Lithuania national football team facts for kids
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Nickname(s) | Rinktinė (National team) Trispalvės (Tricolours) |
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Association | Lithuanian Football Federation (LFF) |
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Confederation | UEFA (Europe) | ||
Head coach | Edgaras Jankauskas | ||
Captain | Fedor Černych | ||
Most caps | Saulius Mikoliūnas (101) | ||
Top scorer | Tomas Danilevičius (19) | ||
Home stadium | Darius and Girėnas Stadium | ||
FIFA code | LTU | ||
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FIFA ranking | |||
Current | 132 ![]() |
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Highest | 37 (October 2008) | ||
Lowest | 149 (December 2017) | ||
Elo ranking | |||
Current | 124 ![]() |
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Highest | 47 (10 September 2009) | ||
Lowest | 150 (27 May 1990, 18 December 2022) | ||
First international | |||
![]() ![]() (Kaunas, Lithuania; 24 June 1923) |
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Biggest win | |||
![]() ![]() (Riga, Latvia; 20 May 1995) |
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Biggest defeat | |||
![]() ![]() (Paris, France; 27 May 1924) |
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Baltic Cup | |||
Appearances | 30 (first in 1928) | ||
Best result | Champions (1930, 1935, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2005, 2010) |
The Lithuania national football team (which means Lietuvos nacionalinė futbolo rinktinė in Lithuanian) plays for Lithuania in international men's football games. The team is managed by the Lithuanian Football Federation, which is the main group for football in Lithuania. They played their very first game in 1923.
Lithuania was taken over by the Soviet Union in 1940. When the country became independent again in 1990, the team played its first game against Georgia on May 27 of that year.
Even though Lithuania has never made it to the FIFA World Cup or the UEFA European Championship, they have done very well in the Baltic Cup. This tournament happens every two years and includes Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. Lithuania has won the Baltic Cup 10 times out of 29 tries. Only Latvia has won it more often. Lithuania holds the record for winning the Baltic Cup four times in a row, from 1996 to 2000.
From 2012 to 2022, the team played their home games at the LFF Stadium in Vilnius. Since 2022, they have been playing their home matches at the Darius and Girėnas Stadium in Kaunas.
Contents
History of Lithuanian Football
Lithuania played its first game on June 24, 1923, at the Lietuvos Fizinio Lavinimosi Sąjunga Stadionas. They lost 5–0 to Estonia. In 1924, Lithuania joined the 1924 Olympics in France. They lost 9–0 to Switzerland on May 25, 1924. Two days later, Lithuania had their biggest loss ever, losing 10–0 to Egypt.
In the early years, Lithuania often played against its neighbors, Estonia and Latvia. Lithuania's first win was a 2–1 victory against Estonia in Tallinn on August 24, 1924. In 1930, Lithuania won the third Baltic Cup in Kaunas. On October 13, 1940, Lithuania played its last game for almost 50 years, winning 4–3 against Latvia. This happened just after the Soviet Union took over the country.
After Lithuania declared independence again in 1990, their first game was a 2–2 tie against Georgia in Tbilisi on May 27, 1990. In the 1990s, Lithuania did quite well in the qualifying rounds for the World Cup and European Championship. They finished third in their group for both Euro 1996 and the 1998 World Cup qualifiers.
In the Euro 2004 qualifiers, they were close to qualifying. They managed a tie away against Germany and won at home against Scotland. However, a 1–0 loss to Scotland in their last game ended their chances. Even though they finished fifth in their 2006 World Cup qualifying group, Lithuania still played competitively.
On September 2, 2006, Lithuania tied 1–1 with world champions Italy in Naples. This was Italy's first game after winning the World Cup.
On September 6, 2008, Lithuania beat Romania 3–0 in a 2010 World Cup qualifier. Many people called this a "historic win." They followed this up with another good performance, beating Austria 2–0 in Marijampolė on September 10, 2008.
Recent Matches and Upcoming Games
Here are the results of matches played in the last year, and any games scheduled for the future.
