'We ask you to believe in us' - How FK Žalgiris are trying to convince Jason Sudeikis' Ted Lasso to coach a real-life women's soccer game

This was always a crazy idea. Tapinas knew that going in. But women's soccer, he argued, needs crazy ideas. Lithuanian football is in a strange spot, Tapinas said. The Baltic nation is more into basketball than soccer, and even if the game is growing - on the men's and women's side - keeping up with the rest of Europe is a real challenge.

Professionalizing a women's team, especially in this climate, borders on the impossible.

Tapinas and Co. are making all the right moves, in theory. First of all, Tapinas is quick to point out, this is not amateur football. Žalgiris (pronounced shal-gis) are a fully professional outfit. They play in Lithuania's top women's division. This is top-flight football.

"It's not an amateur game. It's our Premier League," Tapinas pointed out.

Still, there are familiar frustrations here. Tapinas has begged ownership for better facilities, and asked for a high-level coach to be brought in from Spain or the Netherlands, he said. But progress there is slow - even if he is optimistic. In the short term, then, it was time to do something slightly insane.

"It is basically the first season that we are behind the wheel, with a new management, new owners, and a little bit of a new kind of thinking - less standard. If everybody thinks along the same lines, let's do something crazy," Tapinas said.

And so the journey began.

After discussions with the board, Tapinas had a long list of people to write to: the club's promotional department, the mayor of the city, the Lithuanian football federation. They, too, thought he was a little bit insane. But they sanctioned the idea, and pointed out that they would even be willing to shift a fixture in order to facilitate a visit. They have reached agreements with sponsors, too, and promised to change sponsorship logos to the iconic "believe" sign, should Lasso show up.

Of course, Tapinas is a big Ted Lasso fan. He has watched the series, in his words, 'multiple times.' He takes inspiration from the quirky, optimistic nature of the rather aloof American football expert main character and his soccer-loving assistant. As with many, many, many viewers worldwide, Tapinas consumes the show for a little bit of escapism.

But it also, he argues, highlights some real issues in modern women's football. In the show, AFC Richmond's men's team is flush with cash and competing for Europe. The women's team is struggling and still figuring out its identity. A scene in which a character begs for $300,000 for a new locker room in the new season resonated with Tapinas.

"Ted Lasso is a show that, through comic relief, raises very serious points of difference between women's and men's sports, starting from locker rooms, ending with wages and an acknowledgement that this is a growing sport and they should be treated extremely seriously," Tapinas said.

And in all seriousness, there is a genuine footballing element here.

Tapinas is in charge of both the men's and women's teams at Žalgiris. The two are in mightily different positions. The men's side is on the verge of consistently competing for Europe. They are the most successful side in Lithuanian football history, with 11 first division titles. In 2022, they became the first Lithuanian club to reach the group stage of a UEFA club competition, qualifying for the Europa Conference League. The club had serious financial trouble in 2009, but has since emerged to great success.

There is a culture of winning here, then, and perhaps a little bit of history to live up to, as well. Tapinas likes that challenge, though. In fact, he thinks that the women's team might just have a far higher ceiling than the men's.

"I actually have a bet with the co-owners. I said 'our women's team will come compete in the Champions League faster than our men's team will compete in the Champions League,'" Tapinas said with a chuckle.

He argues, too, that there are elements of the show that might just give the team a lift. Lasso's character is the misfit that was never meant to work out, first hired to sabotage the men's team. Whether by accident or genius, the very much fictional coach takes the imaginary club to the top of the Premier League. To do that, he sells a dream and instills a mentality.

Whether you take that seriously or not is pretty much irrelevant. That idea of belief, Tapinas said, is universal.

"I would say to him, 'You know, Jason, you spent five years convincing people that Ted Lasso is real, and to believe in Ted Lasso. Now we ask you to believe in us,'" he said.

So, will Sudeikis actually show up? Tapinas believes that he will. Besides, he does have a few advantages. First, Sudeikis has Lithuanian heritage. Secondly, it would be a decent getaway.

"I think he would have the best time of his year," Tapinas said.

And the eyeballs can't be discounted, either. That 5,000-seat stadium that they have struggled to sell out might end up looking quite a bit smaller if he can get a Hollywood star on the sidelines.

There are other questions to contend with. Chief among them: what happens if Lasso loses? Well, Tapinas has an answer there, too.

"Even Pep Guardiola doesn't win all the games, and I think Ted Lasso is extremely well versed in losing. So, he would take it on the chin. He would give an extremely motivating speech to other girls about the process, about the winning, about the losing, and all the stuff," Tapinas said.

The logistics are a little sketchy. They have sent a full proposal to Apple TV, and launched an ad campaign that has landed some attention on social media. And with four home games remaining in the season, the deadline looks rather tight. Tapinas is hoping for an early October date, but these things are flexible in his world. Everything is in place for the crazy idea to become a reality.

It just requires a little bit of belief.