FK Zalgiris

Futbolo klubas Zalgiris, commonly known as FK Zalgiris, Zalgiris Vilnius or simply Zalgiris is a Lithuanian professional football club based in Vilnius. The club competes in the A Lyga, the top flight of Lithuanian football. The club was founded as Dinamo in 1947. The club's name commemorates the victorious Battle of Zalgiris (Battle of Grunwald) (both names: Zalgiris and Grunwald are translated as "green grove"). Zalgiris has featured many Lithuanian football legends during their history, including Arminas Narbekovas, Valdas Ivanauskas, Edgaras Jankauskas and Deividas Semberas. They have won the Lithuanian Championship 8 times, the Lithuanian Football Cup 12 times and the Lithuanian Supercup 7 times.

The team's colours are green and white. The club plays at LFF stadium in Vilnius which has a capacity of 5,067.

History

Foundation and Soviet period

The first incarnation of the club played in 1946 as a national team of Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic when it competed in USSR Group III Zone 4 championship and it was one of the clubs which represented one of the Soviet republics. The club consisted of Spartakas Kaunas and Dinamo Kaunas players. Their first match was against Stroitel Moscow which ended 1–1 and they were managed by French coach Emil Pastor. That year they finished in fourth place in RSFSR Western Zone championship.

The club is thought to have been founded in 1947 when it was moved from Kaunas to Vilnius and its name was changed to Dinamo Vilnius. First official match of the formed club was played on 16 May 1947 against Lokomotiv Moscow, who managed to defeat local team 1–2. Steponas Petraitis scored the first official goal for the club that day, beating goalkeeper from a penalty spot in 44th minute. The next year club changed its name to Spartakas Vilnius and used this name until the end of 1961 season. In 1962, they changed their name to Zalgiris.

Zalgiris competed in Soviet Union football league system from 1947 to 1989. Team achieved it

This page also has a version in other languages :  Жальгирис (russian)