Win Draw Loss Fixture
2024 Matches
6 September 2024 2024–25 Nations League | Lithuania ![]() |
0–1 | ![]() |
Marijampolė, Lithuania |
20:45 | Stadium: Sūduva Stadium Attendance: 4,905 Referee: Igor Pajac (Croatia) |
9 September 2024 2024–25 Nations League | Romania ![]() |
3–1 | ![]() |
Bucharest, Romania |
21:45 |
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Stadium: Steaua Stadium Attendance: 28,168 Referee: Rade Obrenovic (Slovenia) |
12 October 2024 2024–25 Nations League | Lithuania ![]() |
1–2 | ![]() |
Kaunas, Lithuania |
16:00 | Stadium: Darius and Girėnas Stadium Attendance: 7,554 Referee: Ondřej Berka (Czech Republic) |
15 October 2024 2024–25 Nations League | Lithuania ![]() |
1–2 | ![]() |
Kaunas, Lithuania |
21:45 |
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Stadium: Darius and Girėnas Stadium Attendance: 2,585 Referee: Nick Walsh (Scotland) |
15 November 2024 2024–25 Nations League | Cyprus ![]() |
2–1 | ![]() |
Larnaca, Cyprus |
21:45 | Stadium: AEK Arena – Georgios Karapatakis Attendance: 1,733 Referee: Nenad Minaković (Serbia) |
18 November 2024 2024–25 Nations League | Kosovo ![]() |
1–0 | ![]() |
Pristina, Kosovo |
20:45 | Stadium: Fadil Vokrri Stadium Attendance: 12,856 Referee: Kristoffer Hagenes (Norway) |
Upcoming 2025 Matches
21 March 2025 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification | Poland ![]() |
1–0 | ![]() |
Warsaw, Poland |
20:45 |
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Stadium: Stadion Narodowy Attendance: 55,738 Referee: Tasos Sidiropoulos (Greece) |
24 March 2025 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification | Lithuania ![]() |
2–2 | ![]() |
Kaunas, Lithuania |
21:45 | Stadium: Darius and Girėnas Stadium Attendance: 10,421 Referee: Erik Lambrechts (Belgium) |
7 June 2025 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification | Malta ![]() |
0–0 | ![]() |
Ta' Qali, Malta |
18:00 | Stadium: National Stadium Attendance: 2,785 Referee: Marian Barbu (Romania) |
10 June 2025 Friendly | Denmark ![]() |
5–0 | ![]() |
Odense, Denmark |
19:00 UTC+3 | Stadium: Odense Stadium Attendance: 13,087 Referee: Rohit Saggi (Norway) |
4 September 2025 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification | Lithuania ![]() |
v | ![]() |
Kaunas, Lithuania |
21:45 | Stadium: Darius and Girenas Stadium |
7 September 2025 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification | Lithuania ![]() |
v | ![]() |
Kaunas, Lithuania |
19:00 | Stadium: Darius and Girenas Stadium |
9 October 2025 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification | Finland ![]() |
v | ![]() |
Helsinki, Finland |
21:45 | Stadium: Helsinki Olympic Stadium |
12 October 2025 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification | Lithuania ![]() |
v | ![]() |
Kaunas, Lithuania |
21:45 | Stadium: Darius and Girenas Stadium |
17 November 2025 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification | Netherlands ![]() |
v | ![]() |
Amsterdam, Netherlands |
20:45 | Stadium: Johan Cruyff Arena |
Coaching Staff
This table shows the people who help coach the Lithuanian national football team.
Team Managers Over Time
This table lists the managers who have led the Lithuanian national football team throughout its history.
