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| Career | |
| Position: | Striker |
| Clubs: | Baltica (1996-97), Liepajas Metalurgs (1997-2000), Skonto Riga (2001-Jan. 2004), Dynamo Kiev (since Jan. 2004) |
| International appearances: | 31 |
| International goals: | 11 |
| International debut: | 09/06/1999 Greece-Latvia (1-2) |
| Last international appearance: | 28/04/2004, Latvia-Iceland (0-0) |
| First international goal: | 09/06/1999, Greece-Latvia (1-2) |
| Last international goal: | 31/03/2004, Slovenia-Latvia (0-1) |
Winner (2001, 2002, 2003)
Latvian player of the year (2003)
Biography
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| Turkey's Ibrahim Uzulmez (L) fights for the ball with Latvia's Maris Verpakovskis during their second-leg play-off match for the Euro 2004 at Inonu stadium in Istanbul, Turkey 19 November 2003. AFP PHOTO/Mustafa Ozer |
He scored Latvia's winner to secure a place in the play-offs against Turkey, again in the first leg 1-0 home win over the Turks and the equaliser in the 2-2 second leg tie in Istanbul that handed the Baltic state a place in the finals of Euro 2004.
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| Latvian national soccer team forward Maris Verpakovskis (R) is greeted by fans upon his arrival at Riga airport 20 November 2003. The Baltic state of Latvia held celebrations today for their national soccer team whose 2-2 draw against Turkey in Istanbul secured the country's first appearance in the European Championships final next year in Portugal. AFP PHOTO/ILMARS ZNOTINS |
Maris Verpakovskis is his name, a name chanted on the streets of Riga the night of Euro qualification as his contribution had been utterly priceless.
The Skonto Riga striker is 'the' big match player, and was rewarded for his efforts with the Latvian player of the year award in 2003.
He kicked-off his career at his humble hometown club Liepajas Metallurgs but moved to Skonto Riga in 2001 at the age of 21, where he has picked up a championship winners medal every season since.
"He is the true leader of the attack," says his national and club coach Alexander Starkovs, who has seen him grow in stature the past four seasons.
He played his international debut against Greece in June 1999 at age 19 and of course, marked the occasion with a goal.
But it took him until the Euro 2004 qualifiers to truly blossom and he played in all ten matches scoring six goals to mark him out as a man very much to keep an eye on.
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| Maris Verpakovskis (R) of Latvia fights for the ball with Hungarian Zsolt Low during their Euro 2004 qualifying match in Riga, Latvia, 10 September 2003. |
Drawn against Germany, Holland and many people's tournament favourites the Czech Republic in the first round, Verpakovskis may be party to pulling off an interesting upset during the finals.
Like many of his club mates he has been subject of media rumours linking him with various European big guns such as Arsenal, AS Roma, Lazio and Bayern Muncih but in the end he opted for Russia and signed with Dynaomo Kiev in January, 2004.
In the run up to the finals Verpakovskis has been playing week in week out with his most of his international teammates, a fact that can only increase Latvia's chances of causing a stir in Portugal.