Darius and S. Girėnas Stadium, Kaunas, Lithuania  Georgia 1–0 1–0 UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying
2 6 September 2008 Gruia Stadium, Cluj-Napoca, Romania  Romania 2–0 3–0 FIFA World Cup 2010 qualifying
3 25 March 2011 S. Darius and S. Girėnas Stadium, Kaunas, Lithuania  Poland 1–0 2–0 Friendly
4 11 October 2013 LFF Stadium, Vilnius, Lithuania  Latvia 2–0 2–0 FIFA World Cup 2014 qualifying
5 9 October 2014 LFF Stadium, Vilnius, Lithuania  Estonia 1–0 1–0 UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying

Honours

FBK Kaunas

Hearts FC

FK Žalgiris

References

  1. ^ "Hearts players become free agents". BBC Sport. 28 April 2009. Retrieved 29 April 2009.
  2. ^ "Mikoliūnas doubtful about signing for Swansea". Futbolas.lt. 12 June 2009. Retrieved 13 July 2009. [dead link‍]
  3. ^ "Naujasis S.Mikoliūno klubas – Kijevo "Arsenal"". Futbolas.lt. 12 July 2009. Archived from the original on 17 July 2009. Retrieved 13 July 2009.
  4. ^ ""Skrieja kamuolys" specialus epizodas: S.Mikoliūnas apie linksmas istorijas su V.Romanovu" (in Lithuanian). FK Žalgiris. 16 May 2019. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
  5. ^ "Tautų lygos starte nusileista Kazachstano rinktinei" [At the start of the League of Nations, Kazakhstan lost] (in Lithuanian). Lithuanian Football Federation. 4 September 2020. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
  6. ^ "Istorija, trukusi 18 metų: Saulius Mikoliūnas jau pasiruošęs paskutiniam šokiui" [A 18-year history: Saulius Mikoliunas prepare for the last dance]. 15min.lt (in Lithuanian). 25 September 2022. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
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