Saulius Mikoliūnas

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Template:Short description Script error: No such module "Distinguish". Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox football biography Saulius Mikoliūnas (born 2 May 1984) is a Lithuanian former professional footballer who played as a right winger for 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.

Mikoliūnas was a right-sided winger who sometimes played in the right-back position.

Club career

File:Mikoliunas Hearts.jpg
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 join the club for the 2016 season.[5]

At the age of 39, Mikoliūnas announced his retirement from professional football in October 2023.[6] He played his last match on 12 November 2023, on the last matchday of the 2023 A Lyga (12 November). Across all competitions, he has appeared in 221 games for Žalgiris, won the A Lyga title four times, and lifted the Lithuanian cup five times with his team.[7]

International career

Mikoliūnas made his debut for the Lithuania national team on 5 June 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.[8] 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.[9]

Off the Pitch

On 9 May 2019, Mikoliūnas received a UEFA B coaching license.[10]

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 Template:Country data Georgia 1–0 1–0 UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying
2 6 September 2008 Gruia Stadium, Cluj-Napoca, Romania {{ Template:Yesno alias = Romania flag alias = Flag of Romania.svg flag alias-1859 = Flag of the United Principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia (1859 - 1862).svg flag alias-1862 = Flag of the United Principalities of Romania (1862–1866).svg flag alias-1866 = Flag of Romania.svg flag alias-1947 = Flag of Romania (January-March 1948).svg flag alias-1948 = Flag of Romania (1948-1952).svg flag alias-1952 = Flag of Romania (1952-1965).svg flag alias-1965 = Flag of Romania (1965-1989).svg flag alias-naval = Flag of Romania.svg flag alias-naval-1860 = Flag of the United Principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia (1859 - 1862).svg flag alias-naval-1862 = Flag of the United Principalities of Romania (1862–1866).svg flag alias-naval-1866 = Flag of Romania.svg flag alias-naval-1922 = Naval Ensign of Romania (1922–1947).svg flag alias-naval-1947 = Flag of Romania (January-March 1948).svg flag alias-naval-1948 = Flag of Romania (1948–1952).svg flag alias-naval-1950 = Naval Ensign of Romania (1950–1952).svg flag alias-naval-1952 = Naval Ensign of Romania (1952–1965).svg flag alias-naval-1965 = Flag of Romania (1965–1989).svg link alias-naval = Romanian Naval Forces flag alias-air force = Flag of the Romanian Air Force (obverse).svg flag alias-air force-1947 = Flag of Romania (January-March 1948).svg flag alias-air force-1948 = Flag of Romania (1948–1952).svg flag alias-air force-1950 = Flag of Air Force of Romania (1950-1952, obverse).svg flag alias-air force-1952 = Flag of Air Force of Romania (1952-1965, obverse).svg flag alias-air force-1965 = Flag of Romania (1965–1989).svg link alias-air force = Romanian Air Force flag alias-army = Flag of the Romanian Land Forces (Obverse).svg flag alias-army-1859 = Flag of the United Principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia (1859 - 1862).svg flag alias-army-1862 = Flag of the United Principalities of Romania (1862–1866).svg flag alias-army-1866 = Flag of Romania.svg flag alias-army-1947 = Flag of Romania (January-March 1948).svg flag alias-army-1948 = Flag of Romania (1948–1952).svg flag alias-army-1950 = Battle flag of Romania (1950-1952, obverse).svg flag alias-army-1952 = Battle flag of Romania (1952-1965, obverse).svg flag alias-army-1965 = Battle flag of Romania (1966-1989, obverse).svg link alias-army = Romanian Land Forces flag alias-navy = Flag of the Romanian Naval Forces (Obverse).svg flag alias-navy-1860 = Flag of the United Principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia (1859 - 1862).svg flag alias-navy-1862 = Flag of the United Principalities of Romania (1862–1866).svg flag alias-navy-1866 = Flag of Romania.svg flag alias-navy-1922 = Naval Ensign of Romania (1922–1947).svg flag alias-navy-1947 = Flag of Romania (January-March 1948).svg flag alias-navy-1948 = Flag of Romania (1948–1952).svg flag alias-navy-1950 = Flag of Naval Force of Romania (1950-1951, obverse).svg flag alias-navy-1952 = Flag of terrestrial units of the Naval Force of Romania (1952-1965, obverse).svg flag alias-navy-1965 = Flag of Romania (1965–1989).svg link alias-navy = Romanian Naval Forces size = name = altlink = national football team variant =

