1. Early life and career beginnings
Tomas Danilevičius was born on 18 July 1978 in Klaipėda, Lithuanian SSR, Soviet Union. He began his football career in his home country, playing for the youth academy of Atlantas from 1994 to 1995. He then made his professional debut with the same club, playing for their senior team during the 1995-1996 season. Standing at 6.3 ft (1.91 m) and weighing 181 lb (82 kg), Danilevičius primarily played as a forward, utilizing his right foot.
2. Club career
Tomas Danilevičius had a lengthy and varied club career that took him across several European countries, most notably Belgium, England, Russia, and Italy, where he spent a significant portion of his playing days.
2.1. Early career in Europe
After his early professional experience in Lithuania, Danilevičius moved to Belgium, joining Club Brugge in 1996. He made his debut for the club in the UEFA Cup, coming on as a substitute in the 86th minute during a match against Schalke 04 on 3 December 1996. Following his stint with Club Brugge, he moved to Russia to play for FC Dynamo Moscow, where he scored five goals in 13 appearances. In 2000, he returned to Belgium briefly with Club Brugge before moving to Switzerland to join Lausanne Sports, scoring four goals in seven matches.
His career then took him to England, where he joined Arsenal for the 2000-2001 season. Although he only made two league appearances for Arsenal (against Sunderland and Charlton Athletic), he notably scored in a pre-season game against FC Barcelona. His Premier League debut came on 30 December 2000, when he replaced Thierry Henry in the 79th minute against Sunderland. Following his time at Arsenal, he had a loan spell with Scottish club Dunfermline Athletic in 2001, making three appearances. He then returned to Belgium, playing for Beveren during the 2001-2002 season, where he was a more prolific scorer, netting 10 goals in 26 league appearances.
2.2. Career in Italy and later clubs
Danilevičius's career largely flourished in Italy, beginning with his move to Livorno in Serie B for the 2002-2003 season. He made his Italian debut on 14 September 2002 against Hellas Verona and scored his first goal for the club on 30 March 2003 against Venezia. Livorno achieved promotion to Serie A that season. On 26 September 2004, Danilevičius made his Serie A debut, coming on as a substitute in the 36th minute against Atalanta. For the 2005-2006 season, he was loaned to Avellino in Serie B, where he was highly successful, scoring 17 goals in 38 appearances.
In January 2007, Danilevičius was signed by Bologna in a co-ownership deal worth 2.00 M EUR. After one year at Bologna, he spent the latter half of the 2007-2008 season on loan to Grosseto in Serie B, where he scored nine goals in 22 matches. In June 2008, he returned to Livorno for a transfer fee of 400.00 K EUR and signed a four-year contract, continuing his prominent role with the club.
In 2011, Danilevičius joined S.S. Juve Stabia on a free transfer, playing for them until 2013. He then had a loan spell with Latina in Lega Pro Prima Divisione during the 2012-2013 season. His final club experience came in Slovenia. In August 2013, he signed with Parma FC in Serie A but was immediately loaned to Slovenian club Gorica in the 1. SNL for the 2013-2014 season, which marked the conclusion of his playing career.
3. International career
Tomas Danilevičius was a cornerstone of the Lithuania national football team for many years, serving as the team captain and establishing himself as the nation's most prolific goal scorer.
3.1. National team appearances and goals
Danilevičius made his debut for the Lithuania national team in 1998. He went on to earn 72 caps, becoming one of the most capped players in Lithuanian history. As of September 2009, he had scored 19 goals in his 72 appearances for Lithuania, a record that cemented his status as the all-time leading goal scorer for his country. His contributions included crucial goals in various international competitions and friendly matches, solidifying his legacy as a national team legend.
4. Administrative career
After concluding his distinguished playing career, Tomas Danilevičius transitioned into football administration, taking on a leadership role within Lithuanian football. He was elected as the president of the Lithuanian Football Federation (LFF). He officially began his term on 30 September 2017, succeeding Vidmantas Butkevičius. Danilevičius held the presidency until 10 March 2023, when he was succeeded by Edgaras Stankevičius.
5. Career statistics
This section provides a detailed overview of Tomas Danilevičius's playing performance at both club and international levels, including appearances and goals.
