Marius Žaliūkas
Lithuanian footballer (1983–2020) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Marius Žaliūkas (10 November 1983 – 31 October 2020) was a Lithuanian professional footballer who played primarily as a centre back, but also played as a defensive midfielder.[1][2]
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Marius Žaliūkas | ||
Date of birth | (1983-11-10)10 November 1983 | ||
Place of birth | Kaunas, Lithuanian SSR, Soviet Union | ||
Date of death | 31 October 2020(2020-10-31) (aged 36) | ||
Place of death | Kaunas, Lithuania | ||
Height | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) | ||
Position(s) | Centre back | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2002–2004 | Inkaras Kaunas | 9 | (0) |
2004–2007 | FBK Kaunas | 31 | (2) |
2004–2005 | → FK Šilutė (loan) | 15 | (0) |
2006–2007 | → Heart of Midlothian (loan) | 27 | (2) |
2007–2013 | Heart of Midlothian | 165 | (9) |
2013–2014 | Leeds United | 15 | (0) |
2014–2015 | Rangers | 19 | (2) |
2016 | Žalgiris | 11 | (1) |
Total | 292 | (16) | |
International career | |||
2004–2005 | Lithuania U21 | 10 | (0) |
2005–2016 | Lithuania | 25 | (1) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Žaliūkas played in his homeland for Inkaras Kaunas, FBK Kaunas and FK Šilutė before joining Hearts of the Scottish Premier League in 2006, initially on loan. He spent seven years there, playing 193 games and scoring 13 goals, and captaining the team to win the Scottish Cup in 2012. He then had spells in the Football League Championship with Leeds United and the Scottish Championship with Rangers, before retiring back to Lithuania with Žalgiris in 2016.
At international level, Žaliūkas played 25 times for the Lithuania national team between 2005 and 2016, scoring once. He died at the age of 36 from motor neuron disease.