AGONA Spotlight: Dimitris Kourbelis, the pillar of strength during difficult times
Amid penning a new deal to remain at Panathinaikos for the long-term, the AGONA Spotlight falls on captain Dimitris Kourbelis for his loyalty and commitment to the Prasini during the club’s difficult times.
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Dimitris Kourbelis put to bed any speculation of an exit from Panathinaikos by penning a new deal that keeps him at the club until the summer of 2023. The Panathinaikos captain has been a pillar of strength during the club’s most difficult chapter in its history and has somewhat become the face of the club on the pitch. Since taking over the captain’s armband from the popular Zeca, his career has gone from strength to strength, even if he is not enjoying his best season to date.
Kourbelis remains as fully committed to the Greens as ever, and stayed true to his words from almost two years ago when he stated that he would not leave for another club in Greece, only for a club overseas. This new deal means the club’s most prized asset will remain at the club for the peak of his career. He has carried the club at times and become a consistent member of the Greek national team set up along the way.
Here are some of his best moments with the Trifylli to date.
Debut in the Green Shirt
He was thrown in the deep end by then-manager Marinos Ouzounidis when he made his starting debut in a 1-0 loss away at Platanias. While the result was a negative takeaway, Kourbelis demonstrated from the beginning that he possessed the mindset and tenacity required to succeed at a big club.
Strong Partnership Forged with Zeca
Ouzounidis trusted the player from the beginning and played him next to Zeca to great effect. The team ended the 2016-17 season somewhat on a high as they picked up thrilling derby wins away at AEK and PAOK. Ouzounidis took over from the unpopular Andrea Stramaccioni, and the solid pairing in the middle of the park was pivotal to an upturn in results. Perhaps their best outing together came in the 1-0 Derby of Eternal Enemies win over Olympiacos at Leoforos, where they strangled the visitors out of the game. The duo has rekindled their partnership for the national team over the years following Zeca’s departure to Copenhagen.
Debut with the Ethniki
His callup to the Greek national team only solidified Kourbelis’ standing in Greek football at the moment, as he is among the best central midfielders the country possesses. His debut came away at Bosnia, where he replaced Petros Mantalos in a side managed by Michael Skibbe. He helped see out the game and soak up any pressure as the match ended goalless. Kourbelis was rewarded for an array for quality outings at the club level and wore the number 17.
A Warrior During Difficult Times
The Panathinaikos world came to a standstill in September 2017 when Giannis Alafouzos announced that he would be pulling the plug on any further investment into the club. Consequently, the playing squad went unpaid for several months, as did other backroom staff, and the club was forced into selling its best players in a bid to stay alive.
Kourbelis has been the only one that has stayed during the most challenging period in the club’s illustrious history. It was in January 2018 when he stated he would not join any other Greek club amid interest from PAOK (which he was grateful for). Not only did he stay, he possibly turned in his best performances for the club at the back end of the 2017-18 season as he was like a lion in the centre of the park.
First Goal for the Club
While he had to wait a while for his first goal, it was worth it as it helped play a role in securing a 3-1 home win over Lamia during the early stages of last season’s Championship. During this time, he emerged as one of the older and more experienced players in a young, new-look squad revamped by Giorgos Donis due to a transfer ban.
Battling Through Injury to Play
Last season, he suffered a nose injury in a match against PAS Giannina but featured the following week in a 1-0 home win over former club Asteras Tripolis. Kourbelis wore a face mask to take the field and was instrumental in this win as he notched a quality assist by lofting a perfectly weighted high ball into the penalty area. The doctors ordered him not to play, but he had other ideas and battled on.
Signing the New Deal
Panathinaikos were in a hurry to lock down their captain as he is not only the most valued player in the squad but his previous contract ended in December 2020. As a result, other clubs would have come calling soon, and he could have gone for free during the middle of next season. However, he remained loyal by penning a new three-year contract.
Moving forward, his objective is clear - to return the club to a high position in the ladder and bring back the days where winning silverware was a regular occurrence. One thing is sure, Kourbelis is a player that deserves to be playing in title-winning Panathinaikos teams.
