FK Kauno Žalgiris

Kauno Žalgiris
Full name	Futbolo klubas Kauno Žalgiris
Nickname(s)	Žaliai Balti (The Green-Whites)
Founded	2004 as FM Spyris
Ground	Darius and Girėnas Stadium
Capacity	15,026
Owner(s)	Paulius Motiejūnas (70%); Mantas Kalnietis (30%)
Chairman	Mantas Kalnietis
2024	A Lyga, 3rd of 10
Website	http://www.zalgiris.lt/futbolas

Futbolo klubas Kauno Žalgiris (Football club Kauno Žalgiris) is a professional football club based in Kaunas, Lithuania, that competes in the A lyga, 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, 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.^[2] 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.^[3]

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, Giuseppe Palma (on loan from S.S.C. Napoli), Andrius Velička, Paulius Daukša, Klimas Gusočenko and Jevgenij Maroz. Prior to the start of the season, the club announced their cooperation with BC Žalgiris and plans of adapting the name Žalgiris. The name change would spark a controversy due to the fact another Lithuanian club FK Žalgiris Vilnius 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 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 semi-final, but was defeated by Žalgiris Vilnius.^[4] 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, 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. Later the club announced the oldest player on the team Audrius Kšanavičius was retiring, winger Jevgenij Moroz and one of the best 2015 A lyga players, Dzmitry Rekish, 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 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 Mindaugas Kalonas whose career at that time was on a downfall.

The club signed a contract with 2016 Best I Lyga manager Vitalijus Stankevičius.^[5]

In 2020 season team won third place in A lyga. In 2021 season again won third place.

Stadium

The club plays its home matches at the Darius and Girėnas Stadium. The stadium is a multi-use facility in Ąžuolynas park in the Žaliakalnis district of Kaunas, Lithuania. The all-seater stadium holds 15,026 spectators and is the largest in Lithuania and the Baltic States. 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. The latest renovation started in 2018 and ended in 2022. In 2022, the club enhanced their training capabilities with a 115x74x20 meter air dome.

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.

"Spyris" home kit until 2015

2015–2018
home

2015–2018
away

2018 goalkeepers

2019–2021
home

2019–2021
away

Since 2020
goalkeepers

Kit manufacturers and shirt sponsors

Manufacturers
Joma
Hummel


Period	Kit manufacturer	Shirt sponsor	Ref
2022	Hummel	TOPsport	^[6]

Crest

FK Kauno Žalgiris is using the same logo as BC Žalgiris. 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 meanings of Žalgiris and Grunwald are both "green grove").

Honours

Lithuanian Championship/A Lyga
- Runners-up (1): 2022
- Third place (2): 2020, 2021
Lithuanian Supercup
- Runners-up (1): 2023

Rankings in Domestic competitions

Season	League	Pos	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts	Cup
2005	II Lyga	6th	26	13	3	10	44	43	42
2006	II Lyga	4th	18	10	4	4	35	26	31
2007	II Lyga	11th	26	6	7	13	40	43	25
2008	II Lyga	7th	22	7	6	9	29	33	27
2009	II Lyga	5th	20	9	4	7	39	25	31
2010	II Lyga	2nd	16	12	1	3	59	17	37
2011	II Lyga	10th	17	1	0	16	22	75	3
2012	II Lyga	5th	22	11	3	8	60	36	36
2013	I Lyga	5th	27	12	4	11	55	49	40	Round of 16
2014	I Lyga	4th	31	19	7	5	73	29	56	Third round
2015	A Lyga	5th	36	13	6	17	47	74	45	Semi-finals
2016	A Lyga	8th	28	2	9	17	23	55	15	Quarter-finals Round of 32
2017	A Lyga	8th	28	3	6	19	19	56	15	Round of 32
2018	A Lyga	5th	33	11	6	16	29	41	39	Semi-finals
2019	A Lyga	4th	33	16	5	12	54	45	53	Quarter-finals
2020	A Lyga	3rd	20	12	2	6	30	18	38	Quarter-finals
2021	A Lyga	3rd	36	18	9	9	55	39	63	Second round
2022	A Lyga	2nd	36	18	9	9	55	37	63	Semi-finals
2023	A Lyga	4th	36	15	14	7	61	40	59	Semi-finals

European Competitions record

Season	Competition	Round	Club	Home	Away	Agg.
2019–20	UEFA Europa League	1QR	Apollon Limassol	0–2	0–4	0–6
2020–21	UEFA Europa League	1QR	Bodø/Glimt	—	1–6	—
2021–22	UEFA Europa Conference League	1QR	Europa	2–0	0–0	2–0
2021–22	UEFA Europa Conference League	2QR	The New Saints	0–5	1–5	1–10
2022–23	UEFA Europa Conference League	1QR	Ružomberok	0–0	0–2	0–2
2023–24	UEFA Europa Conference League	2QR	Lech Poznań	1–2	1–3	2–5
2025–26	UEFA Conference League	1QR

Notes

QR: Qualifying round

Current squad

As of 10 October 2024

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
4	MF	FRA	Quentin Bena
7	MF	LTU	Artūr Dolžnikov
8	MF	LTU	Vilius Armanavičius
10	MF	LTU	Gratas Sirgėdas
11	MF	GHA	David Anane
12	DF	JOR	Jonathan Tamimi
13	GK	LTU	Ignas Plūkas
14	MF	LTU	Karolis Uzėla
15	MF	LTU	Karolis Šilkaitis
16	MF	NGA	Abdulgafar Opeyemi
17	FW	NGA	Oyinlola Kayode
18	DF	NGA	Seth Sincere
19	MF	LTU	Fedor Černych
20	DF	FIN	Matias Rale


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
21	MF	SVN	Žan Benedičič
22	GK	LTU	Deividas Mikelionis
23	DF	COL	Aldayr Hernández
24	MF	GHA	Divine Naah
27	DF	BIH	Numan Kurdić
28	FW	ENG	Jermaine Hylton
30	MF	LTU	Nidas Vosylius
35	GK	LTU	Jurgis Mikšiūnas
50	DF	LTU	Gabrielius Buslys
77	FW	MLI	Méry Traoré
80	MF	LTU	Edvinas Kloniūnas
83	DF	LTU	Pijus Nainys
99	DF	ALG	Maxime Spano

Out on loan