Nerijus Valskis (born 4 August 1987) is a Lithuanian former professional footballer who played as a forward.

Nerijus Valskis
Valskis with Bnei Yehuda in 2017
Personal information
Full name Nerijus Valskis[1]
Date of birth (1987-08-04) 4 August 1987 (age 36)
Place of birth Klaipėda, Lithuanian SSR, Soviet Union
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Striker
Youth career
2004–2005 Polonia Vilnius
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005 Žalgiris Vilnius 11 (0)
2006 Kauno Jėgeriai
2007–2008 Šilutė 37 (4)
2008 FBK Kaunas 10 (1)
2009 Smorgon 12 (0)
2010 FBK Kaunas 24 (16)
2011 Liepājas Metalurgs 27 (8)
2012 Minsk 10 (0)
2012–2013 Sūduva 38 (29)
2014 Universitatea Craiova 15 (2)
2015 Wigry Suwałki 5 (0)
2015–2016 Trakai 43 (24)
2017–2018 Bnei Yehuda 49 (11)
2018 Ratchaburi Mitr Phol 15 (9)
2019 Hapoel Tel Aviv 10 (1)
2019–2020 Chennaiyin 20 (15)
2020–2021 Jamshedpur 24 (10)
2022 Chennaiyin 11 (2)
2022–2024 Kauno Žalgiris 25 (8)
International career
2007–2008 Lithuania U21 6 (1)
2013–2024 Lithuania 25 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career edit

Earlier career edit

Valskis began his senior club career in 2005 at FK Žalgiris of Lithuanian A Lyga, where he made 11 appearances before moving to Kauno Jėgeriai. During 2007–2008 season, he appeared for FK Šilutė and scored 4 goals in 37 league matches. He later moved to another A Lyga outfit FBK Kaunas, where he scored 17 goals in two different seasons (2008 and 2010).[2]

Belarus and Latvia edit

In 2009, he arrived in Belarus and signed with Belarusian Premier League side FC Smorgon. In 2011, he played for FC Smorgon in the Latvian Higher League where he scored 8 goals in 27 league matches. He then came back to Belarus with Minsk and he was in the 2011–12 Belarusian Cup Runners-up squad.

Lithuania edit

After several successful stints in foreign clubs, he returned to Lithuania and signed with giants FK Sūduva. During the 2013 A Lyga season, while playing for Sūduva, Valskis was awarded the Best Player and was also the league's leading scorer with 27 goals.[3]

Poland edit

In 2014, Valskis signed for CS Universitatea Craiova of Romanian Liga I and appeared in 15 league games before moving to Polish club Wigry Suwałki.

Back to Lithuania edit

He returned to Lithuania with FK Riteriai during the 2015–2016 season.[4] With the club, He scored 24 goals in 43 league matches. Valskis was in FK Riteriai's squad in that season, which finished runners-up in their domestic tournaments; A Lyga, Lithuanian Supercup and Lithuanian Football Cup.

More foreign stints edit

He went to Israel and played for Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv in the 2017–2018 season. Valskis was part of Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv squad which won the Israeli State Cup in 2017.[3]

Valskis in 2018, moved to Thailand and appeared with Ratchaburi Mitr Phol in 15 Thai League 1 matches, scoring 9 goals.

Israel edit

After his previous appearances with Israeli side Bnei Yehuda, Valskis again came back to Israeli Premier League with Hapoel Tel Aviv in 2019.[5][6] He signed for Hapoel Tel Aviv on a short-term contract until the end of the 2018–19 Israeli Premier League season.[3] He scored only 1 goal in 10 league matches before moving to India.

India edit

Following his second stint in Israel, Valskis joined Indian Super League side Chennaiyin in July 2019.[3] In his debut season in India, Valskis was the league's top goal scorer with 15 goals, winning the ISL golden boot.[7] His goals helped to lead the club to the final of the Super League on 14 March 2020; he scored in the showpiece match but Chennaiyin lost 3–1 to ATK.[8]

On 21 August 2020, after parting ways with Chennaiyin,[9] Valskis signed a two year contract with fellow Super League club Jamshedpur FC, reuniting with former boss Owen Coyle.[10][7][11] He scored 8 goals for Jamshedpur in the 2020–21 Indian Super League season.

He returned to Chennaiyin on 1 January 2022 in the mid season of ISL 2021–22.[12]

Retirement from professional football edit

On 26 February 2024, Valskis announced his retirement from professional football.

International career edit

While playing for FK Sūduva, Valskis was called up in the national squad of Lithuania in 2013. He made his debut on 11 October, against Latvia in a 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification match.[13]

He scored his only goal for his country against Estonia in the 2016 Baltic Cup. In that competition, Lithuania finished as the Runners-up.

