Saulius Mikoliūnas

Saulius Mikoliūnas (born 2 May 1984) is a Lithuanian professional footballer who plays as a right winger for A Lyga club Žalgiris and the Lithuania national team. He has previously played for Scottish Premier League club Heart of Midlothian and Ukrainian Premier League club Arsenal Kyiv. With 101 caps, Mikoliūnas is also the Lithuania national team's most-capped player.

Not to be confused with Saulius Mikalajūnas.

Saulius Mikoliūnas
Mikoliūnas playing for Arsenal Kyiv in 2011
Personal information
Date of birth (1984-05-02) 2 May 1984
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
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 161 (11)
International career‡
2003–2006 Lithuania U21 7 (0)
2004–2022 Lithuania 101 (5)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19 September 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 25 September 2022

Club career
Mikoliūnas playing for Hearts in 2009

In January 2005, Mikoliūnas moved to Scottish club Heart of Midlothian on loan from FBK Kaunas. He was a regular in the first team for the hearts, 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 stated 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]

In January 2013, Mikoliūnas moved to Ukrainian First League side FC Sevastopol.[4] At the end of the season, his team achieved promotion to the Ukrainian Premier League. In August 2014, he signed for Belarusian club Shakhtyor Soligorsk.

In December 2015, Lithuanian club Žalgiris Vilnius announced that Mikoliūnas will move to the club for the 2016 season.[5] Since then, he has appeared in more than 150 games for Žalgiris, won the A Lyga title three times, and lifted the Lithuanian cup four times with his team.

On 9 May 2019, Mikoliūnas received a UEFA B coaching license.[6]

International career

Mikoliūnas made his debut for the Lithuania national team in 2004 in a friendly match against Portugal, and scored his first international goal in 2007 against Georgia. He followed that up a year later with a second goal against Romania. On 9 October 2014, in a UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying match, he scored the most recent goal of his five international goals, against Estonia in a 1–0 home victory.

After appearing in a Nations League match against Kazakhstan on 4 September 2020, Mikoliūnas attained his 85th cap for his country and thus became the most capped player for Lithuania, surpassing previous record holder Andrius Skerla.[7] On 25 September 2022, he became the first Lithuanian player to reach 100 caps for the national team after playing in the Nations League match against Luxembourg.[8]

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
12 June 2007S. Darius and S. Girėnas Stadium, Kaunas, Lithuania Georgia1–01–0UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying
26 September 2008Gruia Stadium, Cluj-Napoca, Romania Romania2–03–0FIFA World Cup 2010 qualifying
325 March 2011S. Darius and S. Girėnas Stadium, Kaunas, Lithuania Poland1–02–0Friendly
411 October 2013LFF Stadium, Vilnius, Lithuania Latvia2–02–0FIFA World Cup 2014 qualifying
59 October 2014LFF Stadium, Vilnius, Lithuania Estonia1–01–0UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying

Honours

FBK Kaunas

Heart of Midlothian

FK Žalgiris

References
  1. "Hearts players become free agents". BBC Sport. 28 April 2009. Retrieved 29 April 2009.
  2. "Mikoliūnas nebesitiki žaisti „Swansea City"" (in Lithuanian). 15min.lt. 9 June 2009. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
  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. "S.Mikoliūnas perėjo į „Sevastopol" gretas" [S. Mikoliūnas moved to the ranks of 'Sevastopol']. delfi.lt (in Lithuanian). 21 January 2013. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
  5. "Vilniaus „Žalgiris" prisiviliojo Saulių Mikoliūną" [Vilnius 'Žalgiris' attracted Saulias Mikoliunas]. 15min.lt (in Lithuanian). 18 December 2015. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
  6. ""Skrieja kamuolys" specialus epizodas: S.Mikoliūnas apie linksmas istorijas su V.Romanovu" (in Lithuanian). FK Žalgiris. 16 May 2019. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
  7. "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.
  8. "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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