Future Greek internationals waiting in the wings

 Future Greek internationals waiting in the wings

By Stephen Kountourou

In the aftermath of another disappointing campaign in which Greece, for the sixth time, failed to qualify for a major tournament, this time the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico. 

Ivan Jovanovic and a talented Ethniki side, despite an encouraging start to life under the Serbian manager, have shown their mental fragility and lack of experience in the big moments, with comprehensive defeats against Scotland and Denmark twice in their group. 

Although this was a hammer blow for us as supporters of the national team, there is still hope for the long-term future of this team. We have spoken many times over the last year about the young core of emerging Greek talent who have become regulars when the international break comes around, with some of whom, we believe, have the highest level of potential we have seen from a crop of players in years. 

As far as the current squad which was called up this November is concerned, Konstantinos Tzolakis and Christos Mandas, as a goalkeeping duo, are 23 and 24 years old, respectively, and either could be the number one for the Ethniki for years to come. 

The defence contains the likes of Konstantinos Koulierakis, Giorgos Vagiannidis, and Giannis Michalidis are 21, 24 and 25 years old. In central midfield, you will find Christos Mouzakitis, Christos Zafeiris, and newly called-up Nectarios Triantis, the first being only 18 years old, and the latter two players being 22. 

The crown duels of Jovanovic’s squad in advanced positions, that being the trio of Giannis Konstantelias, Christos Tzolis, and Konstantinos Karetsas, are the envy of world football. 

In the forward line,18-year-old Babis Kostoulas can play anywhere on the wing, behind the striker or at the number 9 position himself, offers a level of versatility we have not seen from a Greek player in recent memory. 

Even Andreas Tetteh, who has had an excellent start to the season at Kifisia and has already agreed to join Panathinaikos next summer, cannot go without a mention. 

So, even before getting into the real meat of this blog, it is clear that Greece has an extremely bright future. Not for a generation or two have so many highly rated young players, on the cusp of stardom, been in one Greek national team at once.

Now that there is no hope of qualifying for the World Cup, and with the Greek Football Federation president Makis Gagatsis giving his full support for Ivan Jovanovic to continue as head coach, these two matches are also seen as preparation for the Nations League A campaign and, more importantly, the Euro 2028 qualifiers. 

Supporters expected several players to be called up to the November international break, and while the likes of Triantis, Kostoulas and Tetteh all have the chance to make their debut and even be part of the long-term national teams long team project, a few other players were waiting in the wings, who could consider themselves unlucky not to be given that same opportunity. But who are the players who just missed out? 

If there are any players that were missed, feel free to comment who you would have liked to have been given a call-up to Greece or who you would like to see in the future. 

Alexandros Kyziridis

The first and perhaps most unfortunate to not be part of this latest Greece squad is Heart of Midlothian’s in-form winger Alexandros Kyziridis. The 25-year-old, who joined the Scottish Premiership side from Slovakian club Zemplin Michalovce on a free transfer, has been a sensation this season. 

In a Hearts side who have taken a shock lead at the top of the Scottish topflight at the time of writing, the Macedonian native has been a pivotal part of the club's successes so far, with five goals and five assists in all competitions. 

While he is deployed as a left winger, he would still add depth on either flank, which the Ethniki is in desperately short supply, even after the emergence of Tzolis, Karetsas and Konstantelias. 

Also, with Giorgos Masouras and Dimitris Pelkas not getting any younger, and if Kyziridis can maintain his form and game time over the course of this campaign and beyond, it will only be a matter of time before he is included in Jovanovic’s squad.

Dimitris Kaloskamis

Considering the injury which ruled out Giannis Konstantelias, it is a little bit of a shame that Dimitris Kaloskamis was not called up to the senior side, at least for the experience. In fairness, he is the first, and not the last, of these players that have been called up to the U21, who themselves have some crucial qualifiers these next few days for the Euro U21 Championships.

After a solid campaign with Atromitos last season, AEK signed the midfielder for €1.2 million to bolster the club's Greek player quota, which for Enosis was an absolute must. Although he was not included in Marko Nikolic’s UEFA Conference League squad, potentially in part due to sustaining a broken collarbone in preseason, the 20-year-old has seen some minutes, although not always as a starter, in the Super League and Greek Cup, with four goal contributions in 11 appearances. 

It might be a bit too soon for Kaloskamis right now compared to other players on this list. He certainly has versatility, by playing in attacking midfield, either wing and even in centre midfield for the U21. But when casting our minds to the Euro 2028 qualifiers, hopefully, Kaloskamis is still developing and is ready to be a part of the national team set up.

Pavlos Pantelidis

The only player on this list to have already been called up before, but without making his debut for the Ethniki, much like his Kifisia teammate Andreas Tetteh, Pavlos Pantelidis is having a stellar campaign. Having also agreed to join Panathinaikos next summer, Pantelidis is enjoying some great scoring form for the Athenian side, with six league goals so far. 

A combination of his teammate Tetteh’s equally good form, along with Fotis Ioannidis’s injury and Tasos Douvikas not being included in this international break, the 23-year-old can feel a little bit hard done by, especially as he can also play on either wing, which, as said before, is a position that Greece lack depth in currently.

With a full season in the Greek top flight under his belt and his transfer to one of the biggest clubs in the country in the summer of 2026, Pantelidis will believe that he can be in contention for one of the spots at striker spots soon.

Stefanos Tzimas

Another one that can be mainly attributed to being called up to the U21, Stefanos Tzimas, while not playing hugely for Premier League side Brighton and Hove Albion yet, like his teammate Babis Kostoulas, it is only a matter of time before he gets game time for club and country at the senior level. 

Tzimas has already proved his goalscoring output and ice-cold decisiveness in front of goal, first for boyhood club PAOK and then in the German 2.Bundesliga with FC Nürnberg. 

At still just 19 years old, and if he stays injury-free, he seems destined to become the long-term successor to the number nine position for the Ethniki, especially once he has completed this qualifying campaign with the U21.  

Ilias Koutsoupias

The last player on this list, and probably the most obscure, is Ilias Koutsoupias. The Cretan native, who started his career in OFI’s academy before moving to Platanias and then out to Italy, currently plays in Serie B with Frosinone, who signed him from Catanzaro for €100,000. 

The central midfielder, with his side enjoying a good start to the season, is sitting 4th and in the playoff places currently, and has contributed massively to this. The 24-year-old has four goals and three assists in 12 League matches and can also play as a number six or in attacking midfield. 

Another position that has been highlighted before as an area which requires more depth and players in their mid twenties, Koutsoupias, whether he helps Frosinone win promotion to Serie A, or gets a move to a bigger club or bigger league elsewhere, is definitely one to watch that could be part of Greece’s squad sooner rather than later.

@SteveKountourou

Hellas Football