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What about Lithuanian football? How is it claimed to be dull, dead, scandalous? Or is it gradually reviving and becoming more beloved?
Lately, there have been more attempts in the public space to implant the idea that Lithuanian football is interesting only to a small group of our compatriots, and that the achievements of clubs only degrade the name and honor of Lithuania.
What should we believe? The statements of football "experts" or this year's achievements of our country's clubs in international tournaments?
Instead of belittling Lithuanian football, let's appreciate the performances of the country's strongest teams last week in the UEFA Champions League and Europa League qualifying matches.
Let's start with the Lithuanian A Lyga champion of the past four years, Panevėžys Ekranas, who is competing in the prestigious UEFA Champions League's second qualifying round.
It's no secret that the club is not experiencing the best financial times, but that does not stop their players from battling it out on the field with the Irish champions Shamrock Rovers. After a 0-0 draw, the Irish failed to score, leaving some Lithuanian football critics surprised.
Perhaps it will also cause astonishment that Lithuania's football league is ranked 35 by UEFA, while Ireland is ranked 33?
Lithuania's vice-champions Vilnius FK Žalgiris also fight for the honor of our country in the UEFA Europa League's second qualifying round.
Žalgiris will face off against Miodling Admira Wacker, the third-placed team in last year's Austrian Bundesliga.
Is this a strong opponent or not?
The answer is not doubtful: Austria ranks 15th in the UEFA rankings, and Admira Wacker's annual club budget is a staggering 5 million euros.
Vilnius FK Žalgiris and Miodling Admira Wacker's match, played in the rain with temperatures barely reaching 13 degrees Celsius at the LFF stadium, drew more than 3000 spectators, including some famous athletes and politicians. Just as many fans visited the LFF stadium this year during matches against Panevėžys Ekranas and Marijampolė Sūduva in the General Financing A Lyga.
36 Lithuanian media representatives arrived to cover the Lithuanian vs. Austrian duel, many of whom represent the country's largest television channels, newspapers, and information portals.
The atmosphere at the LFF stadium was incredibly warm and lively. Lithuanians cheered for FK Žalgiris and chanted "Žalgiris, Žalgiris, Žalgiris!" with every minute.
The Žalgiris players did not disappoint their fellow countrymen. They delighted them with their beautiful, fighting game, forcing the confused opponents to look at each other multiple times. The Vilnius duel, to the visiting team's advantage, ended in a 1-1 draw.
Last season's third-place winner of the A Lyga, Marijampolė Sūduva, put on an even more impressive performance in the Europa League's second qualifying round in Serbia. The victory for Sūduva came in the last moments, ending in a 1-1 draw.
Sūduva's team faced off against the powerful Novi Sad Vojvodina team. Serbia's football league is reflected in the UEFA ranking, which places them at 27th.
Let's ask ourselves once again, is it really true that our country's football level is so poor and tainted with scandals? It is much easier to answer this question than for the Lithuanians who failed to defeat the Irish, Austrians, and Serbians in the international tournament.
So let's support Lithuanian football clubs in the UEFA Champions League and Europa League qualifiers and wish them the greatest success! Just as in basketball, let the slogan "We are for Lithuania!" live on in football as well.
