Decade Review: Greece, from dizzying heights to the lowest of the lows

AGONAsport's "Decade in Review" series continues with George Tsitsonis looking back at the Greek national team's exceptional first half of the decade which was followed by the Ethniki's drop to the lowest of the lows. 

Watch LIVE GREEK TV including full GREEK SPORTS coverage with Go Greek TV! 

2010

2010 World Cup

Greece’s second-ever World Cup appearance started like their first, a defeat in the first match. A 2-0 reverse against South Korea meant a disappointing start. However, a come-from-behind win over Nigeria in the next game saw Greece score their first goals ever in the competition along with picking their first points at a World Cup. The decisive group match was against heavyweights Argentina. For 77 minutes, Greece held on and were a goal away from progression to the knockout round, however Martin DeMichelis’ goal settled the match, and Martin Palermo added a second just a minute from time. 

Two losses from three matches meant Greece were out at the Group Stage, but the win over Nigeria and competitive spirit shown against Argentina ensured that Greece could walk away from the tournament with their heads held high. Long-time manager Otto Rehhagel stepped down as manager following the World Cup elimination marking an end to a nine-year reign, which included qualification for two European Championships, one World Cup, and of course, the remarkable success of winning EURO 2004.

2010-2012

EURO 2012 Qualifying 

The post-Rehhagel era began in July 2010 with the appointment of Portuguese manager Fernando Santos. The veteran boss picked up where Rehhagel left and employed a similar playing style and personnel like his predecessor. While there were new faces found in the squad, the environment and winning mentality of the team stayed the same, ensuring a period of sustained success and a team that remained incredibly difficult to defeat.

In EURO 2012 qualifying, Greece finished first in Group F with 24 points from ten matches. They went undefeated in the group with seven wins, and three draws to finish ahead of Croatia.

In the last two crucial qualifiers, Greece defeated Croatia at home 2-0 and then came from behind in the group finale to defeat Georgia away 2-1 to book their spot at EURO 2012, to be hosted by Poland and Ukraine.

EURO 2012

Greece faced the challenging prospect of being drawn into Group A at EURO 2012 alongside co-hosts Poland, the Czech Republic, and Russia. As they did at EURO 2004, the Ethniki kicked off the tournament with a match against the hosts. Poland took the early lead in the competition curtain-raiser through Robert Lewandowski. Santos’ men showed resilience to fight back, however. Despite going down to ten men due to Sokratis Papastathopoulos’ red card, Greece drew level six minutes after the restart through Dimitris Salpingidis. Greece then nearly took the lead through the penalty spot after Wojciech Szczesny was red-carded for bringing down Salpingidis in the box. Karagounis’ ensuing spot-kick was saved by substitute goalkeeper Przemyslaw Tyton. It was a thrilling match that finished 1-1.

Despite a second-half Theofanis Gekas goal, Greece went down 2-1 to the Czech Republic in their next match. The Ethniki could not come from behind after gifting the Czechs two goals inside the game’s first six minutes.

The defeat to the Czechs meant that the Group A finale against Russia was essentially a final for Greece. A win and they were through, while a loss or draw would see them eliminated. Russia had the upper-hand throughout the entire first half as they searched for the opener. It was Greece, though, who scored at a crucial juncture. Two minutes into first-half injury-time, Giorgos Karagounis stole a ball on the right and dribbled into the box to score from his well-hit low drive. Russia poured forward in search of an equalizer in the second half, but Greece relished those sorts of matches and emerged victorious, once again shocking a competition. The 1-0 victory meant the Ethniki were through to the quarter-finals of the competition where they would face Germany.

In the quarter-final against the heavily fancied German side, Greece fell behind to Phillip Lahm’s goal six minutes before the break. The best period of Santos’ side was after halftime, and the team drew level through a sweeping counter-attack finished off by Georgios Samaras in the 55th minute. The pure ecstasy of the Greek fans did not last long, however, as goals from Sami Khedira, Miroslav Klose, and Marco Reus in the next 20 minutes gave Germany an unassailable lead. Salpingidis added a penalty a minute from full-time to give the scoreline a more respectable look. Greece went out in the last eight, but not before giving fans another tournament with memories to remember.  

2012-2014 

2014 World Cup Qualifying

Qualification for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil was always going to be a battle between Greece and Bosnia in Group G of European qualifying. The two teams absolutely dominated a group that also included Slovakia, Lithuania, Latvia, and Liechtenstein. Bosnia and Greece both finished on 25 points with identical 8-1-1 records, but the Bosnians earned first in the group and qualification to Brazil thanks to a better goal differential.

