Saulius Mikoliūnas

Saulius Mikoliūnas
	Mikoliūnas playing for Arsenal Kyiv in 2011
Personal information
Date of birth	2 May 1984 (age 40)
Place of birth	Vilnius, Lithuanian SSR, Soviet Union
Height	1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s)	Right winger
Senior career*
Years	Team
2002–2003	Šviesa Vilnius
2003	Ekranas
2004–2009	FBK Kaunas
2005–2009	→ Heart of Midlothian (loan)
2009–2012	Arsenal Kyiv
2013–2014	Sevastopol
2014–2015	Shakhtyor Soligorsk
2016–2023	Žalgiris
Total
International career
2003–2006	Lithuania U21
2004–2022	Lithuania
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals

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

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	Georgia	1–0	1–0	UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying
2	6 September 2008	Gruia Stadium, Cluj-Napoca, Romania	Romania	2–0	3–0	FIFA World Cup 2010 qualifying
3	25 March 2011	S. Darius and S. Girėnas Stadium, Kaunas, Lithuania	Poland	1–0	2–0	Friendly
4	11 October 2013	LFF Stadium, Vilnius, Lithuania	Latvia	2–0	2–0	FIFA World Cup 2014 qualifying
5	9 October 2014	LFF Stadium, Vilnius, Lithuania	Estonia	1–0	1–0	UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying

Honours

FBK Kaunas

Heart of Midlothian

Scottish Cup: 2005–06

FK Žalgiris

Lithuanian A Lyga: 2016, 2020, 2021, 2022
Lithuanian Cup: 2016 (2x), 2018, 2021, 2022
Lithuanian Super Cup: 2016, 2017, 2020, 2023

References

^ "Hearts players become free agents". BBC Sport. 28 April 2009. Retrieved 29 April 2009.
^ "Mikoliūnas nebesitiki žaisti "Swansea City"" (in Lithuanian). 15min.lt. 9 June 2009. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
^ "Naujasis S.Mikoliūno klubas – Kijevo "Arsenal"". Futbolas.lt. 12 July 2009. Archived from the original on 17 July 2009. Retrieved 13 July 2009.
^ "S.Mikoliūnas perėjo į "Sevastopol" gretas" [S. Mikoliūnas moved to the ranks of 'Sevastopol']. delfi.lt (in Lithuanian). 21 January 2013. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
^ "Vilniaus "Žalgiris" prisiviliojo Saulių Mikoliūną" [Vilnius 'Žalgiris' attracted Saulias Mikoliunas]. 15min.lt (in Lithuanian). 18 December 2015. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
^ ""Žalgirio" kapitonas skelbia karjeros pabaigą" [The captain of 'Zalgiris' announces the end of his career]. delfi.lt (in Lithuanian). 31 October 2023. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
^ ""Žalgiris" nesugadino Mikoliūno atsisveikinimo rungtynių" ['Žalgiris' did not spoil the farewell match of Mikoliūnas]. delfi.lt (in Lithuanian). 12 November 2023. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
^ "Tautų lygos starte nusileista Kazachstano rinktinei" [At the start of the League of Nations, Kazakhstan lost] (in Lithuanian). Lithuanian Football Federation. 4 September 2020. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
^ "Istorija, trukusi 18 metų: Saulius Mikoliūnas jau pasiruošęs paskutiniam šokiui" [A 18-year history: Saulius Mikoliunas prepare for the last dance]. 15min.lt (in Lithuanian). 25 September 2022. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
^ ""Skrieja kamuolys" specialus epizodas: S.Mikoliūnas apie linksmas istorijas su V.Romanovu" (in Lithuanian). FK Žalgiris. 16 May 2019. Retrieved 17 May 2019.

External links

Saulius Mikoliunas at Soccerbase
Saulius Mikoliūnas at Soccerway
Saulius Mikoliūnas at National-Football-Teams.com
Saulius Mikoliūnas – UEFA competition record (archive)

[1] "Hearts players become free agents". BBC Sport. 28 April 2009. Retrieved 29 April 2009.

[2] "Mikoliūnas nebesitiki žaisti "Swansea City"" (in Lithuanian). 15min.lt. 9 June 2009. Retrieved 8 November 2022.

[3] "Naujasis S.Mikoliūno klubas – Kijevo "Arsenal"". Futbolas.lt. 12 July 2009. Archived from the original on 17 July 2009. Retrieved 13 July 2009.

[4] "S.Mikoliūnas perėjo į "Sevastopol" gretas" [S. Mikoliūnas moved to the ranks of 'Sevastopol']. delfi.lt (in Lithuanian). 21 January 2013. Retrieved 8 November 2022.

[5] "Vilniaus "Žalgiris" prisiviliojo Saulių Mikoliūną" [Vilnius 'Žalgiris' attracted Saulias Mikoliunas]. 15min.lt (in Lithuanian). 18 December 2015. Retrieved 8 November 2022.

[6] ""Žalgirio" kapitonas skelbia karjeros pabaigą" [The captain of 'Zalgiris' announces the end of his career]. delfi.lt (in Lithuanian). 31 October 2023. Retrieved 23 November 2023.

[7] ""Žalgiris" nesugadino Mikoliūno atsisveikinimo rungtynių" ['Žalgiris' did not spoil the farewell match of Mikoliūnas]. delfi.lt (in Lithuanian). 12 November 2023. Retrieved 23 November 2023.

[8] "Tautų lygos starte nusileista Kazachstano rinktinei" [At the start of the League of Nations, Kazakhstan lost] (in Lithuanian). Lithuanian Football Federation. 4 September 2020. Retrieved 9 June 2021.

[9] "Istorija, trukusi 18 metų: Saulius Mikoliūnas jau pasiruošęs paskutiniam šokiui" [A 18-year history: Saulius Mikoliunas prepare for the last dance]. 15min.lt (in Lithuanian). 25 September 2022. Retrieved 26 September 2022.

[10] ""Skrieja kamuolys" specialus epizodas: S.Mikoliūnas apie linksmas istorijas su V.Romanovu" (in Lithuanian). FK Žalgiris. 16 May 2019. Retrieved 17 May 2019.

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