A. Tapinas: "Football in Lithuania is experiencing an incredible breakthrough"

2026-07-31 15:47 © E. Žaldario

The president of Vilnius "Žalgiris" team, Andrius Tapinas, reacted to the fantastic victory of his team against Tbilisi "Dinamo".

The club from the Lithuanian capital defeated the Georgian team impressively 7:2 (aggregate score 7:5 – ed. note) and advanced to the third stage of the Europa Conference League.

"Believe – such an inscription hung in the locker room of the famous "Ted Lasso" series. A series about victories, defeats, and believing in your team. But that's television.

Beautiful naive television that creates the illusion that something incredibly good can happen if you believe. If you do not lose hope even when there is only 9% left.

In reality, that is not the case. Especially in Lithuanian football, whose community is accustomed to painful defeats and occasionally fighting matches when they fall a bit short. I came to football bringing hope. And wanting to give it to others. Always. And when things don't work out. Especially when things don't work out.

When our young goalkeeper, who made a mistake, is mocked by everyone who is not lazy. Because we have nothing else. And nothing is more important than hope. After the match in Tbilisi, I immediately wrote personally to almost every player on the team – that he is much better than he appeared that evening, not to lose faith in himself, that nothing has been lost yet and the club stands firmly behind them.

And from their responses, I understood that there can still be anything here. Yesterday morning, I wrote about a miracle at Liepkalnis and the urgent need for a hurricane-like attack. Of course, people laughed at me. Let them.

It was not a hurricane; it was a squall, typhoon, and tornado in one, which swept away all of "Dinamo," sadly behaving Santos (by the way, the Georgian officials immediately apologized for him during halftime) and their future stars, sending them on a long journey home.

Where did "Žalgiris" get so much strength? Growing hope and self-belief are monumental things. Whether it is the relentless Teixeira, the all-controlling Lupano, the two defenders swimming in the flanks, Shepeliev, or the never-ending raids of Franke, or the super substitute Michailovičius, who only needs one touch, or the incredible Bilenkis with Petkovičius. And all the other players.

The entire "Žalgiris" left everything they could on the pitch and gave even more to the spectators. And the stadium did not stay in debt. The Georgian press still cannot understand how, after losing 0:3, one can fill the stadium. And perhaps a certain part of those who were there yesterday came out of respect and love for "Žalgiris" and wanting the journey in Europe to be ended honorably.

But that hope was still somewhere. Without it, there is no way. I believe in the team. I believe in the fans and community of Vilnius "Žalgiris." My heart sings that I see both families and those old "Žalgiris" supporters from the 90s who proudly return to the stadium. I believe that today a multitude of new people fell in love with football. Our football. You are all welcome.

Children who want to be like Shepeliev, Šarkauskas, or Golubickas in the future will flock to the "Žalgiris" Academy. And they will drag their parents to the stadium. TV3 should be very satisfied with their decision to broadcast Lithuanian football at the best time, and I recommend everyone to listen to how not just yelling, but shouting the commentators. And when I repeat once more that I believe I will hear the Champions League anthem at the new National Stadium, no one chuckles loudly anymore. Football in Lithuania is experiencing an incredible breakthrough.

Now there is a chance we haven’t had in all the years of independence. And we strengthen each other – yesterday I received congratulations from both Mantas Kalnietis and Mantas Agento, from "Transinvest" and "Hegelmann" clubs, the day before I congratulated Mantas and "Kauno Žalgiris". On the pitch, we will remain irreconcilable rivals, but off the pitch, we work together for football. Football statistics specialists give Vilnius "Žalgiris" a 16% chance to defeat the famous Split "Hajduk," but I just smile – do you take into account that we will not feel the pressure, that we have nothing to lose, and that we have hope.

And hope is a terrible thing.

P.S. Tickets for Thursday's match against "Hajduk" will be offered today to season ticket holders (see how good it is that you bought one), and public sales will start on Monday. We will inform separately. There will also definitely be a charter to Split; now, based on the interest, it seems that maybe even more than one. This information will also follow next week,” wrote A. Tapinas.