}} || align="center"|2–0 || align="center"|3–0 || FIFA World Cup 2010 qualifying

3 25 March 2011 S. Darius and S. Girėnas Stadium, Kaunas, Lithuania {{ Template:Yesno alias = Poland flag alias = Flag of Poland.svg flag alias-state = Flag of Poland (with coat of arms).svg flag alias-1815 = Flag of the Congress of Poland.svg flag alias-1919 = Flag of Poland (1919-1928).svg flag alias-1928 = Flag of Poland (1928–1980).svg flag alias-1955 = Flag of Poland (with coat of arms, 1955-1980).svg flag alias-1980 = Flag of Poland (with coat of arms, 1980-1990).svg flag alias-1990 = Flag of Poland (with coat of arms).svg flag alias-naval = PL navy flag IIIRP.svg border-naval = flag alias-naval-1919 = Naval Ensign of IIRP v1.svg border-naval-1919 = flag alias-naval-1946 = Naval Ensign of PRL v1.svg border-naval-1946 = flag alias-naval-auxiliary = Flaga pomocniczych jednostek pływających Polskiej Marynarki Wojennej.svg flag alias-naval-auxiliary-1955 = POL Bandera pjp PRL v1.svg link alias-naval = Polish Navy flag alias-navy = Naval Ensign of Poland.svg border-navy = link alias-navy = Polish Navy flag alias-marines = Flag of the Polish Land Forces.svg border-marines = link alias-marines = Polish 7th Coastal Defense Brigade flag alias-air force = Flag of the Polish Air Force.svg border-air force = link alias-air force = Polish Air Force flag alias-army = Flag of the Polish Land Forces.svg border-army = link alias-army = Polish Land Forces size = size flag alias-naval = 25px size flag alias-naval-1919 = 25px size flag alias-naval-1946 = 25px size flag alias-air force = 25px name = altlink = national football team variant =

}} || align="center"|1–0 || align="center"|2–0|| Friendly

4 11 October 2013 LFF Stadium, Vilnius, Lithuania {{ Template:Yesno alias = Latvia flag alias = Flag of Latvia.svg flag alias-pantone = Flag of Latvia (Textile).svg flag alias-air force = Flag of the Latvian Air Forces.svg link alias-air force = Latvian Air Force flag alias-naval = Naval Ensign of Latvia.svg link alias-naval = Latvian Naval Forces link alias-army = Latvian Land Forces flag alias-navy = Naval Ensign of Latvia.svg link alias-navy = Latvian Naval Forces size = name = altlink = national football team variant =

}} || align="center"|2–0 || align="center"|2–0 || FIFA World Cup 2014 qualifying

5 9 October 2014 LFF Stadium, Vilnius, Lithuania {{ Template:Yesno alias = Estonia flag alias = Flag of Estonia.svg flag alias-naval = Naval Jack of Estonia.svg link alias-naval = Estonian Navy flag alias-army=Flag of Estonian Land Forces.svg link alias-army=Estonian Land Forces flag alias-air force =Flag of the Estonia Air Force.png link alias-air force = Estonian Air Force flag alias-navy = Naval Ensign of Estonia.svg link alias-navy = Estonian Navy border-naval = size = name = altlink = national football team variant =

}} || align="center"|1–0 || align="center"|1–0 || |UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying

Honours

FBK Kaunas

Heart of Midlothian

FK Žalgiris

See also

References

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External links

Template:FK Žalgiris Player of the Year Template:A Lyga Player of the Year

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