From 2013, he has appeared in 24 international matches and represented Lithuania in competitions like Baltic Cup and UEFA Nations League alongside Euro Cup, 2014 FIFA World Cup and 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.[14][15]

Career statistics edit

Club edit

As of 23 March 2022[16]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
FK Žalgiris 2005 A Lyga 11 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 11 0
FK Šilutė 2007 22 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 22 0
2008 15 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 15 4
Total 48 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 48 4
FBK Kaunas 2008 A Lyga 10 1 1 0 4 2 4 0 19 3
2009 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Total 10 1 2 0 4 2 4 0 20 3
Smorgon 2009 Belarusian Premier League 12 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 12 0
FBK Kaunas 2010 LFF I lyga 22 13 5 3 0 0 0 0 27 16
Liepājas Metalurgs 2011 Virslīga 27 8 3 1 0 0 4 0 34 9
Minsk 2012 Belarusian Premier League 10 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 12 0
FK Sūduva 2012 A Lyga 8 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 9 2
2013 30 27 1 1 0 0 2 2 33 30
Total 38 29 2 1 0 0 2 0 42 32
Universitatea Craiova 2013–14 Liga II 14 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 14 2
2014–15 Liga I 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Total 15 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 15 2
Wigry Suwałki 2014–15 I liga 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0
FK Trakai 2015 A Lyga 14 7 5 2 0 0 0 0 19 9
2016 29 17 1 0 0 0 2 1 32 18
Total 43 24 6 2 0 0 2 1 51 25
Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv 2016–17 Israeli Premier League 14 4 5 2 0 0 0 0 19 6
2017–18 35 7 1 0 3 1 5 1 44 9
Total 49 11 6 2 3 1 5 1 63 15
Ratchaburi Mitr Phol 2018 Thai League 1 15 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 15 9
Hapoel Tel Aviv 2018–19 Israeli Premier League 10 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 11 1
Chennaiyin 2019–20 Indian Super League 20 15 0 0 0 0 0 0 20 15
Jamshedpur 2020–21 18 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 18 8
2021–22 6 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 2
Total 24 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 24 10
Chennaiyin 2021–22 Indian Super League 11 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 11 2
FK Kauno Žalgiris 2022 A Lyga 13 4 2 0 0 0 0 0 15 4
2023 12 4 2 0 0 0 2 0 16 4
Total 25 8 4 0 0 0 2 0 31 8
Career total 384 137 31 9 7 3 17 4 439 153

International goals edit

As of match played 29 May 2016. Lithuania score listed first, score column indicates score after each Valskis goal.[16]
International goals by date, venue, cap, opponent, score, result and competition
No. Date Venue Cap Opponent Score Result Competition
1 29 May 2016 Klaipėdos M. Centrinis Stadionas, Klaipėda, Lithuania 6   Estonia 1–0 2–0 2016 Baltic Cup

Honours edit

Country

Lithuania[17]

Club

FBK Kaunas
FBK Kaunas
Liepājas Metalurgs
Minsk
FK Riteriai
Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv
Chennaiyin

Individual

References edit

  1. ^ Nerijus Valskis (Soccer) sports archive globalsportsarchive.com. Retrieved 17 March 2021
  2. ^ Nerijus Valskis soccer player profile and stats Football Critic. Retrieved 17 March 2021
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "Chennaiyin FC rope in Lithuanian forward Nerijus Valskis from Hapoel Tel Aviv". Sport Skeeda. 6 July 2019. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  4. ^ Nerijus Valskis career statistics and clubs aiscore.com. Retrieved 17 March 2021
  5. ^ "Nerijus VALSKIS". football.org.il. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  6. ^ "ISL Transfer News: Including Miku and Nerijus Valskis". tentaran.com. 17 March 2020. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  7. ^ a b c "Nerijus Valskis reunites with Coyle at Jamshedpur FC". Sport Star. 21 August 2020. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  8. ^ "ATK best Chennaiyin in Hero ISL 2019-20 final to clinch record third title". Indian Super League. 14 March 2020. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  9. ^ "ISL: Nerijus Valskis part ways with Chennaiyin FC". businessworld.com. 17 March 2020. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  10. ^ "ISL: It will be little strange playing against Chennaiyin, says Valskis". The Times of India. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  11. ^ "ISL: Jamshedpur FC sign sixth season's Golden Boot winner Nerijus Valskis from Chennaiyin FC". Scroll.in. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
  12. ^ "Nerijus Valskis will play for Chennaiyin FC till the end of the 2021-22 season. The club acquired the Lithuanian forward on a free transfer". sportstar.thehindu.com. Sportstar. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  13. ^ "Valskis, Nerijus". National Football Teams. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  14. ^ "England v Lithuania - FIFA 2018 World Cup Qualifier". Zimbio. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  15. ^ "Scotland v Lithuania - FIFA 2018 World Cup Qualifier". Zimbio. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  16. ^ a b Nerijus Valskis at Soccerway
  17. ^ "Nerijus Valskis soccer player from Lithuania". Soccerway. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  18. ^ "FK Ekranas - FC TVMK - BalticLeague.com". Archived from the original on 3 March 2008. Retrieved 1 March 2008.
  19. ^ "צפו: ב"ש זכתה באלוף האלופים אחרי 2:4 מטורף על בני יהודה, ויטור נפגע בברכו". sport1.maariv.co.il.
  20. ^ "ATK 3-1 Chennaiyin FC, ISL 2020 Final: Indian Super League Has Become More Professional – Antonio Habas". www.outlookindia.com. Archived from the original on 16 March 2020. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  21. ^ "A Lyga". Soccerway. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  22. ^ "ISL final: Valskis wins Golden Boot, Gurpreet takes Golden Glove". www.sportstar.thehindu.com. Archived from the original on 18 January 2021. Retrieved 16 March 2020.

External links edit