Greece were forced into a playoff against Romania, another second-placed finished from Group D. The first leg of that playoff took place in Piraeus at the Karaiskakis Stadium and a brace from Kostas Mitroglou and a Salpingidis goal gave Greece the win, but an away goal gave the Romanians hope despite the 3-1 defeat.

Mitroglou’s early goal in the second leg seemingly settled the affair, despite an own goal earning the Romanians a 1-1 draw. The 4-2 aggregate win saw Greece advance to their third-ever World Cup finals. 

2014 World Cup

The draw for the 2014 World Cup placed Greece in a tough Group C that featured an in-form Colombia side, perennial World Cup participants South Korea, and an Ivory Coast side whose golden generation was taking their last shot at glory. 

Greece began yet another World Cup with a subpar outing as they went down 3-0 to a Colombia side full of energy and attacking power. 

Faced with the prospect of another early elimination, Greece needed a result against Japan in their second match. Kostas Katsouranis’ 38th-minute red card gave the Ethniki a mountain to climb. In the end, Greece earned a point from a goalless draw which kept them alive in the competition.

The final Group Stage match versus Ivory Coast was another opportunity to qualify for the knockout rounds of a competition. For Greece to go where they had never gone before (the last 16 of the World Cup), they needed to defeat the Ivory Coast.

Injuries to Orestis Karnezis and Panagiotis Kone forced Santos into two substitutions before the 25th minute. Even so, Greece scored three minutes before halftime as Andreas Samaris picked off a loose pass before driving in toward goal to finish past Boubacar Barry. Greeks fans began to dream of a spot in the next round until Wilfried Bony equalized in the 74th minute. With time winding down, Ivory Coast had a foot in the Round of 16. Then Georgios Samaras won a penalty in injury-time from Giovanni Sio. Despite tension of the highest order, Samaras coolly slotted home from twelve yards, and Greece came out victorious in the most dramatic circumstances.

Greece would meet Costa Rica in the Round of 16 in a match-up of surprise sides. The Ticos took the lead through a Bryan Ruiz goal after 52 minutes but were reduced to ten men in the 66th after a second yellow card to Oscar Duarte. This was another match with incredible late drama, and this time it was Sokratis Papastathopoulos who was the hero as he scored his first-ever international goal in injury-time to send the game into extra-time. 

Sokratis’ goal was the high point of the night. Greece wasted several dangerous opportunities to finish off the match in extra-time, and thus the match went to penalties. There, Keylor Navas saved Theofanis Gekas’s penalty, and Costa Rica went on to win the shootout. The Greeks were out having come so incredibly close to a spot in the quarter-finals. 

2014-2015

The post-2014 World Cup period signaled the end of an era for the national team as Santos stepped down as manager and veteran stalwarts Karagounis and Katsouranis also retired from international duty. Claudio Ranieri was unveiled as the new manager, charged with building upon the work of previous managers, Rehhagel and Santos.

EURO 2016 Qualifying

Greece had been drawn into a manageable EURO 2016 qualifying group that included Romania, Finland, Hungary, Northern Ireland, and the Faroe Islands. A home defeat to Romania and away draw to Finland was not the best start, however most believed that the Ethniki would still advance.

An embarrassing, shock defeat to the Faroe Islands uncovered growing issues within the national team setup and suddenly Greece were a team in crisis. Ranieri was sacked, Sergio Markarian was brought in for a short time before he too stepped down. Greece lost to the Faroes again, and went winless in the group until the last match against Hungary, which they won 4-3. The campaign was a disaster and Greece finished last in Group F.

2016-2017

German manager Michael Skibbe had been appointed before the 2018 World Cup qualifiers as Greece sought to recover from the crisis-ridden year. 

2018 World Cup Qualifying

Skibbe did well to get Greece back on track even if there was still criticism of his tactics and the team’s performances. In Group H of 2018 World Cup qualifying, Greece were drawn alongside Belgium, Bosnia, Cyprus, Estonia, and Gibraltar. Belgium had little trouble in topping the group, winning nine of their ten matches. In fact, only Greece were able to nab a result from the Belgian side, drawing 1-1 in Belgium where only a Romelu Lukaku late goal denied the Ethniki a famous victory.

Second place in the group came down to a battle between Greece and Bosnia. The two teams tied each other home and away. In the end, Greece’s easier schedule toward the end with an away trip to Cyprus and a home match versus Gibraltar made the difference as the team finished with 19 points to 17 for the Bosnians who lost on the penultimate matchday at home to Belgium.

