Valdas Dambrauskas: From TV game show to Old Trafford with Sabah
Lithuanian coach Valdas Dambrauskas leads Azerbaijani champions Sabah into the Champions League after starting his career with TV game show winnings.
Lithuanian manager Valdas Dambrauskas is set for a career-defining moment as he leads Azerbaijani champions Sabah out at Old Trafford in the Champions League. The 49-year-old's rise to Europe's biggest stage is rooted in a 2002 win on the Lithuanian version of 'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?'.
With his prize money—equal to six months of average wages—Dambrauskas moved to London to pursue his coaching badges. While studying at London Metropolitan University, he balanced four jobs, including gardening and paper delivery, before securing a role with Manchester United Soccer Schools in 2004.
My idea was to somehow try to go on these coaching courses to gain the badge. England for me sounds like opportunities. Valdas Dambrauskas
Since returning to senior management in 2010, Dambrauskas has collected 13 trophies across five countries. Under his guidance, Sabah became the first team to reach the main phase of the Champions League after starting from the first qualifying round. The club also secured a domestic double in his debut 2026 season.
This fixture marks a full-circle moment for Dambrauskas, who first visited Old Trafford as a youth trainer two decades ago. Looking ahead, Sabah are scheduled to face Borussia Dortmund, Barcelona, and Napoli in Baku, with away trips to Arsenal and Villarreal also on the horizon.