The Football “Dream Teams” of Historians from the VU Faculty of History

As the European Football Championship (UEFA) kicked off and Vilnius University (VU) footballers are still celebrating their silver medal at the 39th Finnish, Estonian, Latvian, and Lithuanian Games (XXXIX SELL), as well as their victory in the Lithuanian Student Football League (LSFL), the Faculty of History of VU presents different dream teams. Renowned lecturers of the Faculty of History have compiled teams of eleven personalities prominent in various fields or historical figures and arranged them on a football pitch.

The VU Rector, Prof. Rimvydas Petrauskas, Dr Norbertas Černiauskas, Assoc. Prof. Eligijus Raila, Lecturer Andrius Grodis, Prof. Marija Drėmaitė, and Prof. Alfredas Bumblauskas took on the role of the head coach of their imaginary team, placing their players in positions on the football pitch and explaining their choices.

VU Rector’s FC “European Union”

VU Rector, historian Prof. R. Petrauskas, is a die-hard football fan who formed his team not from the rulers of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (GDL) but from the European footballers he had seen in his youth on TV or live. The Rector admits that such a team could not have existed chronologically or geographically. However, these players were the first to come to mind when he tried to recall what he had seen on the screen or in the stadium.

Vaclovas Jurkus is the goalkeeper of the Rector’s nostalgic team. The guardian of the legendary Vilnius “Žalgiris” goal was short in stature with lightning-fast reactions that were, according to Prof. R. Petrauskas, perfect on the line. The captain of VU has decided to place one Lithuanian player in each role.

“The defenders are the Italians who become champions thanks to their good defence – the handsome Paolo Maldini and the ever-confident Franco Baresi, along with the efficient German Philipp Lahm and the athletic, long-haired Rimantas Turskis, the current coach of the VU team,” says the VU Rector.

It is difficult for the Rector to single out midfielders and forwards. In his team, these roles would be filled by the Dutchman Arjen Robben, whom the Rector remembers as a player whose nimble footwork meant he could get around virtually anyone on the wing by controlling the ball with one foot. These roles also include the French visionary Zinedine Zidane and Stanislovas Danisevičius, who, according to Prof. R. Petrauskas, is the slowest but also the most technical “Žalgiris” midfielder of all time.

“There is also the Spaniard Xavi, the Dutchman Marco van Basten (his goal against the Soviets in the summer of 1988 was a pivotal moment that spurred on the Sąjūdis Reform Movement), and the Frenchman Michel Platini, the “conductor” on the pitch (who might make a good EU parliamentarian if he has learned his lessons),” says VU Rector Prof. R. Petrauskas as he introduces his European star-studded team.

HFC “Strategists”

Dr N. Černiauskas has formed his team from the military commanders of Lithuanian history. The historian nominated the Partisan Commander Jonas Žemaitis-Vytautas as the goalkeeper and team captain. In defence, the lineup consists of Duke Kęstutis, Tadas Kosciuška, Silvestras Žukauskas, and Jokūbas Jasinskis. The midfielders of the team of military commanders are Kristupas Radvila Perkūnas, Vytautas the Great, Zigmantas Sierakauskas, and the founder of the Lithuanian Air Force, Antanas Gustaitis. Under the instructions of Coach Dr N. Černiauskas, Duke Algirdas, and the winner of the Battle of Salaspils, Jonas Karolis Chodkevičius, would play up front in the forward positions.

“It is very important to have a goalkeeper who has seen it all and is experienced, defenders who can withstand even the greatest pressure, midfielders who are strategic thinkers and risk-takers, and forwards who maximise 100% of their chances to strike,” explains the historian, outlining his choices and the lineup.

Lithuania’s most famous historians

Assoc. Prof. E. Raila has created his team of some of Lithuania’s most renowned historians. In goal, he put Edvardas Gudavičius – capable of deflecting the most insidious historiographical balls. The defenders in this team of historians are Augustinas Janulaitis, Ignas Jonynas, Konstantinas Jablonskis, and Juozas Jurginis. According to Assoc. Prof. E. Raila, they are strictly positivist players whose surnames begin with the letter “J”.

“The midfielders – Motiejus Strijkovskis, Albertas Kojalavičius-Vijūkas, Simonas Daukantas, and Teodoras Narbutas – are players with creative imaginations. The forwards – Adolfas Šapoka, Zenonas Ivinskis – are players well versed in Czech, Swedish, and German training methods,” says Head Coach, Assoc. Prof. E. Raila while introducing his “Herodotean” team.

Interwar diplomats

The team picked by A. Grodis, a multiple winner of the VU Faculty of History Lecturer of the Year Award, comprises Lithuanian interwar diplomats. He put Magdalena Avietėnaitė in goal, Dovas Zaunius and Jurgis Šaulys at centre-back, and Bronius Kazys Balutis and Petras Klimas at left/right-back, respectively.

According to A. Grodis, P. Klimas was on the centre-left of the political spectrum and defended Lithuania’s right to Vilnius throughout the interwar period. The historian has chosen to put in defence those diplomats who were in the Lithuanian diplomatic service for the whole or almost all of the period of independence. The right/left midfielders in A. Grodis’ team are Oskaras Milašius, Juozas Urbšys, and Tomas Naruševičius, while Ernestas Galvanauskas is a central midfielder, a playmaker who created the conditions for the most significant diplomatic victory of Lithuania – the annexation of Klaipėda.

The historian completes his diplomatic team with the forwards: “Augustinas Voldemaras would be a centre forward. Regardless of the international political conjuncture, he never pulled his punches when it came to European diplomacy, so this is appropriate for a striker. Stasys Lozoraitis would also be a forward.”

Lithuania’s most famous architects

Architectural historian Prof. M. Drėmaitė has assembled a team of some of Lithuania’s most renowned architects. Its goalkeeper is none other than Laurynas Gucevičius, who, according to the historian, is as strong as the pillars of Vilnius Cathedral. The Professor appointed Vladas Švipas, the Bauhausler who built Lithuania, alongside Vladimiras Dubeneckis and Mykolas Songaila, solid pillars of interwar architecture, as defenders. She also chose Algirdas Kaušpėdas as a defender – a tower of defence in Vilnius and Kaunas who would foster the team spirit.

“On the offensive end, we have the small, agile, quick decision-maker Gediminas Baravykas and the dashing Rolandas Palekas. Unfortunately, due to excessive individualism, Arno Funk was not included in the team. He was spotted playing tennis in white shorts,” the historian concludes her team of victory builders.

Lithuania’s most famous Samogitians

Prof. A. Bumblauskas’ team represents Samogitia and comprises the most famous Samogitians. In goal, we have Vydūnas. On the defensive end – Kazimieras Semenavičius, Jonas Chodkevičius, Józef Piłsudski, and Leiba Zyvas – the “atomic combo”.

The Samogitian team includes Stanislovas Narutavičius, Simonas Daukantas Vykintas in the positions of midfielders, and, among the military commanders, Vytautas, who made a strategic retreat.

The offence is led by Jonas Karolis Chodkevičius, the forward of the "Strategists" team, and Motiejus Valančius, the sober figure of Lithuanian temperance.