M. Burbo's path to the Lithuanian national team – through painful experiences in England

2026-05-12 16:09 © zalgiris.lt

Currently playing for the "Kaunas Žalgiris" football club, Motiejus Burba received his first call-up to the Lithuania national men's football team at the end of 2025, and in 2026 he not only continues to wear the national team's jerseys but also successfully plays among the Lithuanian champions.

However, before that, the 22-year-old forward had much to overcome and experienced painful moments, about which he spoke in the latest "Kaunas Žalgiris" DNA podcast.

Some of them occurred in his teenage years when M. Burba pursued his football dreams in a place often referred to as the football cradle—England.

There, the Vilnius native, who emigrated with his entire family during childhood, caught the attention of scouts from London’s "Crystal Palace" in his very first match and spent a year and a half in this Premier League club's system.

"At first, while we were settling everything and finding a place to stay, we lived with friends to make it easier. Later, we went to the town of Tanbridge Wells, and there my dad found some team in the newspapers or ads so that I could play football. There was a children's Sunday football league, and the funniest thing is that we were 10 minutes late for my first match. For the first time at this level, a scout from "Crystal Palace" came, and I scored a goal with my heel straight into the corner of the net. After the match, we talked, and my journey in the "Crystal Palace" system began,” recalled the footballer in the "Kaunas Žalgiris" DNA podcast.

However, M. Burba never received a professional contract with the London team due to various bureaucratic reasons.

"I was there for a year and a half on a trial. You can be on a trial for up to six months and extend it three times. That’s how long I stayed, as I didn’t have 'international clearance.' This happens to foreigners in England, but I don’t know what the situation was really like; I should ask my parents. Then began the marathon of trials. I traveled everywhere— to clubs in "League One", "League Two" academies...” M. Burba spoke about pursuing his dream.

The most painful experience awaited the "Žalgiris" player as he hoped to sign his first professional contract with another Premier League club—"Brighton".

"After "Crystal Palace", I was also on trial with "Brighton", but everything ended very sadly there. They said the trial would last four weeks, but after three, I was called to the Lithuanian U-17 national team. They said, ‘Oh, the national team. No one our age plays for the national teams; it’s really cool. When I return, we will sign a two-year contract.’

From 14 to 16, you can already earn money there, and school is usually coordinated. You become a professional. When I arrived at the national team, I was all excited because I would sign a contract with "Brighton". Two weeks went by in the national team, and we returned to England. I remember my parents were also dressed up because that didn't happen often. Overall, my parents sacrificed a lot there; they had to work nights just so I could play football.

Unfortunately, when I returned, I didn’t play in the match against "Fulham", and there was also a player named Harvey Elliot on that team. I thought, well, I didn’t play, but today is a special day. My parents had even booked a table, but after that game, when I went into the office, the academy director said I was a good player, everything was liked, but we won’t sign a contract. We were left completely bewildered. Sitting in the café, there were even tears. I always did well in trials; everyone said I was good, but I never got offered a contract,” the "Žalgiris" player admitted.

For some time after that, M. Burba played for another English club "Sevenoaks", and in 2019, he returned to Lithuania.