by Mantas Aliukonis
For Lithuanian football, the latest World Cup qualifying window felt like a painful reminder of how far the national team has fallen. Consecutive defeats to Finland and Poland left Lithuania without a point — another chapter in a long decline that began more than a decade ago, marked by fading results, a shrinking player pool, and the growing gap between ambition and reality.
Once, things were different. In 2006, a team composed entirely of A Lyga players travelled to Poland and stunned a World Cup-bound side 1–0 in Bełchatów, thanks to an early strike from Andrius Gedgaudas past Liverpool goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek. Back then, Lithuania hovered around 70th in the FIFA rankings and spoke of progress with genuine belief.
One of the men on the pitch that day, Ričardas Beniušis — still playing today for Tauragė Tauro B and one of the country’s most enduring professionals — remembers it well. Having scored more than 500 career goals, the veteran striker reflects on that famous win, the strength of Lithuanian football at the time, and what has since been lost.
“We spoiled Poland’s trip to the World Cup”
“It was a really fun game,” Beniušis recalls. “The Poles treated us like we didn’t exist. There were banners predicting 5–0. Their fans were relaxed, sure of an easy win. But we spoiled their trip to the World Cup.”
Lithuania fielded only domestic players — “not one played abroad,” he points out — and even travelled without a first-choice goalkeeper after Modestas Stonys was injured. Replacement Vaidas Žutautas drove overnight from Lithuania to join the team.
“We defended patiently and took our chance. I headed on a throw-in to Gedgaudas, who linked with Valdas Trakys, and that move gave us the goal. It was pure teamwork. For Poland, it was a shock — they went to Germany and came home without a single point.”
“Back then, our league was strong”
Comparing eras, Beniušis doesn’t hesitate. “If a team made up of A Lyga players could beat a World Cup side, that shows how strong our league once was,” he says. “That level is gone. Where it disappeared to — that’s another question.”
“Now we have to be realistic”
Turning to the present, Beniušis speaks candidly about Lithuania’s current struggles. “I’d like to think the good performance against the Netherlands wasn’t just a coincidence. But the recent defeats to Finland and Poland showed where we really are. Both opponents exposed our limits.”
“We’re not on the same train as teams like the Netherlands yet. We have to be realistic. Our strength is in teamwork — compact defending, patience, and taking chances when they come. We don’t have individuals who can decide matches alone, and we must accept that.”
The veteran sees Lithuania’s goals as products of collective effort, not individual brilliance. “That’s who we are. We have to make the most of what we have.”
“We lack leaders and depth”
Asked about Lithuania’s last official win — a home victory against Gibraltar in spring 2024 — Beniušis is blunt. “We’re below the level we once were. We lack leaders, players in strong leagues, and big names. Losing Armandas Kučys, our number nine, was a big blow. Players like him don’t grow on trees.”
“I’d hoped for two points from these two matches, but we got none. I’m just being realistic — not critical of the players, but aware of where we stand.”
“We no longer have players like Savėnas”
Lithuania, once known for its tough defenders and technically gifted midfielders, now faces a depth problem at both ends. “Every absence hurts because we don’t have replacements. When Kučys went down, we lost our striker. One defender drops out — and we struggle to fill the gap.”
And those players capable of deciding a match with a single strike? “Players like Mantas Savėnas or Armandas Kučys — they’re our football brain. You don’t just train that; you’re born with it. Confidence matters too — knowing when to take that shot. To hit the target eight times out of ten from distance, that’s a gift, and hard work alone won’t give it to you.”
As Beniušis reflects on the contrast between then and now, his words carry both pride and melancholy. The night Lithuania humbled Poland in Bełchatów may feel distant, but for those who remember it, it remains a reminder of what Lithuanian football once was — and what it still hopes, someday, to be again.
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