Torino’s Gineitis named in Lithuania squad for Malta 2026 World Cup qualifier

Torino midfielder Gvidas Gineitis is included in Lithuania’s squad for their upcoming double-header 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Malta and the Netherlands.

The Baltic side, who have 2 points after three matches, will host Malta next Thursday (September 4) in Kaunas.

Three days later, Lithuania will take on group favourites the Netherlands.

Gineitis, 21, has recently renewed his Torino contract until 2029. He has 22 caps and 2 goals for Lithuania, and played a full match in Torino’s Serie A opener against Inter last week.

Meanwhile, Vilius Armalas (former Benfica youth), Eligijus Jankauskas (Lithuania top-flight forward), Tomas Kalinauskas (Burton Albion loanee), and Nauris Petkevičius (former Belgium top-flight forward) return to the national team after a long absence while there is also a first call-up for 21-year-old midfielder Vaidas Magdušauskas.

Serie B goalkeeper Marius Adamonis, who is on the books of Sudtirol, also returns to the national team.

The national team will be without several regular players who are recovering from injuries, including former Juventus midfielder Vykintas Slivka.

Malta and Lithuania shared the spoils in their first-round encounter, in a 0-0 draw at the National Stadium in Ta’ Qali.

SQUAD

GOALKEEPERS
Marius Adamonis (Sudtirol, Italy)Edvin Gertmon (Universitatea Cluj, Romania), Tomas Švedkauskas (Kaunas Zalgiris).

DEFENDERS
Vilius Armalas (Hegelmann), Edvinas Girdvainis (Liepaja, Latvia), Justas Lasickas (Rijeka, Croatia), Rokas Lekiatas (Kaunas Zalgiris), Artemijus Tutyškinas (Celje, Slovenia), Klaudijus Upstas (Hegelmann), Edgaras Utkus (Cercle Brugge, Belgium).

MIDFIELDERS
Domantas Antanavičius (Hegelmann), Artūr Dolžnikov (Sigma Olomouc, Czechia), Gvidas Gineitis (Torino, Italy), Paulius Golubickas (KuPS, Finland), Eligijus Jankauskas (FA Šiauliai), Tomas Kalinauskas (Kalmar FF, Sweden), Vaidas Magdušauskas (Banga Gargždai), Gratas Sirgedas (Kaunas Zalgiris), Modest Vorobyov (Istanbulspor, Turkey).

FORWARDS
Romualdas Jansonas (Kaunas Zalgiris), Gytis Paulauskas (MFK Zemplín Michalovce, Slovakia), Nauris Petkevičius (Suduva).