Saulius Mikoliūnas (born 2 May 1984) is a Lithuanian professional footballer who plays as a right winger for Žalgiris Vilnius and the Lithuania national team. He has previously played for Scottish Premier League club Heart of Midlothian and Ukrainian Premier League club Arsenal Kyiv. With 100 caps, Mikoliūnas is also the Lithuania national team's most-capped player.
![]() Mikoliūnas in 2011 | |||
Personal information | |||
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Date of birth | (1984-05-02) 2 May 1984 (age 38) | ||
Place of birth | Vilnius, Lithuanian SSR, Soviet Union | ||
Height | 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
Position(s) | Right winger | ||
Club information | |||
Current team | Žalgiris Vilnius | ||
Number | 13 | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2002–2003 | Šviesa Vilnius | 13 | (1) |
2003 | Ekranas | 16 | (0) |
2004–2009 | FBK Kaunas | 23 | (0) |
2005–2009 | → Heart of Midlothian (loan) | 102 | (11) |
2009–2012 | Arsenal Kyiv | 78 | (6) |
2013–2014 | Sevastopol | 16 | (0) |
2014–2015 | Shakhtyor Soligorsk | 32 | (4) |
2016– | Žalgiris Vilnius | 152 | (11) |
National team‡ | |||
2003–2006 | Lithuania U21 | 7 | (0) |
2004– | Lithuania | 100 | (5) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 6 November 2022 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 25 September 2022 |
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 move to the club for the 2016 season.[5] Since then, he has appeared in more than 150 games for Žalgiris, won the A Lyga title three times, and lifted the Lithuanian cup four times with his team.
On 9 May 2019, Mikoliūnas received a UEFA B coaching license.[6]
Mikoliūnas made his debut for the Lithuania national team in 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.[7] 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.[8]
Mikoliūnas is a right-sided winger who sometimes plays in the right-back position.
No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
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1 | 2 June 2007 | S. Darius and S. Girėnas Stadium, Kaunas, Lithuania | ![]() | 1–0 | 1–0 | UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying |
2 | 6 September 2008 | Gruia Stadium, Cluj-Napoca, Romania | ![]() | 2–0 | 3–0 | FIFA World Cup 2010 qualifying |
3 | 25 March 2011 | S. Darius and S. Girėnas Stadium, Kaunas, Lithuania | ![]() | 1–0 | 2–0 | Friendly |
4 | 11 October 2013 | LFF Stadium, Vilnius, Lithuania | ![]() | 2–0 | 2–0 | FIFA World Cup 2014 qualifying |
5 | 9 October 2014 | LFF Stadium, Vilnius, Lithuania | ![]() | 1–0 | 1–0 | UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying |
FBK Kaunas
Hearts FC
FK Žalgiris
FK Žalgiris – current squad | |
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A Lyga Player of the Year | |
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