On Thursday, Valdas Dambrauskas will step onto the Old Trafford turf as the manager of Azerbaijani side Sabah for their Champions League campaign. The journey marks a full circle for the 49-year-old Lithuanian, whose coaching career began roughly two decades ago with Manchester United Soccer Schools.
“This is beyond my imagination,” Dambrauskas told BBC Sport. “I’ve been many times to Old Trafford with the kids, and now I’m going to come as a coach.”
While the upcoming match headlines his current achievement, the manager’s path to the Champions League contains a peculiar subplot involving a 2002 appearance on the Lithuanian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?. Dambrauskas won 4,000 litas, approximately £725, which equated to six months’ wages for the average Lithuanian at the time. Rather than spending it frivolously, he used the money to move to London on a student visa, carrying little more than a determination to work in football.
“My idea was somehow I will try to go on these coaching courses to gain the coaching badge,” he recalled. “But yes, it is a true story.”
Upon arriving in London in August 2002, Dambrauskas faced eight years of rigorous effort, juggling multiple jobs while raising two children. He worked as a gardener, handyman, newspaper delivery boy, and floor polisher, alongside roles in retail and sports development. Through this period, he enrolled in sports science and coaching courses at London Metropolitan University and volunteered with community projects in Finsbury Park.
His dedication led to a breakthrough in 2004 when Manchester United Soccer Schools hired him. He spent five years leading residential coaching courses across the UK and Europe, describing the experience as the best thing to happen in his life. He later held positions at Fulham and Brentford, crediting academy director Ose Aibangee for pushing his limits. During his time in England, he became the first Lithuanian to achieve a UEFA coaching licence through the London Football Association.
In 2010, Dambrauskas returned to Lithuania to take an assistant role at champions Ekranas. He later became manager of Zalgiris Vilnius, winning two league titles, three Lithuanian Cups, and a treble in 2016. Over the next nine years, he coached eight clubs across seven countries, including RFS in Latvia, Gorica in Croatia, Ludogorets Razgrad in Bulgaria, Hajduk Split in Croatia, OFI Crete in Greece, Omonia in Cyprus, and Diosgyori in Hungary.
Dambrauskas joined Sabah in the summer of 2025. In his first season, he guided the club to their inaugural league and cup double, adding to a trophy haul of 13 titles across five nations. His tenure has been defined by dramatic success, notably steering Sabah through four qualifying rounds to reach the Champions League group stage. They became the only team to progress from the first qualifying round, eliminating TNS, KuPS, Aarhus, and Hapoel Beer-Sheva. Their final qualifier required a stoppage-time goal by Tellur Mutallimov to force extra time, which they won 5-2 on the night.
Sabah, based in Masazir with a population of 19,000, was founded in 2017. Due to their home ground, Bank Respublika Arena, not meeting UEFA regulations, they are expected to play their group matches at the Olympic Stadium in Baku. They will face Borussia Dortmund, Barcelona, and Napoli at home, with a trip to Villarreal also on the fixture list.
Club president Magsud Adigozalov praised Dambrauskas for instilling a winning mentality, noting that the team maintains its fighting spirit even in difficult moments. For Dambrauskas, the return to England holds personal significance; London Metropolitan University overlooks the Emirates Stadium, and Old Trafford was where he once dreamed of standing in a dugout.
“Now I’m going to come back as a coach in the Champions League and hear that anthem. It’s really amazing,” he said.
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