Meet the team
Get to know some of the people behind Baltic Football News!
Already with over a decade of combined experience of communicating about local football to international audiences in a variety of multimedia formats behind our belts, we take the privilege of being the international voices of Baltic football very seriously.
Jānis Vītols
Sports, especially football, have been my passion for as long as I can remember. I still remember the excitement of watching my first live game during the 2002 World Cup and how I was introduced to Latvian football in 2003 ahead of the run to the EURO 2004. I still vividly remember where I was during the second leg of the match against Turkey. It was such a memorable time!
Since then, I've been promoting Latvian football in English through my social media account, which I've run for over six years. It has helped me make fantastic friends, but now I want to find new ways to highlight football in this part of the world.
So, here we are because Baltic football is truly special and it needs recognition! The Rīga derby offers high-quality games, the Vilnius Žalgiris fans create an unbeatable atmosphere, and the Estonian league showcases their young talents. Baltic football has so much potential; the team and I will try to show it. Are you in?
Francis Plevoks
I’m passionate about Baltic football because it’s happening right here on our doorstep, reflecting the dedication and patriotism of local communities. Supporting the Latvia national team often from the "H sektors" is a personal tradition that fuels my pride and connection to the game. What inspires me most is seeing clubs compete with European teams, often driven by pure passion rather than profit - a spirit I admire and feel a part of.
With experience as a football scout for Czech top-tier club SK Dynamo České Budějovice and Austrian Bundesliga side LASK, I’ve gained insights into the sport at a professional level. My goal is to bring dedicated media attention to Baltic football, showcasing its tremendous potential to fans and executives worldwide. The leagues deserve recognition that matches their quality, and I’m committed to making that happen.
Frank Marr
A lifelong football fanatic, I grew up in rural mid-Wales, where I witnessed a struggling national team, before getting to see players like Aaron Ramsey and Gareth Bale make their debuts for Wales. My passion for football then followed me to Seoul, London, and Latvia, where I became a proud supporter of Valmiera FC.
I have experience in directing media campaigns and commercial content for some of the world’s largest media groups, including the BBC, CNN, The New York Times, News Corp, RTL, and the Financial Times. I've represented major brands such as Sonos, H&M, Ikea, the European Capital of Culture, and over 10 government ministries for which I won eight industry awards and served on the council for the PRCA. My latest venture is Codnity Creative, a cutting-edge agency that bridges business development and marketing with technology.
Dmitrijs Kravčenko, PhD
Baltic and, especially, Latvian football are special to me not only because they are local and domestic player dominated leagues but because of the level of authenticity and passion for the game that seems to have been replaced by commercial motivation wholly unrelated to football in many of the leading leagues in Europe. Being so close to players, coaches and the national team creates stronger ties and being able to witness how clubs fight to survive and to grow adds another layer of emotion to the overall experience - you just never know what might happen next!
My journey with football has been on and off - it started with the 2002 World Cup and flourished as Latvia qualified for EURO 2004, before giving way to academic pursuits around 2009. Since returning to my native Latvia in 2019 and seeing the immense growth and transformation that domestic football had undergone during my decade of absence, I am now all in and I want to share the beauty of this game (and industry) in Latvia, as well as in neighbouring Lithuania and Estonia with the world!
Morten Palu
I like Baltic and, especially, Estonian football as it is close to home and local sports are usually the best ones to support. I have had a passion for football for as long as I remember - my first memory being of my father gifting me Kaka's AC Milan shirt with number 22 on the back. My first vivid memory of global football is, of course, Zinedine Zidane's infamous headbutt at the 2006 World Cup Final.
I started supporting my local club back in 2011, when I was a ball boy at a Pärnu Linnameeskond game. Ever since, I do my best to attend as many games as possible and, 14 years later, I have been a Pärnu JK Vaprus season ticket holder for the past 3 years. The club has a very special place in my heart and it fuels my passion for content creation: matchday vlogs and streams on Football Manager with the team.
I want to promote Baltic football to help others also discover how special it is. While football communities in the three states are passionate, they are also small, so I deeply hope that we can make a positive impact on matchday crowds; to quote a well known Estonian football fan: "If you don't support your own country's football, no one else will do it for you." We have already seen a rise in interest about football in the Baltic States and we are ready to take it to another level!
Titas Teiten
My passion for Lithuanian football has grown over the years and is now at its peak. Like many others, I first fell in love with international football, eagerly following every top team and player in Europe. However, my deep attachment to my hometown club, Vilniaus Žalgiris, always kept me closely connected to football in Lithuania. I was always thrilled to go to the LFF Stadium to watch my favorite team play, regardless of the opponent or the weather. Attending matches of the Lithuanian national team was always a dream for me, with the most unforgettable experience being the 2019 match against Portugal, featuring Cristiano Ronaldo.
A few years ago, I became more curious about Lithuanian football and realized how important it is to stay engaged with the sport in my own country. Regardless of how the level of football here might be perceived, supporting your favorite sport at home is essential. I started listening to countless podcasts and made it a point to follow as many players as possible, whether from the national team or the A Lyga championship. I find promoting Baltic football, especially in English, incredibly exciting. It’s a fantastic way to introduce people around the world to a lesser-known side of international football. Everyone should take pride in their country, and promoting it through our passions is a wonderful way to do so.
as well as a team of associate writers and football enthusiasts who collaborate with us to bring you the latest football news from Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia!