Futbolo klubas Kauno Žalgiris (''Football club Kauno Žalgiris'') is a professional
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
club based in
Kaunas
Kaunas (; ; also see other names) is the second-largest city in Lithuania after Vilnius and an important centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaunas was the largest city and the centre of a county in the Duchy of Trakai ...
, Lithuania, that competes in the
A lyga
The A Lyga is the top division of professional football in Lithuania. The A Lyga is an abbreviation of Aukščiausia lyga meaning Highest League. It is organized by Lithuanian Football Federation LFF ( lt, Lietuvos Futbolo Federacija). The Aukš ...
, the top tier of Lithuania. The club was founded as FM Spyris Kaunas in 2004, became the football section of basketball club
Žalgiris Kaunas and moved to their current stadium, the
Darius and Girėnas Stadium
Darius and Girėnas stadium ( lt, Dariaus ir Girėno stadionas) is a multi-use stadium in the Ąžuolynas park in Žaliakalnis district of Kaunas, Lithuania. The all-seater stadium holds 15,315 people. In 1998 the stadium was renovated according ...
, in 2015. After their debut season in the A Lyga, the club adopted the name FK Kauno Žalgiris in 2016.
History
2005–2014: Early years
The idea of professional club was raised by the Kaunas football school "Tauras" in 2004, when coaches of the school decided to give an opportunity for school graduates to continue their football careers professionally, this became a reality in 2005 when FM Spyris was formed. The club initially played in the LFF II league's southern division, wearing yellow and blue. On 1 May 2005, FM Spyris played their first official match, defeated 2–1 by
FK Sveikata Kybartai
Futbolo klubas Sveikata, commonly known as Sveikata, is a Lithuanian football club located in Kybartai, in Vilkaviškis District. They currently play in the II Lyga, the third tier of Lithuanian football.
They are the oldest active football club ...
. For a single season in 2010, FM Spyris was renamed to FM Aisčiai Kaunas, the team finished as runners-up. Despite struggling to get back on top of the league, by 2013, the club had moved up to the LFF I league and enjoyed a couple of competitive seasons and were competitive in the LFF Cup.
2015–present: Kauno Žalgiris
After their recent success, the club made it official that they would like to join the premier Lithuanian football league for the 2015 season, Spyris was accepted on the first check up. Before the season started it was announced that 6 new players will join the club
Dzmitry Rekish
Dzmitry Vasilevich Rekish ( be, Дзмітрый Васілевіч Рэкіш; russian: Дмитрий Васильевич Рекиш; born 14 September 1988) is a Belarusian professional footballer who plays for as a midfielder for Guria Lan ...
,
Giuseppe Palma (on loan from
S.S.C. Napoli
Società Sportiva Calcio Napoli, commonly referred to as Napoli (), is an Italian professional football club based in the city of Naples ( it, Napoli, nap, Napule), Campania that plays in Serie A, the top flight of Italian football. Napoli ha ...
),
Andrius Velička
Andrius Velička (born 5 April 1979) is a Lithuanian retired professional association footballer who played as a striker for clubs in Russia, Kazakhstan, Scotland, England, Norway and Azerbaijan in addition to his homeland. He also played for t ...
, Paulius Daukša, Klimas Gusočenko and Jevgenij Maroz. Prior to the start of the season, the club announced their cooperation with
BC Žalgiris
Basketball Club Žalgiris ( lt, Krepšinio klubas Žalgiris) is a professional basketball team that is based in Kaunas, Lithuania, and competes domestically in the Lietuvos krepšinio lyga (LKL, Lithuanian Basketball League). Founded in 1944, i ...
and plans of adapting the name Žalgiris. The name change would spark a controversy due to the fact another Lithuanian club
FK Žalgiris Vilnius FK or fk may refer to:
In arts and entertainment:
* Flyer Killer, fictional automated robots in the ''Terminator'' film franchise.
* Fox Kids, a former American children's television programming block.
* Funky Kong, a video game character.
Place ...
would also be competing in the league. The club from Vilnius would file a complaint under the basis of LFF regulations not allowing two teams being under the same name. On 1 March 2015, the club debuted in the A Lyga by defeating
FK Klaipėdos Granitas
FK Klaipėdos Granitas was a Lithuanian football club from Klaipėda
Klaipėda (; ; german: Memel; pl, Kłajpeda; russian: Клайпеда; sgs, Klaipieda) is a city in Lithuania on the Baltic Sea coast. The capital of the eponymous coun ...
2–1 in Kaunas as FK Spyris Kaunas. The club's green and white kits would sport the name Žalgiris and the basketball club's logo, alongside the logo they used as FK Spyris. Spyris finished fifth in the league, also reached the
Lithuanian Football Cup
The Lithuanian Football Federation Cup ( lt, Lietuvos futbolo federacijos taurė), also known as Hegelmann LFF Cup for sponsorship reasons, is a Lithuanian football cup competition contested in a knockout tournament format. The winner of the cup ...
semi-final, but was defeated by Žalgiris Vilnius.
Before the start of the 2016 season, the club changed its name to FK Kauno Žalgiris, adapting the name of the
namesake basketball club. Although the newly developing fan base were happy about it, the name change was shadowed by more legal issues with
FK Žalgiris Vilnius FK or fk may refer to:
In arts and entertainment:
* Flyer Killer, fictional automated robots in the ''Terminator'' film franchise.
* Fox Kids, a former American children's television programming block.
* Funky Kong, a video game character.
Place ...
, so the future of club's name was uncertain. The club started its preseason by signing a former Kaunas football school Tauras graduate
Mantas Fridrikas
Mantas Fridrikas (born 13 September 1988) is a Lithuanian footballer who plays for FC Hegelmann Litauen as a centre back.
Career
Fridrikas made eight appearances and scored one goal for FBK Kaunas during the 2007 season.
Fridrikas was hoping to ...
. Later the club announced the oldest player on the team
Audrius Kšanavičius
Audrius Kšanavičius (born 28 January 1977) is a footballer who plays for FBK Kaunas as a midfielder.
Career
A left winger, Kšanavičius began his career with FBK Kaunas in 1994, making over 150 appearances before moving to Latvian champions S ...
was retiring, winger Jevgenij Moroz and one of the best 2015
A lyga
The A Lyga is the top division of professional football in Lithuania. The A Lyga is an abbreviation of Aukščiausia lyga meaning Highest League. It is organized by Lithuanian Football Federation LFF ( lt, Lietuvos Futbolo Federacija). The Aukš ...
players,
Dzmitry Rekish
Dzmitry Vasilevich Rekish ( be, Дзмітрый Васілевіч Рэкіш; russian: Дмитрий Васильевич Рекиш; born 14 September 1988) is a Belarusian professional footballer who plays for as a midfielder for Guria Lan ...
, were leaving the club. After a brief spell of silence, the club announced the signings of three new players just before the beginning of the season who were former
FK Šiauliai FK or fk may refer to:
In arts and entertainment:
* Flyer Killer, fictional automated robots in the ''Terminator'' film franchise.
* Fox Kids, a former American children's television programming block.
* Funky Kong, a video game character.
Place ...
right back Ernestas Pilypas, Russian winger Leonid Mushnikov, who also was part of Šiauliai team from 2011 to 2013 and 2013
Lithuanian Footballer of the Year
Lithuanian Player of the Year is a football award.
Winners
* 1965: Petras Glodenis ( Žalgiris Vilnius)
* 1966: Gintautas Kalėdinskas ( Žalgiris Vilnius)
* 1967: Stanislovas Ramelis ( Žalgiris Vilnius)
* 1968: Stanislovas Ramelis ( Žalgir ...
Mindaugas Kalonas
Mindaugas Kalonas (born 28 February 1984) is a Lithuanian former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.
Club career
Kalonas played in the youth teams of Dynamo Moscow, then moved to Rubin Kazan, before having a spell at Portuguese ...
whose career at that time was on a downfall.
The club signed a contract with 2016 Best
I Lyga
The I Lyga, LFF I Lyga, Pirma Lyga, is the second tier of professional Lithuanian football championship.
Format
Organized by the Lithuanian Football Federation (LFF), I Lyga is contested by 14-16 teams, with the top team gaining promotion to ...
manager
Vitalijus Stankevičius.
In 2020 season team won third place in
A lyga
The A Lyga is the top division of professional football in Lithuania. The A Lyga is an abbreviation of Aukščiausia lyga meaning Highest League. It is organized by Lithuanian Football Federation LFF ( lt, Lietuvos Futbolo Federacija). The Aukš ...
. In 2021 season again won third place.
Stadium
![Darius Girenas Stadium by Augustas Didzgalvis](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/87/Darius_Girenas_Stadium_by_Augustas_Didzgalvis.jpg)
The club played its home matches at the
Darius and Girėnas Stadium
Darius and Girėnas stadium ( lt, Dariaus ir Girėno stadionas) is a multi-use stadium in the Ąžuolynas park in Žaliakalnis district of Kaunas, Lithuania. The all-seater stadium holds 15,315 people. In 1998 the stadium was renovated according ...
, which has been closed down for a reconstruction in 2018. The stadium is a multi-use facility in Ąžuolynas park in the Žaliakalnis district of Kaunas, Lithuania. The all-seater stadium held 9,180 spectators. In 1998 it was renovated according to UEFA regulations, and in 2005 it was modernized with an installation of the biggest digital scoreboard in the Baltic states.
Currently the club uses the
Kauno Žalgiris FA Stadium
FK Kauno Žalgiris Football Academy Stadium, formerly known as Kaunas Football School Stadium and Sports School Tauras Stadium, is a football stadium located in Kaunas, Lithuania, and is the temporary home of A Lyga club FK Kauno Žalgiris. The s ...
(until 2020 was named Sport School Tauras) from
Kaunas
Kaunas (; ; also see other names) is the second-largest city in Lithuania after Vilnius and an important centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaunas was the largest city and the centre of a county in the Duchy of Trakai ...
as their stadium, after receiving a special dispensation for the Lithuanian Football Federation. The stadium has a capacity of 500.
Kit
* When the club was called FK Spyris, they wore yellow/blue (Yellow kits, blue shorts and blue socks).
* Since 2015, FK Žalgiris Kaunas's colours have been green and white. The kit is a green and white jersey, and the shorts and socks is a variation of green and white.
* The Goalkeeper's kits were brown with black shorts and socks in the 2018 season. Currently, in the 2020 season, the goalkeeper's jersey is in blue.
Kit manufacturers
Crest
FK Kauno Žalgiris is using the same logo as
BC Žalgiris
Basketball Club Žalgiris ( lt, Krepšinio klubas Žalgiris) is a professional basketball team that is based in Kaunas, Lithuania, and competes domestically in the Lietuvos krepšinio lyga (LKL, Lithuanian Basketball League). Founded in 1944, i ...
. The logo design is a green and white shield with the sign "BC Žalgiris", a basketball, and the letter "Ž". The club's name commemorates the victorious ''Battle of Žalgiris'' (
Battle of Grunwald
The Battle of Grunwald, Battle of Žalgiris or First Battle of Tannenberg was fought on 15 July 1410 during the Polish–Lithuanian–Teutonic War. The alliance of the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, led respec ...
) (The meanings of ''Žalgiris'' and ''Grunwald'' are both "green grove").
Honours
Lithuanian Championship:
*
A Lyga
The A Lyga is the top division of professional football in Lithuania. The A Lyga is an abbreviation of Aukščiausia lyga meaning Highest League. It is organized by Lithuanian Football Federation LFF ( lt, Lietuvos Futbolo Federacija). The Aukš ...
**1st place (0):
**2nd place (1):
2022
File:2022 collage V1.png, Clockwise, from top left: Road junction at Yamato-Saidaiji Station several hours after the assassination of Shinzo Abe; 2022 Sri Lankan protests, Anti-government protest in Sri Lanka in front of the Presidential Secretari ...
**3rd place (2):
2020
2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...
,
2021
File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état, coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October–November 2021 ...
*
Lithuanian Cup
The Lithuanian Football Federation Cup ( lt, Lietuvos futbolo federacijos taurė), also known as Hegelmann LFF Cup for sponsorship reasons, is a Lithuanian football cup competition contested in a knockout tournament format. The winner of the cup ...
**Winners (0):
**Runners-up (0):
*
Lithuanian Supercup
The Lithuanian Supercup () or LFF Supercup is an annual football match contested between the champions of the previous A Lyga season and the holders of the Lithuanian Football Cup. It is organised by and named after Lithuanian Football Federation a ...
**Winners (0):
**Runners-up (0):
Rankings in Domestic competitions
European Competitions record
''As of match played 14 July 2022''
;Notes
* QR: Qualifying round
Current squad
Out on loan
Technical staff
References
External links
*
Facebook Kauno Žalgiris official pagealyga.lt Kauno Žalgiris pageKauno Žalgiris page(lietuvosfutbolas.lt)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kauno Zalgiris
Football clubs in Lithuania
Football clubs in Kaunas
BC Žalgiris
2004 establishments in Lithuania
Association football clubs established in 2004