Benjaminas Zelkevičius
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 6 February 1944 | ||
| Place of birth | Kaunas, Reichskommissariat Ostland | ||
| Date of death | 12 January 2026 (aged 81) | ||
| Place of death | Vilnius, Lithuania | ||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Position | Striker | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Banga Kaunas | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1961–1962 | Banga Kaunas | 18 | (2) |
| 1963–1967 | Žalgiris Vilnius | 150 | (23) |
| 1968 | Shakhtar Donetsk | 19 | (3) |
| 1969–1973 | Žalgiris Vilnius | 181 | (27) |
| 1973–1975 | Pažanga Vilnius | ||
| Managerial career | |||
| 1973–1977 | Šviesa (assistant) | ||
| 1977–1983 | Žalgiris Vilnius | ||
| 1983–1985 | ShVSM Vilnius | ||
| 1985–1991 | Žalgiris Vilnius | ||
| 1990–1991 | Lithuania | ||
| 1992 | Austria Wien (assistant) | ||
| 1992–1996 | Žalgiris Vilnius | ||
| 1995–1997 | Lithuania | ||
| 1997 | KAMAZ-Chally | ||
| 1997–1998 | Metallurg Lipetsk | ||
| 1998 | Rotor Volgograd (assistant) | ||
| 1999 | Shinnik Yaroslavl | ||
| 2000 | Baltika Kaliningrad (consultant) | ||
| 2001–2003 | Lithuania | ||
| 2002–2003 | Baltika Kaliningrad | ||
| 2004–2007 | Liepājas Metalurgs | ||
| 2009 | Luch-Energiya Vladivostok | ||
| 2009–2010 | FM Ateitis (youth) | ||
| 2019–? | FM Ateitis (technical director) | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Benjaminas Zelkevičius (6 February 1944 – 12 January 2026) was a Lithuanian football coach and player. He was the manager of the Lithuania national team on three separate occasions – from 1990 to 1991, 1995 to 1997, and 2001 to 2002. He played as a striker, making 331 appearances and scoring 50 goals for Žalgiris Vilnius.
Zelkevičius coached Žalgiris Vilnius and Russian club Baltika Kaliningrad. During his playing career, he played for Shakhtar Donetsk in the Soviet Top League and for Žalgiris Vilnius in the Soviet First League.[1]
Post-managing career
From September 2009 through 2010 Zelkevičius coached at FM Ateitis youth academy. On 12 August 2019, he became Ateitis' technical director.[2]
From 2015, Zelkevičius was chair of the Lithuanian Football Coaches Council.[3]
Zelkevičius died in Vilnius on 12 January 2026, at the age of 81.[4][5]
Honours
Manager
Lithuania
Liepajas Metalurgs
References
- ^ Benjaminas Zelkevičius at FootballFacts.ru (in Russian)
- ^ "Iš futbolo nesitraukia – Zelkevičius deda naują žingsnį savo karjeroje". DELFI (in Lithuanian). 12 August 2019. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
- ^ "Lietuvos nacionalinės futbolo rinktinės naujojo trenerio rinkimai". Alytaus gidas (in Lithuanian). 18 December 2015. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
- ^ "Mirė legendinis Lietuvos futbolo treneris Benjaminas Zelkevičius". Delfi.lt (in Lithuanian). 12 January 2026. Retrieved 13 January 2026.
- ^ "Benjaminas Zelkevičius". Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija (in Lithuanian).