Grant Emerhi was curious.
A little over two years ago, the New England Revolution Academy forward wanted to see if he could play for the Lithuanian Youth National Team. Emerhi’s mother, Laura, was born in Kaunas, Lithuania, and the 17-year-old from Mansfield, Mass., had dual citizenship thanks to his European passport.
So Emerhi went to work. He researched contacts, fired off emails and compiled a highlight reel for the coaches to review. A phone call came a few weeks later. Emerhi’s speed and relentless attacking style impressed the team and he received an invite to training camp that summer.
Now, nearly two years after debuting for the Lithuanian National Team, Emerhi will play in his biggest tournament when he represents Lithuania in the first round of the UEFA European U-17 Championship in Northern Ireland.