5.1. Club statistics
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Europe | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Arsenal | 2000-01 | Premier League | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Beveren | 2001-02 | Jupiler Pro League | 26 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 11 |
| Livorno | 2002-03 | Serie B | 21 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 1 |
| 2003-04 | 22 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 4 | ||
| 2004-05 | 17 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 3 | ||
| Total | 60 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 62 | 8 | ||
| Avellino (loan) | 2005-06 | Serie B | 38 | 17 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 17 |
| Livorno | 2006-07 | Serie A | 13 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 20 | 4 |
| Bologna (loan) | 2006-07 | Serie B | 13 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 2 |
| Bologna (loan) | 2007-08 | Serie B | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Grosseto (loan) | 2007-08 | Serie B | 22 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 9 |
| Livorno | 2008-09 | Serie B | 27 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 6 |
| 2009-10 | Serie A | 26 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 6 | |
| 2010-11 | Serie B | 23 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 5 | |
| Total | 76 | 14 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 85 | 17 | ||
| Juve Stabia | 2011-12 | Serie B | 33 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 5 |
| 2012-13 | 16 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 9 | ||
| Total | 49 | 12 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 52 | 14 | ||
| Latina (loan) | 2012-13 | Lega Pro Prima Divisione | 11 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 2 |
| Gorica (loan) | 2013-14 | Slovenian PrvaLiga | 11 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 3 |
| Career total | 328 | 77 | 28 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 361 | 87 | ||
5.2. International goals
Scores and results list Lithuania's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Danilevičius goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 26 February 2001 | Limassol, Cyprus | Cyprus | 1-1 | 2-1 | Tournament |
| 2 | 18 August 2004 | Moscow, Russia | Russia | 1-1 | 3-4 | Friendly |
| 3 | 8 September 2004 | Kaunas, Lithuania | San Marino | 3-0 | 4-0 | 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 4 | 1 March 2006 | Tirana, Albania | Albania | 2-1 | 2-1 | Friendly |
| 5 | 16 August 2006 | Chişinău, Moldova | Moldova | 2-1 | 2-3 | Friendly |
| 6 | 2 September 2006 | Naples, Italy | Italy | 1-0 | 1-1 | UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying |
| 7 | 11 November 2006 | Paola, Malta | Malta | 1-0 | 4-1 | Friendly |
| 8 | 3-0 | |||||
| 9 | 22 August 2007 | Kaunas, Lithuania | Turkmenistan | 1-0 | 2-1 | Friendly |
| 10 | 2-0 | |||||
| 11 | 8 September 2007 | Glasgow, Scotland | Scotland | 1-1 | 1-3 | UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying |
| 12 | 12 September 2007 | Kaunas, Lithuania | Faroe Islands | 2-0 | 2-1 | UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying |
| 13 | 17 November 2007 | Kaunas, Lithuania | Ukraine | 2-0 | 2-0 | UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying |
| 14 | 20 August 2008 | Sūduva stadium, Marijampolė, Lithuania | Moldova | 3-0 | 3-0 | Friendly |
| 15 | 10 September 2008 | Sūduva stadium, Marijampolė, Lithuania | Austria | 1-0 | 2-0 | FIFA World Cup 2010 qualification |
| 16 | 2-0 | |||||
| 17 | 15 October 2008 | Darius and Girėnas Stadium, Kaunas, Lithuania | Faroe Islands | 1-0 | 1-0 | FIFA World Cup 2010 qualification |
| 18 | 13 August 2009 | Stade Josy Barthel, Luxembourg | Luxembourg | 1-0 | 1-0 | Friendly |
| 19 | 9 September 2009 | Svangaskarð, Toftir, Faroe Islands | Faroe Islands | 1-1 | 1-2 | FIFA World Cup 2010 qualification |
6. Achievements and honors
Tomas Danilevičius earned several honors throughout his career, both at the club level and individually.
6.1. Club honors
- Club Brugge
- Jupiler Pro League: 1995-96
- U.S. Latina Calcio
- Coppa Italia Lega Pro: 2012-13
- ND Gorica
- Slovenian Cup: 2013-14
6.2. Individual honors
- Lithuanian Footballer of the Year: 2006, 2007
7. Legacy and influence
Tomas Danilevičius left a significant and lasting impact on Lithuanian football, both through his achievements as a player and his leadership as an administrator. As the all-time leading goal scorer for the Lithuania national team and a long-serving captain, he is widely regarded as one of the most important figures in the country's football history. His extensive club career across various European leagues, particularly his consistent goal-scoring record in Italy, provided an example for aspiring Lithuanian footballers and elevated the profile of Lithuanian players internationally.
His transition to the presidency of the Lithuanian Football Federation marked a new chapter in his involvement in the sport. During his tenure from 2017 to 2023, he contributed to the development and governance of football in Lithuania, further cementing his influence beyond the playing field. His career trajectory from a prominent player to a key administrative figure highlights his enduring dedication to the sport and his role in shaping its future in Lithuania.
