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Marius Zaliukas, right, during an international match for Lithuania in 2013. File photo.
Marius Zaliukas has passed away, at the age of 36, after a period of illness. The former Lithuanian soccer star played 25 international matches between 2006 and 2016.
“Marius was a source of inspiration for many young players and his contribution to Lithuanian football will never be forgotten,” the Lithuanian Football Association said in a statement.
At the club team level, Zaliuka lived primarily in the British Isles. He made shorter stays at both Leeds and Rangers, but mostly played for the Hearts club in Edinburgh for seven years.
As captain of Hearts, he had to lift the dent in the Scottish Cup after the final victory against archrival Hibernian in 2012. On the same day that news of Zaliuka’s death came, the clubs met again in the cup. , and Hearts won the semifinal 2-1.
– He had a great role in the club. That 5-1 victory in the Scottish Cup final will live on in people’s minds forever. We are all devastated, says coach Robbie Neilson.
