Saluting some of the greatest Greek players to play in the Premier League
A truly global competition, the Premier League has managed to attract a number of Greek players over the years. As well as pulling in prestigious talents from other nations, such as French legend Thierry Henry and modern-day goal machines like Erling Haaland, some of Greece’s finest exports have also played their part in a number of sides in England’s top flight.
At the moment, Kostas Tsimikas is flying the flag for Greek football in the biggest domestic competition in the sport, but a number of talented professionals from Greece have shone in the division. In fact, at the time of writing, 25 Greek players have plied their trade in England’s top tier, with many of them making history with Greece during the nation’s unforgettable Euro 2004 triumph. Let’s take a look at some of them below.
Liverpool fans eventually took to Sotirios Kyrgiakos
After joining the club, eyebrows were certainly raised at Liverpool’s capture of Sotirios Kyrgiakos from AEK Athens. While Greek fans will know all about the defensive stalwart’s capabilities, Liverpool’s supporters were initially underwhelmed by the signing in 2009. The big defender eventually managed to win them over, though, with his dominant displays and passion shining through on numerous occasions. A horrific red card against Liverpool’s rivals Everton and a dismal spell with Sunderland in 2012 didn’t help his overall reputation in England, though, but Sotirios Kyrgiakos certainly had his admirers.
Stathis Tavlaridis struggled to force his way in at Arsenal
These days, Arsenal are challenging for the title once again and are being backed in terms of football betting, while podcasts and YouTube channels are no longer sharing the negative content that essentially helped fuel Arsene Wenger’s exit from the club. The glory years are close to being restored, and those glory years are what held Stathis Tavlaridis back, with the young Greek defender having the challenge of displacing Kolo Toure and Sol Campbell. He failed in his mission, eventually only making one competitive appearance for the club, although Tavlaridis did manage to shine elsewhere in his career following his Gunners exit.
Stelios Giannakopoulos is a Bolton legend
When Stelios Giannakopoulos joined Bolton, he was somewhat of an unknown quantity. In time, though, the talented winger, who joined the club from Olympiacos, won the Bolton faithful over and managed to achieve legendary status in his new home. Many Bolton fans regard the creative wide man as one of the club’s greatest ever players after he managed to stand out on numerous occasions for the Trotters, although his career highlight in a Bolton shirt clearly came in a 1-1 draw with Tottenham in April 2008, with his goal securing Bolton’s Premier League survival in the process.
Nikos Dabizas is a Toon Army hero
Ask most Newcastle United fans who Nikos Dabizas is and they’ll probably offer a hugely positive response given his time in the north of England. Dabizas did an admirable job of showcasing that there is indeed talent from Greece, with the centre-back being ever present for the Toon Army during his five years at the club. He kept numerous clean sheets, he scored a big goal in the Tyne-Wear derby against Sunderland, and his passion and love for the badge meant that many Newcastle fans will always have a soft spot for the big Greek defender.
Sokratis Papastathopoulos was solid for Arsenal
While he did have a few horror moments in an Arsenal shirt, Sokratis Papastathopoulos joined the club on a high after standing out for Borussia Dortmund. The defensive stopper was a big signing for the Gunners and backed up the clubs’ investment by being a solid defender during his time at the club. Tony Adams and Sol Campbell he is not, but the former AEK Athens and Olympiacos centre-back provided some much-needed defensive stability to an Arsenal side that were in desperate need of it at the time.
Giorgos Karagounis was a Fulham favourite
Turning out for Fulham between 2012 and 2014, Greece’s legendary midfielder, Giorgos Karagounis, took his performances on the international stage to England’s top flight and became an instant hit with the Fulham faithful. Injuries did eventually catch up with the experienced midfield leader, but Karagounis managed to contribute during his time with the London club, particularly when he scored a belter in the FA Cup. A consummate professional, Giorgos Karagounis is easily one of Greece’s greatest ever players.
Special mention must also go to Theodoros Zagorakis (Leicester City), Angelos Basinas (Portsmouth), Georgios Samaras (Manchester City), Konstantinos Mavropanos (Arsenal), Apostolos Vellios (Everton), Giorgos Donis (Blackburn), and José Holebas (Watford).
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