Arminas Narbekovas

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox football biography Arminas Narbekovas (born 28 January 1965 in Gargždai) is a former Lithuanian footballer who played as a midfielder. In 2003, he was selected by UEFA as his country's Golden Player, the greatest player of the past 50 years.

Personal life

Arminas Narbekovas was born to a Tatar father Andrey Narbekov and a Lithuanian mother.

Career

Narbekovas made his debut in 1983 with Žalgiris Vilnius, Lithuania's sole representative in the Soviet Top League, at the age of 18. In 1987, he finished second in league scoring with 16 goals while leading his club to a third-place finish, their best in history. Zalgiris would then participate in the UEFA Cup for the first time, losing to Austria Vienna. Austria would become Narbekovas' destination after Lithuanian players were allowed to move abroad. Arminas moved there in 1990 after a short stint with Lokomotiv Moscow, since Lithuania was not a part of UEFA yet and players from its clubs were not permitted to transfer. Narbekovas would spend the rest of his club career in Austria, with Austria Vienna until 1995 and then with Admira Wacker and a number of other lower division clubs.

International career

Although he never received a FIFA-sanctioned cap for the USSR national team, he did play for them, and win the gold medal, at the 1988 Summer Olympics. Narbekovas scored two goals in the tournament, including an extra time one in the semifinals against Italy, helping the Soviets to a 3–2 victory. Also, he represented USSR in 1987 Summer Universiade. Arminas first played for Lithuania in its first ever game as a newly independent country, on 27 May 1990 against Georgia, and scored the first goal in the 2–2 tie. Unfortunately, injuries limited his career to just 13 caps and four goals for his country.

Honours

Club

Austria Wien

• Austrian Football Bundesliga (3): 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93
• Austrian Cup (2): 1991–92, 1993–94

International

• Summer Olympic Games
  • Gold medal: 1988
• Universiade
  • Gold medal: 1987

Individual

• Lithuanian Player of the Year: 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988
• UEFA Jubilee Awards Lithuanian Golden Player representative
• Summer Universiade: 1987 top scorer

International goals

Lithuania

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	27 May 1990	Dinamo Stadium, Tbilisi, Georgia	Template:Flagicon Georgia	2–2	Draw	Friendly
2	28 April 1992	Windsor Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Northern Ireland	flag alias = Ulster Banner.svg	flag alias-assembly = Flag of Northern Ireland Assembly.svg	flag alias-saltire = St Patrick's saltire.svg	flag alias-union = Flag of the United Kingdom.svg	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }} || 2–2 || Draw || 1994 World Cup qualifier
3	25 May 1994	Bazaly Stadium, Ostrava, Czech Republic	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Czech Republic	flag alias = Flag of the Czech Republic.svg	flag alias-1990 = Flag of Bohemia.svg	flag alias-air force = Flag of the Czech Air Force.svg	link alias-air force = Czech Air Force	flag alias-army = Flag of the Czech Land Force.svg	link alias-army = Czech Land Forces	size =	name =	variant =	altlink = national football team	altvar = football }} || 5–3 || Loss || Friendly
4	9 October 1996	Žalgiris Stadium, Vilnius, Lithuania	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Liechtenstein	flag alias = Flag of Liechtenstein.svg	flag alias-1719 = Flag of Liechtenstein (1719-1852).svg	flag alias-1852 = Flag of Liechtenstein (1852-1921).svg	flag alias-1921 = Flag of Liechtenstein (1921–1937).svg	flag alias-1937 = Flag of Liechtenstein (1937–1982).svg	size =	name =	variant =	altlink = national football team }} || 2–1 || Win || 1998 World Cup qualifier
Correct as of 1 December 2014

