greek football player
not to be confused with Georgios Karagkoutis
Georgios “ Giorgos “ Karagounis ( greek : Γεώργιος “ Γιώργος ” Καραγκούνης ; born 6 March 1977 ) is a greek erstwhile professional football player who played as a midfielder.

In his club career, Karagounis played for Panathinaikos, Apollon Smyrni, Internazionale, Benfica and Fulham. At international level, Karagounis represented Greece between 1999 and 2014. He was a member of the UEFA Euro 2004 -winning police squad, and besides represented Greece at Euro 2008, the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Euro 2012 and the 2014 World Cup. With 139 appearances, he is the most cap player in the history of the Greece national team .

Club career [edit ]

Panathinaikos and loan to Apollon Smyrni [edit ]

Karagounis began his professional career in 1996 when he signed on loan for Apollon Smyrni from Panathinaikos. In his beginning match of years with the Athens -based club, he already showed signs of his endowment as a very energetic actor in the center of midfield who could besides score goals. After two seasons with Apollon, he returned to his rear club Panathinaikos in 1998, the club where he learned his deal. At Panathinaikos he became a fastness in the beginning team for the future five years. Although Panathinaikos did not win the Alpha Ethniki claim during his spell due to several controversial reasons, including a ball-fixing scandal, [ 2 ] the team was always a claim rival, and had good runs in both the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Cup, with Karagounis scoring significant goals for the team. He scored 6 times in 24 league matches during his first season with the Greens, and in the 2000–01. In the UEFA Champions League, he appeared in all 12 of Panathanaikos ‘ games, scoring a memorable finish from a direct free-kick against Manchester United at Old Trafford. [ 3 ] The follow season, at the Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium, Karagounis scored a fantastic finish against Arsenal, beating David Seaman with a header to help his team reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League. [ 4 ]

Internazionale [edit ]

In the summer of 2003, Karagounis left Panathinaikos to join italian Serie A club Internazionale. During his first season with Inter, he was not a regular starter in the league, chiefly appearing in european and Coppa Italia matches. At the conclusion of his first season in Italy, despite Karagounis spending a lot of time on the substitutes ‘ bench, Inter could only finish a disappoint fourth, with city rivals Milan winning the deed. however, he performed well enough to be called up to represent Greece at UEFA Euro 2004 in Portugal. After helping Greece gain that tournament, he returned to Italy for the 2004–05 season. Under Roberto Mancini, he was again chiefly used in european and domestic Coppa Italia matches quite than in Serie A matches. He won the 2004–05 Coppa Italia, helping Inter beatnik Roma in the final. At the end of the 2004–05 season, Inter finished third in Serie A, with Juventus winning the style. Inter besides reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League, suffering elimination by Milan .

Benfica [edit ]

In 2005, Karagounis moved to Portugal to sign a three-year condense with Benfica, [ 5 ] who are based at the Estádio district attorney Luz, the stadium where he won the Euro 2004 final with Greece. [ 6 ] Karagounis scored a copulate of memorable long-range goals while in Portugal, [ 7 ] against Shakhtar Donetsk, and a free-kick against Desportivo hyrax Aves. [ 8 ] Karagounis ‘ inaugural temper at Benfica was challenging, as he had difficulty establishing himself as a first-team regular. however, he became a regular crank in his second temper, putting in some excellent performances and becoming a sports fan favorite, who were by this clock time managed by Fernando Santos, who already knew Karagounis from their time together at Panathinaikos. After a successful stretch with Benfica, Karagounis seemed fix to return to play in Greece, again for Panathinaikos. Karagounis would return to the Estádio district attorney Luz to play for a Benfica All-Stars team in a jacob’s ladder pit against a team that included Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldo in 2010. [ 9 ]

refund to Panathinaikos [edit ]

Karagounis ‘ contract with Benfica was due to expire in July 2008, but his immediate deviation was negotiated due to personal issues. [ 10 ] After his release in the summer of 2007, Karagounis immediately returned to Panathinaikos, signing for the golf club for the future three years. [ 10 ] He quickly re-established himself in the team again, scoring key goals, specially in Europe. With his skill by the Athenians regarded as the start of a fresh earned run average at the club, Karagounis emerged not only as a leadership name at club level, but for Greece vitamin a well. He established himself as the captain of the national team. Karagounis ‘ backbone and commitment continued to give Panathinaikos an edge as the team made progress in Europe. [ 11 ] On 3 September 2009, Karagounis extended his stay until 2012 and stated he wanted to end his career at the club. [ 12 ] As captain of the team, he won his irregular Superleague title and the greek Cup. A 79th-minute strike by Karagounis secured Panathinaikos three UEFA Europa League points in Group F. [ 13 ]

Fulham [edit ]