Having finished second, Greece went into the playoff draw where they were paired against Croatia. After defeating Ukraine in 2009 and Romania in 2013 at the same stage to qualify for the World Cup, hopes were high that Greece could make it three qualifications in a row. A terrible defensive performance, however, in the first leg in Zagreb essentially gifted Croatia qualification. Greece made one mistake after another in a 4-1 loss and could only muster a 0-0 draw with their opponents in the return leg, meaning they would miss out on Russia 2018. 

2018-2019

UEFA Nations League

Skibbe retained his job after leading Greece to the playoffs of World Cup qualification and led Greece into the first edition of the UEFA Nations League. The belief was that after a difficult few years, this was a team on the rise. Unfortunately, in Group 2 of League C, they only managed a third-place finish behind Finland and Hungary and just above Estonia, whom they were beaten by in the final round of matches.

The Skibbe era came to an end before the end of the Nations League campaign, and the Greek Football Federation (EPO) selected Angelos Anastasiadis as the man to lead Greece forward.

EURO 2020 Qualifying

In a group with Italy, Bosnia, Finland, Armenia, and Liechtenstein, the main goal was second place and the campaign began in a decent manner with a victory at Liechtenstein and a comeback draw away to Bosnia. Beginning with the home game against Italy in June 2019, Greece went on to lose three straight matches before another low point in failing to defeat Liechtenstein at home (1-1 draw). By that point, Anastasiadis had fallen out with the players and been given the sack. The surprising choice to replace him was Dutch-Canadian coach John Van’t Schip. 

The draw to Liechtenstein ended any lingering hopes of qualifying for EURO 2020, and thus Van’t Schip took the opportunity to try a host of younger players for the remaining qualifiers. The results were promising. A loss to Italy was followed by three consecutive victories against Bosnia, Armenia, and Finland, where the team was lauded for the attacking style that had been implemented.

THE HIGHS

‘Iceman’ Samaras clinches Greece place in World Cup Round of 16

Cometh the hour, cometh the man. At Brazil 2014, that man for Greece was Georgios Samaras. In the final Group C match, Samaras won the penalty from Giovanni Sio in injury-time with Greece and Ivory Coast locked together in a 1-1 draw. Greece needed a victory to advance to the Round of 16, and Samaras stepped up to take the spot-kick. The images of those few moments will forever be ingrained in the mind of Ethniki supporters as Ivory Coast goalkeeper Boubacar Barry thumped his chest to throw Samaras off. Cold as ice, though, the Greek attacker buried his penalty, kicking off wild celebrations on the pitch, in the stands, and across Greece and the Greek diaspora. 

Karagounis seals EURO 2012 quarters spot

After a backs-to-the-wall first half, Greece were just holding on against the favored Russians. At stake was a place in the quarter-finals of EURO 2012. Greece needed a win to go through. Up stepped Giorgos Karagounis as he latched onto an errant ball, streaked toward the box, and once inside let loose with a hard, low drive that saw him hit the back of the net. The goal was all the Ethniki needed to book a quarter-final date with mighty Germany.  

World Cup berth clinched as Mitrogoal guns down Romania

With World Cup qualification on the line for Brazil 2014, Greece faced off versus Romania in a playoff. A 3-1 win at home set the tone as Kostas Mitroglou scored twice along with a goal from Dimitris Salpingidis. In the second leg, a sublime goal from ‘Mitrogoal’ set Greece on their way to another World Cup berth (4-2 on aggregate). 

Dual late shows clinch EURO 2012 place

With EURO 2012 hopes hanging in the balance, Greece took on Croatia, needing a victory to have a chance to progress via direct qualification (avoiding the playoff). Goals from Samaras and Gekas meant Greece could control their own destiny in the group. A few days later, the campaign was set to finish away to Georgia, where only a draw would be enough for Greece to clinch qualification. There, Greece fell behind in Tbilisi before a late comeback gave them a 2-1 win and clinched a spot at EURO 2012.

10-men battle for crucial World Cup point against Japan

After being trounced by Colombia in their 2014 World Cup opener, Greece needed a result against Japan. Things got worse before they got better, though, as Kostas Katsouranis’ 38th-minute red card left Greece with ten men. Even so, the battling qualities of the team were evident as they fought and scraped for a 0-0 draw, which would prove to be absolutely priceless in the team’s attempt to advance to the Round of 16.