Name | Nat | From | To | Games | Won | Drawn | Lost | GF | GA | Win% |
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Benjaminas Zelkevičius | ![]() |
1990 | 1991 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 4 | 33.33 |
Algimantas Liubinskas | ![]() |
1992 | 1994 | 29 | 7 | 8 | 14 | 29 | 48 | 24.14 |
Benjaminas Zelkevičius | ![]() |
1995 | 1997 | 29 | 12 | 6 | 11 | 45 | 41 | 41.38 |
Kęstutis Latoža | ![]() |
1998 | 1999 | 18 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 15 | 24 | 27.78 |
Robertas Tautkus (caretaker) | ![]() |
1999 | 1999 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0.00 |
Stasys Stankus | ![]() |
2000 | 2000 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 8 | 18 | 25.00 |
Julius Kvedaras (caretaker) | ![]() |
2000 | 2000 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 0.00 |
Benjaminas Zelkevičius | ![]() |
2001 | 2003 | 19 | 4 | 3 | 12 | 20 | 41 | 21.05 |
Algimantas Liubinskas | ![]() |
2003 | 2008 | 50 | 18 | 6 | 26 | 54 | 65 | 36.00 |
José Couceiro | ![]() |
2008 | 2009 | 15 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 17 | 15 | 40.00 |
Raimondas Žutautas | ![]() |
2010 | 2011 | 16 | 4 | 3 | 9 | 11 | 22 | 25.00 |
Csaba László | ![]() |
2012 | 2013 | 16 | 2 | 4 | 10 | 12 | 28 | 12.50 |
Igoris Pankratjevas | ![]() |
2013 | 2015 | 21 | 5 | 5 | 11 | 14 | 31 | 23.81 |
Edgaras Jankauskas | ![]() |
2016 | 2018 | 26 | 3 | 5 | 18 | 14 | 50 | 11.54 |
Valdas Urbonas | ![]() |
2019 | 2021 | 24 | 5 | 4 | 15 | 17 | 49 | 20.83 |
Valdas Ivanauskas | ![]() |
2021 | 2022 | 13 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 6 | 29 | 15.38 |
Reinhold Breu (interim) | ![]() |
2022 | 2022 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0.00 |
Edgaras Jankauskas | ![]() |
2023 | present | 23 | 4 | 7 | 12 | 19 | 30 | 17.39 |
Players on the Team
Current Squad
These players were chosen for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification games against Poland and Finland in March 2025. The numbers for games played (caps) and goals are correct as of June 7, 2025, after the match against Malta.
No. | Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club |
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1 | GK | Edvinas Gertmonas | 13 May 1997 | 19 | 0 | ![]() |
12 | GK | Tomas Švedkauskas | 22 June 1994 | 14 | 0 | ![]() |
21 | GK | Džiugas Bartkus | 7 November 1989 | 12 | 0 | ![]() |
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2 | DF | Artemijus Tutyškinas | 8 August 2003 | 15 | 0 | ![]() |
3 | DF | Edgaras Utkus | 22 June 2000 | 19 | 0 | ![]() |
4 | DF | Edvinas Girdvainis | 19 January 1993 | 57 | 1 | ![]() |
5 | DF | Kipras Kažukolovas | 20 November 2000 | 16 | 0 | ![]() |
13 | DF | Justas Lasickas | 6 October 1997 | 60 | 2 | ![]() |
17 | DF | Rokas Lekiatas | 7 November 1998 | 13 | 0 | no club |
19 | DF | Klaudijus Upstas | 30 October 1994 | 8 | 0 | ![]() |
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6 | MF | Modestas Vorobjovas | 30 December 1995 | 41 | 1 | ![]() |
7 | MF | Artūr Dolžnikov | 6 June 2000 | 18 | 1 | ![]() |
8 | MF | Gratas Sirgėdas | 17 December 1994 | 22 | 5 | ![]() |
10 | MF | Fedor Černych | 21 May 1991 | 100 | 15 | ![]() |
14 | MF | Vykintas Slivka | 29 April 1995 | 71 | 3 | ![]() |
15 | MF | Gvidas Gineitis | 15 April 2004 | 21 | 2 | ![]() |
16 | MF | Domantas Antanavičius | 19 November 1998 | 4 | 0 | ![]() |
18 | MF | Deividas Šešplaukis | 2 February 1998 | 3 | 0 | ![]() |
20 | MF | Titas Milašius | 12 December 2000 | 10 | 0 | ![]() |
22 | MF | Paulius Golubickas | 19 August 1999 | 33 | 2 | ![]() |
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9 | FW | Gytis Paulauskas | 27 September 1999 | 23 | 2 | ![]() |
11 | FW | Romualdas Jansonas | June 23, 2005 | 3 | 0 | ![]() |
23 | FW | Manfredas Ruzgis | 5 January 1997 | 2 | 0 | ![]() |
Players Recently Called Up
These players have been called to play for the team in the last twelve months.
Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club | Latest call-up |
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GK | Mantas Bertašius | 3 May 2000 | 1 | 0 | ![]() |
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GK | Marius Adamonis | 13 May 1997 | 1 | 0 | ![]() |
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GK | Deividas Mikelionis | 8 May 1995 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
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DF | Pijus ŠirvysWD | 1 April 1998 | 24 | 3 | ![]() |
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DF | Dominykas Barauskas INJ | 18 April 1997 | 11 | 0 | ![]() |
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DF | Linas Klimavičius RET | 10 April 1989 | 43 | 0 | ![]() |
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MF | Giedrius Matulevičius | 5 March 1997 | 12 | 1 | ![]() |
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MF | Matijus Remeikis | 28 March 2003 | 4 | 0 | ![]() |
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MF | Matas Vareika INJ | 27 January 2000 | 3 | 0 | ![]() |
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MF | Tomas Kalinauskas | 27 April 2000 | 5 | 0 | ![]() |
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MF | Ovidijus Verbickas | 4 July 1993 | 36 | 1 | ![]() |
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MF | Daniel Romanovskij | 19 June 1996 | 12 | 0 | ![]() |
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FW | Armandas Kučys INJ | 27 February 2003 | 15 | 5 | ![]() |
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FW | Valdas Paulauskas | 4 February 2001 | 1 | 0 | ![]() |
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Player Records
Here are some records for players on the Lithuanian national football team. Players whose names are in bold are still playing for Lithuania.
Most Games Played
Rank | Player | Caps | Goals | Career |
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1 | Saulius Mikoliūnas | 101 | 5 | 2004–2022 |
2 | Fedor Černych | 100 | 15 | 2012–present |
3 | Arvydas Novikovas | 96 | 12 | 2010–present |
4 | Andrius Skerla | 84 | 1 | 1996–2011 |
5 | Deividas Šemberas | 82 | 0 | 1996–2013 |
6 | Vykintas Slivka | 72 | 3 | 2015–present |
7 | Tomas Danilevičius | 71 | 19 | 1998–2012 |
8 | Žydrūnas Karčemarskas | 66 | 0 | 2003–2013 |
9 | Aurelijus Skarbalius | 65 | 5 | 1991–2005 |
Marius Stankevičius | 65 | 5 | 2001–2013 |
Top Goal Scorers
Rank | Player | Goals | Caps | Ratio | Career |
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1 | Tomas Danilevičius | 19 | 71 | 0.27 | 1998–2012 |
2 | Fedor Černych | 15 | 100 | 0.15 | 2012–present |
3 | Antanas Lingis | 12 | 33 | 0.36 | 1928–1938 |
Arvydas Novikovas | 12 | 96 | 0.13 | 2010–present | |
5 | Edgaras Jankauskas | 10 | 56 | 0.18 | 1991–2008 |
6 | Virginijus Baltušnikas | 9 | 42 | 0.21 | 1990–1998 |
7 | Jaroslavas Citavičius | 8 | 24 | 0.33 | 1926–1933 |
Valdas Ivanauskas | 8 | 28 | 0.29 | 1992–2000 | |
Darius Maciulevičius | 8 | 38 | 0.21 | 1991–2005 | |
Robertas Poškus | 8 | 48 | 0.17 | 1999–2011 |
Team Achievements
Regional Titles
- Baltic Cup
- Champions (10 times): 1930, 1935, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2005, 2010
- Runners-up (8 times)
- Third place (9 times)
More About Lithuanian Football
- Lithuania national under-21 football team
- Lithuania national under-19 football team
- Lithuania national under-18 football team
- Lithuania national under-17 football team
See also
In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Lituania para niños