Seven facts about England’s opponents

ROY HODGSON’S England face Lithuania in a Euro 2016 qualifier at Wembley on Friday night. Here are some little-known facts about the opposition:
Roy HodgsonRoy Hodgson
Roy Hodgson

1 The paternal grandfather of Anthony Kiedis, lead singer of the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, emigrated from Lithuania to the United States in the early 1900s.

2 Lithuania is the only country in the world which has an official national perfume. Scent of Lithuania has topnotes of bergamot, wild flower bouquet, ginger, raspberry, red berries and grapefruit.

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3 Hot air ballooning is one of the most popular pastimes in Lithuania, which is believed to boast more hot air balloons per head of the population than any other country in the world.

4 One of Lithuania’s most popular national dishes is vedarai - potato stuffed into the large intestine of a domestic pig.

5 Lithuania was the first former Soviet state to declare independence in March 1990, a move which was formally recognised the following year.

6 Basketball is the national sport of Lithuania and its men’s team has won bronze medals at three Olympic Games.

7 Lithuania made its Eurovision Song Contest debut in 1994. The entry by Ovidijus Vysniauskas, “Lullaby For My Beloved”, finished last with no points.