A team that hardly lost - FIFA Rankings heights/Unbeaten runs 2010-11 and 2012-14

The stats say it all. Under Fernando Santos, Greece simply forgot how to lose. From August 2010 to November 2011, the Ethniki racked up an unbeaten run of seventeen matches. Between August 2012-March 2014, Greece lost only one time in sixteen games. The effect these runs had on the country’s FIFA Rankings was immense. Between 2011-14, Greece consistently figured in the top twelve of the world rankings, placing as high as eighth on a couple of occasions.

‘Salpi’ and ‘Toro’ fire Ethniki to first ever World Cup victory

After four consecutive losses, Greece won their first World Cup match on the fifth attempt. At the 2010 World Cup, Greece went down 2-0 to South Korea before facing off against Nigeria. Kala Uche’s 16th-minute goal gave the Super Eagles the lead. The game turned in the 33rd minute, though, after Sani Kaita’s red card (for kicking out at Torosidis) left Nigeria with ten men. Greece capitalized soon after. Dimitris Salpingidis scored his country’s first World Cup goal to level the score just before the half. Then Torosidis finished off a move twenty minutes from time to give the Ethniki their first World Cup victory. 

Sokratis leveller in Round of 16 versus Costa Rica

Down 1-0 against Costa Rica in the Round of 16 in the final minute of play, Greece looked to be going out of the tournament. It was then when Sokratis Papastathopoulos pounced onto a rebound and scored to level the match for Greece. It was a memorable moment of pure joy for Greek supporters, one to be cherished always, despite what would happen later with the final result.

Tzavellas thunderbolt at the death denies Bosnia

Bosnia looked to be leaving Greece with a huge win as the clock ticked away in the two teams’ 2014 World Cup qualifier. However, with the last kick of the match, some five minutes into injury time, Giorgos Tzavellas perfectly struck his half volley from outside the box to give the Bosnian keeper no chance. The match ended in a 1-1 draw, which proved a crucial point that would see the Ethniki eventually pip Bosnia to second place in the group.

The new “Pirate Schip”

Victories over the likes Bosnia, Armenia, and Finland may not seem like top-ten worthy material for a best of the decade piece like this. However, the restructuring of the national team by new manager John Van’t Schip has Greek supporters excited. The early signs of a young, hungry, and talented group of players being brought into the squad are very positive. There are loads of optimism that this new generation can rekindle the successes of the past. That remains to be seen. But, what can be said is that the emphasis on a more attacking style of play along with the drive and passion showed thus far offers hope that better days lie ahead in the future of the national team.

THE LOWS

Penalty heartbreak at Brazil 2014

Pride and appreciation were in abundance, looking back at Greece’s 2014 World Cup run. Ultimately, though, disappointment reigned on a massive missed opportunity. After falling behind to Bryan Ruiz’s goal, Greece fought back against the 10-man Ticos to snatch a leveler in injury-time through Sokratis, sending the game into extra-time. There, Greece controlled proceedings and had huge chances to score the winner, but bad decision-making and finishing in the final third ensured the Ethniki went to penalties for the first time in its World Cup history. There, Mitroglou, Lazaros Christodoulopoulos, and Jose Holebas all converted from the spot. Fanis Gekas failed to score after Costa Rica keeper Keylor Navas batted his ball away, and Greece were eliminated.

Faroes’ disasters

The 1-0 defeat to Romania in Claudio Ranieri’s debut could be swallowed and put down to a new manager and squad needing time to gel. There was no explanation offered, however, when Greece went down to a shock 1-0 home defeat to the Faroe Islands. That loss saw Greece become the joke of European football. Making matters worse, a few months later, the Ethniki again were beaten by the Faroes’ part-timers.

Meltdowns against the minnows

Take your pick from a number of embarrassing performances over the last half decade. Besides the Faroes’ defeats, other low points have come with losses to minnows such as Luxembourg,  Estonia, and Armenia as well as most recently a 1-1 home draw against Liechtenstein.

Defensive calamities in Croatia

Though they were the underdogs against Croatia in the 2018 World Cup - European playoffs, Greece were expected to be stiff opposition for their opponents. That all went out the window in a disastrous first leg away from home. Defensive mistakes all over the place saw Greece ship four goals and lose 4-1. With such a large advantage, the second leg was a formality eventually ending in a 0-0 stalemate as Croatia easily advanced to Russia 2018.

From a family to ‘Mykonos FC’

Despite all of the animosity between the big clubs in Greece, the national team became a tight-knit group from 2001-14. The atmosphere was positive, and the team seemed like a family. As players and managers began to depart in the post-2014 World Cup era, this all changed. Infighting and indifference came to the fore, with players losing the plot on and off the pitch, destroying the healthy environment that had been created. 

