Māris Verpakovskis

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Personal information
Māris Verpakovskis
Date of birth	October 15, 1979 (1979-10-15) (age 28)
Place of birth	Liepāja, Latvia, USSR (now Republic of Latvia)
Height	173 cm
Playing position	Striker
Club information
Current club	Hajduk Split
Number	29
Senior clubs¹
Years	Club	App (Gls)*
1995–1996 1997–2000 2001–2003 2003–present 2007 2007-present	FK Baltika FK Liepājas Metalurgs Skonto FC Dynamo Kyiv → Getafe (loan) → Hajduk Split (loan)	3 (0) 59 (10) 77 (41) 47 (10) 12 (1) 15 (5)
National team²
1999-	Latvia	64 (23)
¹ Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of December 3, 2007. ² National team caps and goals correct as of November 24, 2007. * Appearances (Goals)

Māris Verpakovskis (born October 15, 1979 Liepāja Latvia) is a striker currently playing for Hajduk Split in Croatia and the Latvia national football team.

1 Club career
2 International career
3 References
4 External links

[edit] Club career

Verpakovskis was born in and began his youth career with local side Baltika, before starting his professional career with FK Liepājas Metalurgs. In late 2000, at the age of 21 he signed for leading Riga club Skonto FC.

Following Verpakovskis' performances for the Latvian national team in the Euro 2004 qualification he signed a five-year contract with Dynamo Kyiv in December 2003. Verpakovskis was voted Player of the Year by Dynamo supporters in his first season in 2004 but lost his place in the starting line up during the 2005 campaign.

Spanish side Getafe CF signed Verpakovskis on a six month loan until the end of the 2007-08 season ^[1] for US $250,000, with a possible permanent deal in July 2007. However, he returned to Dynamo Kyiv after only scoring one goal in 12 league appearances for Getafe. In July 2007 was sent on loan to Hajduk Split for one year. Verpakovskis was on holiday in Sierra Leone when numerous Croat newspapers reported that he had been killed by lions. A few days later, this was proven false when he turned up safely at the airport.

[edit] International career

He rose to international prominence as the highest goalscorer for Latvia in their successful Euro 2004 qualification campaign, with 6 goals in 10 matches. He scored once for Latvia in Euro 2004 and nearly scored what would have been the goal of the tournament against Germany, dribbling on a weaving run from the half way line and beating four German players. Verpakovskis is regarded as the most popular Latvian footballer having surpassed Marian Pahars as his country's most recognisable player. He is currently the leading all time top goal scorer for Latvia, with 23 goals. [1]

[edit] References

^ http://www.atverts.lv/klacas/klacas.lv/article.php?id=9082

[edit] External links

Euro 2008 squad details
Verpakovskis in Primero
Māris Verpakovskis profile at Nogometni Magazin (Croatian)

v • d • e

Hajduk Split – current squad

1 Varvodić • 3 Jozinović • 5 Buljat • 6 Živković • 7 Pelaić • 8 Linić • 9 Kalinić • 10 Cernat • 11 Andrić • 12 Balić • 13 Rukavina • 14 Ljubičić • 15 Gabrić • 16 Bartolović • 17 Milić • 18 Čurjurić • 20 Sablić • 22 Maloča • 23 Tudor • 24 Tičinović • 25 Tomić • 26 Rubil • 27 Radošević • 28 Pandža • 29 Verpakovskis • 30 Bušić • Manager: Vučević

v • d • e Latvia squad - UEFA Euro 2004

1 Koļinko • 2 Stepanovs • 3 Astafjevs • 4 Zemļinskis • 5 Laizāns • 6 Blagonadeždins • 7 Isakovs • 8 Bleidelis • 9 Verpakovskis • 10 Rubins • 11 Prohorenkovs • 12 Piedels • 13 Pučinsks • 14 Lobaņovs • 15 Smirnovs • 16 Zirnis • 17 Pahars • 18 Korabļovs • 19 Štolcers • 20 Pavlovs • 21 Miholaps • 22 Zakreševskis • 23 Rimkus • Coach: Starkovs