by Mantas Aliukonis
As tensions continue to swirl around FK Riteriai, we take a look back at a truly unprecedented chapter in Lithuanian football. Once, during an ongoing season, a team built from the Lithuanian U-21 national squad was admitted to the country’s top-tier league—a decision that proved pivotal for player development and the national game.
To reflect on this rare historical moment, we spoke with former Lithuanian national team goalkeeper Pavel Leus, who now works as a goalkeeper coach and co-owner of the website 4keepers.lt. Leus himself lived through a situation similar to one recently proposed by current Lithuanian Football Federation (LFF) President Edgaras Stankevičius as a potential response to the crisis at Riteriai.
“It might sound utopian now, but accepting a new team into the A Lyga mid-season once helped Lithuanian football greatly,”
Leus explains. “It produced a generation of well-known players and provided young talents with invaluable top-flight experience.”
The Birth of Alsa Vilnius
In the 1995/1996 season, a team built around the Lithuanian U-21 squad joined the league mid-season under the name Alsa Vilnius. It marked a groundbreaking moment. At the time, Lithuanian football still operated under a fall-spring schedule, and the top division was known as the First League (Pirma lyga).
“The team was mostly made up of players born in 1978/79 and coached by Vincas Kateiva,” Leus recalls. “He gathered the most talented youngsters in the country ahead of the U-21 qualifiers. We were 17 or 18 years old at the time.”
The lineup included future national team regulars like Valdas Trakys, Deividas Šemberas, and Darius Žutautas.
“Some lived at the sports boarding school in Vilnius, but it wasn’t just a local team. It was essentially a Vilnius-based national selection.”
Back then, the system was more relaxed. Players could join from different clubs for specific matches.
“There were no strict rules, unlike today. For example, Mantas Samusiovas was part of FBK Kaunas but would also play for Alsa.”
Among others to feature in the Alsa squad were Artūras Sabolis, Rolandas Džiaukštas, Mindaugas Čepas, Povilas Lukšys, Mariuš Krukovskis, and Andrejus Šemorovas.
Big names, not so big results
Galinis was from Klaipėda but didn’t play because he was born before August 1978. Benjaminas Zelkevičius was with the senior Žalgiris squad already and had a lot of promise.
Despite their potential, Alsa struggled in the league.
“We finished second to last after the winter break. I think we only managed four points—we had a shock win over someone and a draw. But we were 16–17-year-old kids going up against grown men.”
That winter, Alsa merged with FK Panerys and became its reserve team.
“Three of us were taken to Panerys: me, Tadas Gražiūnas, and Andrejus Šemorovas. I was still in school when I debuted for Panerys, because their goalkeepers were injured. That’s how my path as a keeper started.”
Leus would go on to play in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and have shorter spells in Finland (Atlantis), Poland (Plock), russia (Voronezh), and back in Lithuania with FK Žalgiris.
Post-playing career & youth development
Now retired, Leus consults for clubs abroad.
“I used to work with Polish clubs, now I’m mostly with Ukrainians. I stay in touch with people who make decisions about player signings in Lithuania.”
He also has his eye on youth development.
“Nowadays, good players are targeted as early as age 14. Italians are already interested in kids born in 2009 at the Baltic Football Academy (BFA). They follow Baltic League matches online. They don’t even need to travel to scout.”
Leus confirms that scouts often ask him about 16-year-olds and even younger players.
“That’s the reality of youth football now.”
But does early attention help or hurt development?
“It depends. It’s not just about the kid—parents matter a lot. Some parents get carried away after one goal and start dreaming about Spain. That rubs off on the child. Others understand that it still takes hard work.”
4keepers Cup: A New Platform for Goalkeepers
On June 29, Leus and former FK Riteriai midfielder Valentinas Jeriomenko will host the 4keepers Cup, a youth goalkeeper tournament.
“This year’s event is for players born in 2014 and 2015. Valentinas and I promote the 4keepers brand in Lithuania and host 2–3 tournaments a year.”
The next edition will take place at 10:30 AM on Sunday, 29th June at Granitas Stadium in Naujoji Vilnia, Vilnius (Pergalės g. 34A). Winners will receive gloves from www.4keepers.lt.
“In the future, we want to grow the event and maybe even organize a goalkeeper All-Star Day featuring A Lyga players. MLS has done it for years—why not bring something new to Lithuanian fans?”
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