BEST XI OF THE DECADE

Manager: Fernando Santos

Goalkeeper: Orestis Karnezis

In the post-Nikopolidis era, Karnezis was the most consistent of Greece’s keepers in the period between 2010-2020. The current Napoli player has made 49 caps for Greece, including the country’s starter at the 2014 World Cup.

Left-back: Jose Holebas

The current Watford left-back was a player who divided opinion especially since he called quits on his international career in 2016. The 38 caps he earned, though, make him the most selected left-back and one whose offensive forays gave Greece an extra dimension in attack, especially at the 2014 World Cup. 

Right-back: Vasilis Torosidis

He may be nearing the end of his career now, but for a decade Torosidis was one of the first names on the Greek team sheet. Between 2010-14 when Greece found much success, Torosidis was ever-present in the side. He made the bulk of his 101 international caps during this past decade and was a real threat going forward as evidenced by his 10 goals for Greece. Perhaps his most memorable moments was the game-winning goal against Nigeria at the 2010 World Cup which propelled the Ethniki to their first-ever World Cup victory.

Center-back: Sokratis Papastathopoulos

His international future may not be clear at the moment, but there is no doubt that Papastathopoulos has been Greece’s top defender over the last ten years. The Arsenal center-back has played for a slew of Europe’s top clubs including AC Milan, Borussia Dortmund, and now the North Londoners. From man-marking Lionel Messi, to battling against other top forwards, to scoring the equalizer against Costa Rica at the 2014 World Cup, Sokratis’ name is synonymous with Greece’s best moments in the last decade.

Center-back: Kostas Manolas

In a similar vein as Papastathopoulos, Manolas has been a stalwart of the Greek defense in recent years. He shined brightly at the 2014 World Cup and that is probably the height of his international career.

Central Midfielder: Giannis Maniatis

Unspectacular could describe Maniatis’ play for Greece, but also dependable. Greece have not had a midfield scrapper quite like Maniatis in recent times. When in-form, he added bite and energy to the middle of the park for Greece. Maniatis was useful as well due to his versatility. With the ability to also play right back, he was able to represent Greece 50 times, all between 2010-2017.

Central Midfielder: Kostas Katsouranis

Rehhagel consistently picked Katsouranis as a young player and as the player aged into his thirties, Santos kept faith with the midfielder. A member of the EURO 2004 winning side, Katsouranis’ ability and leadership was sorely missed after he retired from international football meaning he became one of those players who was appreciated more long after he stopped playing for Greece.

Attacking Midfielder: Giorgos Karagounis

Karagounis’ influence on the national team probably grew more than anyone in the time following EURO 2004. He became the undisputed leader of the team after Theodoros Zagorakis’ retirement. His passion was infectious and made him one of the most loved players in national team history. He was key to the Greek success between 2010-14. The benefit of hindsight suggests it should have been no surprise that without his charisma and skill in the Greek midfield, the national team suffered so much after he called it quits on his career in 2014. 

Forward: Georgios Samaras

Occasionally Samaras’ languid style made him the target of criticism, but he was a player for the big stage and scored some key goals for Greece during EURO 2012 and the 2014 World Cup. In a series of defensive-minded teams, Samaras’ creativity and ability to hit teams on the counter-attack made him an important part of the Greek side that achieved success early on in the 2010’s.

Forward: Dimitris Salpingidis

Like Samaras, Salpingidis was another player who scored important goals in high-profile matches from qualifiers to major finals. He will forever be remembered as the scorer of Greece’s first-ever goal in a World Cup. Many had labelled ‘Salpi’ as a player with limited technical ability. His professionalism and sheer effort ensured that he was a key cog in the Greek attack especially from 2010-2014. 

Striker: Kostas Mitroglou

Mitroglou’s career has had a little of the ‘what could have been’ about it. That is no different when it comes to his time with the national team. The question always begs how much better could this player have been had his application matched his talent. Despite a feeling of not having quite achieved what his potential offered, Mitroglou still put forth some quality performances for Greece. Of his 17 goals for Greece in 64 caps, his most prolific period was in 2014 World Cup qualifying where he scored five times, including three goals in the playoffs versus Romania. 

Honorable Mentions: Michalis Sifakis (GK), Kyriakos Papadopoulos (CB), Giorgos Tzavellas (LB), Alexandros Tziolis (DM), Andreas Samaris (CM), Kostas Fortounis (AM), Fanis Gekas (ST)  

Thank you for visiting AGONAsport.com, the only English based website for Greek sports fans across the world! Like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, and Twitter for all the latest news in Greek Sports!