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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.
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| Full name | Futbolo klubas Kauno Žalgiris | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Žaliai Balti (The Green-Whites) | |||
| Founded | 2004 as FM Spyris | |||
| Ground | Darius and Girėnas Stadium | |||
| Capacity | 15,026 | |||
| Owner(s) | Paulius Motiejūnas (70%) Mantas Kalnietis (30%)[1] | |||
| Chairman | Mantas Kalnietis | |||
| Manager | Saulius Širmelis | |||
| 2024 | A Lyga, 3rd of 10 | |||
| Website | http://www.zalgiris.lt/futbolas | |||
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History
edit2005–2014: Early years
editThe 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
editAfter 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
editThe 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 15,026 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. In 2022, the club enhanced their training capabilities with a 115x74x20 meter air dome.
Kit
edit- 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
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     2015–2018
home |
     2015–2018
away |
     2018 goalkeepers
|
     2019–2021
home |
     2019–2021
away |
     Since 2020
goalkeepers |
Kit manufacturers and shirt sponsors
edit| Manufacturers |
|---|
| Period | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Hummel | TOPsport | [6] |
Crest
editFK 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
edit- Lithuanian Championship/A Lyga
- Lithuanian Supercup
- Runners-up (1): 2023
Rankings in Domestic competitions
edit| Season | League | Pos | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | II Lyga | 6th | 26 | 13 | 3 | 10 | 44 | 43 | 42 | |
| 2006 | II Lyga | 4th | 18 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 35 | 26 | 31 | |
| 2007 | II Lyga | 11th | 26 | 6 | 7 | 13 | 40 | 43 | 25 | |
| 2008 | II Lyga | 7th | 22 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 29 | 33 | 27 | |
| 2009 | II Lyga | 5th | 20 | 9 | 4 | 7 | 39 | 25 | 31 | |
| 2010 | II Lyga | 2nd | 16 | 12 | 1 | 3 | 59 | 17 | 37 | |
| 2011 | II Lyga | 10th | 17 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 22 | 75 | 3 | |
| 2012 | II Lyga | 5th | 22 | 11 | 3 | 8 | 60 | 36 | 36 | |
| 2013 | I Lyga | 5th | 27 | 12 | 4 | 11 | 55 | 49 | 40 | Round of 16 |
| 2014 | I Lyga | 4th | 31 | 19 | 7 | 5 | 73 | 29 | 56 | Third round |
| 2015 | A Lyga | 5th | 36 | 13 | 6 | 17 | 47 | 74 | 45 | Semi-finals |
| 2016 | A Lyga | 8th | 28 | 2 | 9 | 17 | 23 | 55 | 15 | Quarter-finals Round of 32 |
| 2017 | A Lyga | 8th | 28 | 3 | 6 | 19 | 19 | 56 | 15 | Round of 32 |
| 2018 | A Lyga | 5th | 33 | 11 | 6 | 16 | 29 | 41 | 39 | Semi-finals |
| 2019 | A Lyga | 4th | 33 | 16 | 5 | 12 | 54 | 45 | 53 | Quarter-finals |
| 2020 | A Lyga | 3rd | 20 | 12 | 2 | 6 | 30 | 18 | 38 | Quarter-finals |
| 2021 | A Lyga | 3rd | 36 | 18 | 9 | 9 | 55 | 39 | 63 | Second 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
edit| 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
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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 |
| 2025–26 | UEFA Conference League | 1QR |
- Notes
- QR: Qualifying round
Current squad
edit- As of 10 October 2024
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Out on loan
editNote: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Technical staff
edit| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| President |  Mantas Kalnietis
|
| Managing Director | Eimantas Pūras
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| Head coach | Saulius Širmelis
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| Assistant coach |  Alexander McCarthy
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| Goalkeeper Coach | Mantas Gintalas
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| Fitness Coach | Paulius Ragauskas
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| Doctor | Algirdas Narkevičius
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| Physio | Ainis Čepulis
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References
edit- ^ 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.
- ^ "2005 m. gegužės 1 d. Sveikata – Spyris 2 : 1 – LFE". lfe.lt. Archived from the original on 2020-06-30. Retrieved 2017-07-18.
- ^ "Football – Žalgiris". zalgiris.lt. Archived from the original on 30 June 2020. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
- ^ "Pradžia – A Lyga". smscredit.lt. Archived from the original on 9 July 2015. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Kauno Žalgiris Kit History". Football Kit Archive. Archived from the original on 2023-03-14. Retrieved 2023-03-14.
External links
edit- Official website (in Lithuanian)
- Facebook Kauno Žalgiris official page