Giorgos Karagounis playing for Fulham in May 2013 On 11 September 2012, Karagounis left Panathinaikos to join English Premier League side Fulham on a detached transfer. [ 14 ] Karagounis became the one-eighth Greek player from the Euro 2004-winning side to play in the Premier League, after Nikos Dabizas, Stelios Giannakopoulos, Vassilios Lakis, Theodoros Zagorakis, Angelos Basinas and Kostas Chalkias. Speaking at Fulham ‘s Motspur Park Training Ground, Karagounis said, “ I ‘m enchant to have signed for Fulham Football Club and I am excited by a new challenge in England and the Premier League. I ‘m looking forward to working under Martin Jol and playing aboard some antic players at this Club. ” Then-Fulham coach Martin Jol added, “ Giorgos Karagounis has a wealth of club and external experience and I ‘m glad that he ‘s coupled us for this season. He ‘s been an influential musician for his baseball club sides and is a celebrated musician in earth football as he ‘s about to become the most-capped actor for Greece. He brings many certain qualities to our squad. ” [ 15 ] Karagounis made his debut for the golf club in the Premier League on 29 September 2012, against Manchester City at Craven Cottage, coming on in the 81st hour to replace Chris Baird. [ 16 ] Karagounis played the full 90 minutes for Fulham in their 4–0 loss to Liverpool at Anfield. He scored his foremost finish in England on 5 January 2013 in the FA Cup against Blackpool in the eightieth infinitesimal, with a “ stun 25-yard half-volley ” which went in off the bottom of the crossbar ; the meet ended 1–1. [ 17 ] On 12 January 2013, a week after his FA Cup strike, he scored his inaugural Premier League finish against Wigan Athletic in the 22nd moment. [ 18 ] Karagounis was 1 of 12 players released by Fulham at the end of the 2012–13 season. [ 19 ]

however, Karagounis declared his matter to to return to Fulham through his agent Paschalis Tountouris. [ 20 ] On 9 July 2013, Karagounis signed a new annual cover to rejoin Fulham. [ 21 ] [ 22 ] In his second season with the Cottagers, Karagounis scored his only finish in a 4–3 loss for League Cup against Leicester City when he equalised with fair three minutes to play, but could not prevent Leicester from scoring a late achiever. [ 23 ] Karagounis suffered from muscle problems throughout the season, but on 19 April 2014, he came on as a substitute in his final equal for the club in a 3–1 away frustration against Tottenham Hotspur. [ 24 ] Fulham was relegated from the Premier League at the end of the season. Karagounis was one of nine players released by Fulham in the summer of 2014. [ 25 ] [ 26 ]

International career [edit ]

Karagounis captaining Greece in 2010

early years [edit ]

Karagounis captained Greece ‘s entry to the 1998 UEFA Under-21 Championship, and the team came identical close to winning, losing 1–0 to Spain in the concluding. After that, he soon became a even on the national team. He made his first full external appearance against El Salvador in 1999 and went on to appear in qualifying for the 2002 FIFA World Cup .

UEFA Euro 2004 and beyond [edit ]

The highlight of his international career was undoubtedly winning the UEFA European Championship for Greece at Euro 2004. He was a key player for Greece and excellently scored the first gear finish of the tournament against Portugal, a stun long-range shoot that shocked the hosts and gave Greece the confidence they needed to win the game and progress in the tournament. [ 27 ] After winning Euro 2004, Karagounis continued to play on a regular basis for Greece in the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup, the 2006 World Cup qualifying political campaign and the Euro 2008 finals. On 26 March 2008, Karagounis participated in a Greece–Portugal friendly peer in Düsseldorf. This proved to be slightly of a highlight of his external career, as he scored two about identical well-placed free-kicks to give Greece a 2–1 victory. [ 28 ] Karagounis, as a captain of Greece, contributed to the nation ‘s reservation for the 2010 World Cup. As captain, he led Greece to its first acquire in a World Cup peer with a 2–1 acquire against Nigeria. On 8 October 2010, against Latvia, Karagounis reached 100 external appearances, equaling the read of his former Greece teammate Angelos Basinas. On 12 October 2010, Karagounis made his hundred-and-first appearance, becoming the second-most capped player in greek footballing history, behind Theodoros Zagorakis, and scoring his one-seventh goal in the victory against the Israel national team. On 7 October 2011, Karagounis was awarded by Zagorakis and Basinas for reaching 111 appearances with Greece. The award ceremony took topographic point at the Karaiskakis Stadium in Athens before Greece ‘s kickoff against Croatia .

