by Mantas Aliukonis
Last Sunday in Kaunas, as the anthems of Lithuania and Poland echoed through the Darius and Girėnas Stadium, former Hearts and Lithuania midfielder Saulius Mikoliūnas took his seat in the VIP stand. Alongside a former teammate, he watched the World Cup qualifier just like the 11,500 fans gathered around them — among them, the prime ministers of both countries, Donald Tusk and Inga Ruginienė. The rare presence of such high-ranking officials added a diplomatic note to a football evening charged with symbolism.
For Mikoliūnas, who spent many years playing in Edinburgh, the match also carried a personal twist: Kauno Žalgiris striker Fedor Černych drew level with, and is soon expected to surpass, his long-held record of 101 appearances for the national team.
Mikoliūnas first debuted for Lithuania in May 2004 in Setúbal, in a 1–4 defeat to the star-studded Portuguese side led by Luís Figo, Pauleta, Rui Costa, and Ricardo Carvalho — future finalists of Euro 2004. Then a 20-year-old debutant, he came on for Edgaras Česnauskis and suddenly found himself sharing the pitch with players he had previously only seen on television.
Over two decades later, with five goals in his national team career and stints at clubs such as Arsenal Kyiv, Shakhtyor Soligorsk, and Žalgiris Vilnius, Mikoliūnas is now carving out a new role for himself: that of a football agent.
“My life is still very active — I haven’t escaped football,” he says with a quick-fire rhythm, as if still caught in the tempo of the game. “I want to pass on my experience to younger generations. Together with a colleague, we founded the ‘Mikoliūnas Sports Management’ agency. We’ve only been working for a year, but we’re growing fast. We already represent a number of talented players who trust us to manage their careers at the highest level. Over time, we aim to become a leading agency in Lithuanian football.”
From Kaunas goals to Kaunas stands
As a player, Mikoliūnas had his share of triumphs against Poland. In 2011, also in Kaunas, he scored and provided an assist in Lithuania’s 2–0 win — a match he remembers fondly. “It’s been 14 years, but I still recall the game vividly,” he says. “The pitch wasn’t great, more like autumn conditions, but we scored twice and won. It was also the debut match for the Polish goalkeeper — and his last. Our keeper, Žydrūnas Karčemarskas, was incredible that day, as he often was — half our team, really.”
Watching from the stands this time, Mikoliūnas took note of individual performances rather than his own. “I liked how Vilius Armalas played — strong in central defence, in great form this season, and scoring goals in A Lyga. It’s encouraging, and I believe he could move to a higher-level league soon. It’s just unfortunate we couldn’t take points from these two qualifiers. But we played bravely, attacking, with nothing to lose.”
He still believes that echoes of that 2011 victory could serve as inspiration. “I hoped the boys might remember those times — we beat Poland 2–0 back then, one of my most memorable matches for Lithuania.”
On the challenge of rebuilding
Injuries, Mikoliūnas notes, have played their part in the team’s struggles. “The absence of two key central defenders really hurt us. Still, Armalas stepped up and proved he deserves his place. As for Kipras Kažukolovas, once he recovers from his knee injury, I’m sure he’ll return to the starting lineup — his career is progressing steadily.”
He adds that Edvinas Girdvainis, currently playing in the Latvian Virslīga, also impressed against Poland by “keeping someone like Robert Lewandowski under control.”
Polish fans, A Lyga and lessons from abroad
When asked about the atmosphere, Mikoliūnas smiles. “Polish fans have always travelled in large numbers. Back when I played, it was the same. But as a professional, I never paid much attention to what happened in the stands — my focus was always on the game.”
Mikoliūnas sees progress in Lithuania’s domestic league but insists more can be done. “A Lyga looks more competitive now than a few years ago. But to take the next step, we should follow Poland’s example. Hosting Euro 2012 with Ukraine gave them an enormous boost — new stadiums, better infrastructure, and a wave of enthusiasm.”
He points to the momentum that followed. “Poland looked to Germany, which hosted the 2006 World Cup, and caught the football spirit. Now their league is one of the fastest-growing in Europe — stronger, more attractive, and drawing quality players from all over the world.”
Still, he returns to a familiar conviction: “No matter what, everything starts with youth. We must trust our young players and give them the chance to prove themselves in men’s football.”
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