Player Profiles: Zoltan and Edgaras

The MLS transfer window has brought two interesting developments, new players not from South America, but from Western Europe. Hungarian striker Zoltan Hercegfalvi was introduced today as Kansas City’s newest, and much needed, footballer.

Earlier this month, New England added a footballer with a very interesting past and storied carrier. Edgaras Jankauskas hails from Lithuania and has been named the Lithuanian footballer of the year five times.

Let’s look a little closer at each of their pasts, the clubs they have represented, and any video available of them working magic.

A Life in a Few Words: Zoltan Hercegfalvi

Zoltan Hercegfalvi, was introduced today as Zoltan (and shall here forward always be known in the media as Zoltan), was born in Budapest, Hungary.

View Larger Map
If you were a fan of the Hungarian football league, you would know who Zoltan is. Now at age 29 he has arrived in the United States having spent much almost all of his life playing in the tumultuous league.

Zoltan began his playing career with Budapest Hunved in 1998, where he stayed for five years before moving on to two other Hungarian teams, as well as one Czech team, before returning to his first team in 2006. Much of his life he has played in the small confines of Bozsik Stadium, a small but storied 5,000 seat arena.


Video


A Life in a Few Words: Edgaras Jankauskas

Edgaras Jankauskas was born in Vilnius, Soviet Union in 1975.

View Larger Map
By the age of 16 he was picked up by a local youth side and continued to make his ways up the ranks, moving from team to team until he made history by signing with FB Bruges for 2.3 million Euros.

Once in Bruges, Edgaras’ stock continued to climb until he reached the pinnacle of his career, signing with FC Porto, then coached by the special one, Jose Morinho, where he won every trophy imaginable except the FA Cup.

With Porto, Edgaras picked up two Portuguese league trophies, the Portuguese Cup, the Portuguese Super Cup, the UEFA Cup, and most impressively in 2003-2004, the UEFA Champions League, making him the only player currently in Major League Soccer to hold the honor.

Although Edgaras was not a starter, he still played an important part in the victories. After winning the Scottish cup with Hearts, he was about to settle down into coaching when Steve Nichol gave him a shot.

Video
Scoring a cracker for Porto (3 minutes in)


Scoring for the Lithuanuia vs Belgium in 2004


Playing Basketball in a High School gym?


Edgaras scored his first goal in America in this year’s Superliga.


Watch Edgaras as he romps through MLS and remember the storied history and trophies he has gathered along the way.