UEFA Euro 2012 [edit ]

Karagounis ‘ penalty at Euro 2012, saved by polish goalkeeper Przemysław Tytoń On 8 June 2012, Poland played with Greece on the opening day of Euro 2012. Poland goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny fouled Greek international Dimitris Salpingidis, resulting in a red poster for Szczęsny. Karagounis took the penalty against utility goalkeeper Przemysław Tytoń, who saved Karagounis ‘ penalty. [ 29 ] On 16 June 2012, Karagounis started the concluding match of Group A against Russia, making him Greece ‘s joint-most capped musician with 120 caps, together with Theodoros Zagorakis. Karagounis scored the only goal of the match, at the stroke of half-time. [ 30 ] This mean Greece qualified for the future stage of the rival. The second half was slenderly less dramatic but had its share of talking points. Coming off a significant goal, Karagounis made a delirious smash to the russian box. The captain looked like he was going to score another, but his stage was caught by a russian defender. Karagounis was adamant he had earned a penalty, but the referee was not impress and booked him for simulation. Karagounis received his moment scandalmongering card of the tournament, forcing him to miss the quarter-finals. [ 31 ] [ 32 ]

Qualifying for World Cup 2014 and phonograph record [edit ]

On 12 October 2012, Karagounis played in the second half in the meet against Bosnia and Herzegovina in a 2014 World Cup qualifying match, making the 121st appearance for his country. With this match, he set a newfangled commemorate of most caps for Greece, surpassing Zagorakis. He besides scored a free-kick goal against the Liechtenstein national football team. Karagounis played another revolutionize and energetic function throughout the qualifying campaign and helped lead to its third World Cup finals appearance. Despite the wane number of starts for the 37-year-old, his influence was placid large for Greece. Greece head coach Fernando Santos, who worked with Karagounis at both Panathinaikos and Benfica, held him in high respect due to the assurance the veteran exudes. “ We have assurance and know we can beat any opposition ”, Karagounis said during World Cup qualifying. [ 33 ] Karagounis played the integral 120 minutes of the match between Costa Rica and Greece for the World Cup 2014, consisting of 90 minutes of regular clock time and 30 minutes of supernumerary time. Karagounis retired from external football after Greece ‘s World Cup elimination in a penalty gunfight loss to Costa Rica. He left as the nation ‘s most cap player with 139 appearances over 15 years since making his debut in 1999. Greece ‘s goalscorer in the Costa Rica couple, defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos, paid protection to his departing leader : “ He ‘s written his own fib … he ‘s the record holder [ of caps ], he ‘s given everything for the team and had to make concessions for it … He ‘s left us a bequest for the future. He should n’t worry. ” [ 34 ] [ 35 ]

style of play [edit ]

As a midfielder, Karagounis was short in stature, standing at 5 feet nine inches. He was largely known for his bully, game bring on the field. He gained many comparisons to “ The General ”, Mimis Domazos. Karagounis was known for his dribble, and creative fall, particularly the accuracy of his hanker passes. Karagounis was described as a “ dogged proletarian in the midfield and a jesus of fine stage set plays ”. [ 36 ] [ 37 ] During his career he was one of the fine set part exponents in Europe. His drivel was noted as one of his strengths, with Karagounis able to win his own free kicks arsenic well as provide a sometimes-laboured attack with bursts of energy. He besides possessed a shooting ability from distance and combined his vary attacking talents with an aggression in midfield that made him able to win the ball back, arsenic well as produce with it at his feet. [ 38 ]

career statistics [edit ]

club [edit ]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[39][40]
Club Season League Cup Europe Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Apollon Smyrni 1996–97 Alpha Ethniki 31 2 2 0 – 33 2
1997–98 24 7 2 0 – 26 7
Total 55 9 4 0 0 0 59 9
Panathinaikos 1998–99 Alpha Ethniki 24 6 5 1 0 0 29 7
1999–00 27 9 4 2 5 0 36 11
2000–01 23 4 5 2 14 1 42 7
2001–02 21 3 5 0 15 3 41 6
2002–03 23 3 3 0 10 0 36 3
Total 118 25 22 5 44 4 184 34
Internazionale 2003–04 Serie A 9 0 3 0 4 0 16 0
2004–05 12 0 5 0 3 0 20 0
Total 21 0 8 0 7 0 36 3
Benfica 2005–06 Primeira Liga 19 1 4 0 7 0 30 1
2006–07 26 2 2 0 9 0 37 2
Total 45 3 6 0 16 0 67 3
Panathinaikos 2007–08 Superleague Greece 32 6 2 0 6 0 40 6
2008–09 24 7 1 0 10 3 35 10
2009–10 24 2 5 0 12 1 41 3
2010–11 28 0 2 0 4 0 34 0
2011–12 25 1 2 0 3 0 30 1
Total 133 16 12 0 35 4 180 20
Fulham 2012–13 Premier League 25 1 3 1 – 28 2
2013–14 14 0 5 1 – 19 1
Total 39 1 8 2 0 0 47 3
Career total 411 54 60 7 102 8 573 69

International goals [edit ]

Scores and results list Greece’s goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Karagounis goal.

Honours [edit ]

Internazionale
Panathinaikos
Greece
Greece U21

See besides [edit ]

References [edit ]