Soviet Union Olympic team

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	22 September 1988	Seoul	{{safesubst: Template:Yesno	alias = United States	flag alias = Flag of the United States.svg	flag alias-1776 = Flag of the United States (1776–1777).svg	flag alias-1777 = Flag of the United States (1777–1795).svg	flag alias-1777-Ross = Betsy Ross flag.svg	flag alias-1795 = Flag of the United States (1795-1818).svg	flag alias-1795FM = Flag of the United States (1795–1818).svg	flag alias-1818 = Flag of the United States (1818-1819).svg	flag alias-1819 = Flag of the United States (1819-1820).svg	flag alias-1820 = Flag of the United States (1820-1822).svg	flag alias-1822 = Flag of the United States (1822–1836).svg	flag alias-1836 = Flag of the United States (1836-1837).svg	flag alias-1837 = Flag of the United States (1837-1845).svg	flag alias-1845 = Flag of the United States (1845-1846).svg	flag alias-1846 = Flag of the United States (1846-1847).svg	flag alias-1847 = Flag of the United States (1847-1848).svg	flag alias-1848 = Flag of the United States (1848-1851).svg	flag alias-1851 = Flag of the United States (1851-1858).svg	flag alias-1858 = Flag of the United States (1858-1859).svg	flag alias-1859 = Flag of the United States (1859-1861).svg	flag alias-1861 = Flag of the United States (1861-1863).svg	flag alias-1863 = Flag of the United States (1863-1865).svg	flag alias-1865 = Flag of the United States (1865-1867).svg	flag alias-1867 = Flag of the United States (1867-1877).svg	flag alias-1877 = Flag of the United States (1877-1890).svg	flag alias-1890 = Flag of the United States (1890-1891).svg	flag alias-1891 = Flag of the United States (1891-1896).svg	flag alias-1896 = Flag of the United States (1896-1908).svg	flag alias-1908 = Flag of the United States (1908-1912).svg	flag alias-1912 = Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg	flag alias-1959 = Flag of the United States (1959–1960).svg	flag alias-1960 = Flag of the United States (Web Colors).svg	flag alias-pantone = Flag of the United States (Pantone).svg	flag alias-yacht = United States yacht flag.svg	flag alias-air force = Flag of the United States Air Force.svg	flag alias-coast guard-1799 = Ensign of the United States Revenue-Marine (1799).png	flag alias-coast guard-1815 = Ensign of the United States Revenue-Marine (1815).png	flag alias-coast guard-1836 = Ensign of the United States Revenue-Marine (1836).png	flag alias-coast guard-1841 = Ensign of the United States Revenue-Marine (1841).png	flag alias-coast guard-1867 = Ensign of the United States Revenue-Marine (1867).png	flag alias-coast guard-1868 = Ensign of the United States Revenue-Marine (1868).png	flag alias-coast guard-1915 = Ensign of the United States Coast Guard (1915-1953).png	flag alias-coast guard-1953 = Ensign of the United States Coast Guard.svg	flag alias-coast guard = Flag of the United States Coast Guard.svg	link alias-coast guard = United States Coast Guard	flag alias-army = Flag of the United States Army.svg	link alias-naval = United States Navy	flag alias-navy-1864 = Flag of the United States Navy (1864-1959).svg	flag alias-navy = Flag of the United States Navy (official).svg	link alias-navy = United States Navy	link alias-marines = United States Marine Corps	flag alias-marines-1914 = Flag of the United States Marine Corps (1914-1939).png	flag alias-marines = Flag of the United States Marine Corps.svg	link alias-merchant marine = United States Merchant Marine	flag alias-merchant marine = Flag of the United States Merchant Marine Higher Resolution.jpg	flag alias-space force = Flag of the United States Space Force.svg	link alias-military = United States Armed Forces	link alias-football = United States men's national soccer team	link alias-Australian rules football = United States men's national Australian rules football team	flag alias-23px = Flag of the United States (23px).png	empty = USA Selects	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	altvar = football	variant = }} || 2–0 || 4–2 || Football at the 1988 Summer Olympics
2	27 September 1988	Seoul	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Italy	flag alias = Flag of Italy.svg	flag alias-1861 = Flag of Italy (1861–1946).svg	flag alias-1943 = War flag of the Italian Social Republic.svg	flag alias-2003 = Flag of Italy (2003–2006).svg	flag alias-civil = Civil Ensign of Italy.svg	flag alias-naval = Naval Ensign of Italy.svg	flag alias-navy-1947 = Naval Ensign of Italy (1947-2013).svg	link alias-naval = Italian Navy	link alias-air force = Italian Air Force	link alias-army = Italian Army	flag alias-navy = Naval Ensign of Italy.svg	link alias-navy = Italian Navy	link alias-roller hockey = Italy {{{mw}}} national roller hockey team	size =	name =	variant =	altlink = national football team	altvar = football }} || 2–1 || 3–2 || Football at the 1988 Summer Olympics

Honours

Narbekovas was named Lithuania's footballer of the year four times, from 1985 to 1988. In November 2003, to celebrate UEFA's jubilee, he was selected by the Lithuanian Football Federation as the country's Golden Player – the greatest player of the last 50 years.

External links

• Template:PAGENAMEBASE at National-Football-Teams.com