Not set to kick feet up

“Technically, it could have been done,’’ Jankauskas said. “But it was only three days after our last game, and then it would be a 20-hour flight to get to Los Angeles.’’

It was the type of conundrum Jankauskas has confronted since leaving Vilnius as a 21-year-old to play in Moscow, the start of a nomadic career that has taken him to 14 clubs in 10 countries. Along the way, Jankauskas, 34, has won a European Champions Cup, learned several languages, performed for a variety of coaches, and seen the world.

Jankauskas is probably the best-known soccer player in Lithuania, a country that is better known for producing basketball talent. Jankauskas was the first Lithuanian to succeed at the first division level in Western Europe and, in 2004, he played on the FC Porto team that won the Champions League. Major League Soccer and the Revolution could be the final stop in Jankauskas’s career, and if so, he is going out with a bang.

Jankauskas had retired and was taking coaching courses when he decided accept the Revolution’s offer early in the season. And he was still easing himself back into things when a Kansas City defender bounced a clearance in front of him last Saturday. Jankauskas showed he still has excellent goal-scoring instincts, slamming a side volley from about 25 yards into the far side of the net, a shot that was selected MLS goal of the week.

The Revolution failed to capitalize on the goal, losing, 4-2. It was a far cry from Jankauskas’s experiences at Porto, the Revolution victimized by their own lack of patience, a refereeing decision that caused them to play a man short for 68 minutes, and the artificial turf.

“There is no difference in the game because the rules are the same, though sometimes we have more lines on the field,’’ Jankauskas said, referring to the NFL markings at Gillette Stadium. “We have a good group, a good medical team, a good coaching team. They know how to keep players happy, even when we are working hard. And that’s important.

“It’s a tough league. We never have an easy game. Nobody beats us easily and we never win easy, either. So, it’s competitive, and every game is like a final for us because we are trying to get to the playoffs.’’

Jankauskas clearly has enjoyed a life that has pulled him away from his Baltic roots. Jankauskas grew up in the Soviet system, performing for USSR national teams at the youth level. Jankauskas, who is 6 feet 4 inches, also was involved in basketball but said he preferred soccer.

“We are probably the only country in Europe where soccer is not the No. 1 sport,’’ Jankauskas said. “We had a great national team in basketball, and basketball always gets more attention. But I always liked football more than basketball. I did play basketball and I enjoy street basketball, playing two on two. I can shoot free throws pretty well and I could be like a playmaker.

“We’ve had a few players in the NBA, Sarunas Marciulionis and Arvydas Sabonis, and now [Zydrunas] Ilgauskas, [Linas] Kleiza. We are a small country, so we all know each other. But until 1991 it was difficult to go abroad because we were part of the Soviet Union. Now, our [soccer] national team’s players are all outside the country - Italy, Russia, Holland, Ukraine. Before, those were terrible times - we were blocked and nobody knew what was happening in the world. Now, everyone has phones and Internet. But we don’t have stadiums. When you compare us with other countries we are far behind.’’

Lithuania might be improving in soccer. Tomas Danilevicius is performing for Livorno and Marius Stankevicius with Sampdoria in Italy’s Serie A. But the national team lost to the Faroe Islands, 2-1, and is out of contention in a qualifying group that includes Austria, France, Romania, Serbia.

Jankauskas has played for Jose Mourinho (Porto), one of the game’s highest-paid coaches, and Steve Nicol (Revolution), one of the MLS’s best coaches and probably the league’s best developer of talent.

“It’s not about the country you are playing in, it’s about the things surrounding your team,’’ Jankauskas said. “How the team is being coached is very important.

“[Mourinho] has a sense of humor, and it is different than Steve’s, but both of them are great coaches. I played in Scotland and [Nicol] is a legend there. What he did at Liverpool, it says a lot. He probably knows soccer better than we do, he has such experience at such a high level.’’

If this season is successful, Jankauskas could return to the Revolution. If not, he will find his place in the world.

“I played in Spain and Portugal and you have great weather there,’’ Jankauskas said. “I played in France, in Nice, and I don’t know if there is a nicer place in Europe. Every place has its positive side. We will have to see.’’

Frank Dell’Apa can be reached at f_dellapa@globe.com.