Dimitrios Konstantopoulos facts for kids
Konstantopoulos playing for Middlesbrough in 2014
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Dimitrios Konstantopoulos | ||
| Date of birth | 29 November 1978 | ||
| Place of birth | Thessaloniki, Greece | ||
| Height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
| Team information | |||
|
Current team
|
Iraklis (assistant) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1994–1996 | Megas Alexandros Thessaloniki | ||
| 1996 | Ampelokipi | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1996–2000 | Kalamata | 7 | (0) |
| 2000–2001 | Egaleo | 3 | (0) |
| 2001–2002 | Kalamata | 5 | (0) |
| 2002–2003 | Farense | 0 | (0) |
| 2003–2007 | Hartlepool United | 117 | (0) |
| 2007–2010 | Coventry City | 24 | (0) |
| 2008 | → Nottingham Forest (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| 2008–2009 | → Swansea City (loan) | 4 | (0) |
| 2009 | → Cardiff City (loan) | 6 | (0) |
| 2010–2011 | Kerkyra | 30 | (0) |
| 2011–2013 | AEK Athens | 39 | (0) |
| 2013–2019 | Middlesbrough | 98 | (0) |
| 2019–2020 | Hartlepool United | 0 | (0) |
| 2020–2021 | Thornaby | 0 | (0) |
| Total | 333 | (0) | |
| International career | |||
| 1998–1999 | Greece U21 | 9 | (0) |
| 2011 | Greece | 1 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2025– | Iraklis (assistant) | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of June 29, 2025 | |||
Dimitrios Konstantopoulos (born on November 29, 1978) is a Greek football manager and former player. He played as a goalkeeper and even played for his country. Today, he is an assistant coach for Iraklis in Greece.
Dimi, as he is often called, started his professional football journey with Kalamata in 1996. He later played for several clubs in England, including Hartlepool United and Middlesbrough. He also had spells back in Greece with Kerkyra and AEK Athens. He was known for his long career and important saves.
Contents
Playing Career
Early Football Days
Dimitrios Konstantopoulos began playing football as an amateur for Ampelokipi. In 1996, he signed his first professional contract with Kalamata. He played seven games for them over four seasons. Later, he spent a short time with Egaleo, playing three matches. He then returned to Kalamata for another season. Before moving to England, he also played in Portugal for SC Farense.
Time at Hartlepool United
In October 2003, Dimi joined Hartlepool United. He spent his first season mostly playing for the reserve team. However, in the 2004–05 season, he made his first team debut in a League Cup game. He quickly became the team's main goalkeeper.
He played a big part in Hartlepool reaching the fourth round of the FA Cup in 2005. In the 2005–06 season, he was amazing, keeping 25 clean sheets (meaning he didn't let the other team score in 25 games!). He played 117 league games for Hartlepool before moving on.
Moving to Coventry City
Dimi joined Coventry City in June 2007. He started as a regular player, even making his debut in a big 4–1 win. However, after a new goalkeeper joined, Dimi found it harder to get playing time. He made 23 appearances in his first season.
Loan Adventures
Sometimes, players are loaned to other clubs to get more playing time. Dimi had a few loan spells while at Coventry:
- Nottingham Forest: In March 2008, he joined Nottingham Forest on loan. Sadly, he got a serious injury on his very first day of training.
- Swansea City: In October 2008, he went on an emergency loan to Swansea City. He made a great start, saving a penalty in his first game! He played five games for Swansea.
- Cardiff City: In January 2009, he was loaned to Cardiff City. He played six games for them, but had a tough time, even scoring an own goal in one match.
Back at Coventry
After his loan spells, Dimi returned to Coventry City. He played a few more games, including a League Cup match against his old club, Hartlepool. He also stepped in when the main goalkeeper was injured. He left Coventry in 2010 after his contract ended, having played 27 games for the club.
Return to Greece: Kerkyra
After seven years playing in England, Dimi went back to Greece. He joined Kerkyra in the Greek Super League. He had a very successful season there, playing 30 games. His great form even led to him being called up to play for the Greek national team!
Playing for AEK Athens
In July 2011, Dimi signed a two-year deal with AEK Athens, one of Greece's biggest clubs. He faced an injury early on but recovered to become the team's main goalkeeper. He played 39 league games for AEK. However, after the 2012–13 season, AEK Athens was relegated, and Dimi left the club.
Success at Middlesbrough
Joining the Boro Squad
In August 2013, Dimi signed a short-term deal with Middlesbrough. He had to wait a bit for his chance, making his debut in January 2014. He soon became the first-choice goalkeeper for Middlesbrough. In May 2014, he signed a new contract after playing 13 games.
Becoming a Key Player
Dimi continued as Middlesbrough's main goalkeeper for the 2014–15 season. He was praised for his important role in the team's strong performance. In January 2015, his coach called him the "perfect" team member. Middlesbrough had one of the best defenses in the league, letting in very few goals. Dimi extended his contract again in February 2015.
In May 2015, Dimi played in the Championship play-offs. He made a fantastic save in one game that helped Middlesbrough win. However, they lost the final to Norwich City at Wembley Stadium.
Promotion to the Premier League
The 2015–16 season was a huge success for Dimi and Middlesbrough. He played a massive part in the team's strong defense. He kept 15 clean sheets in 24 league matches, including an amazing eight in a row! Middlesbrough also set a club record with nine consecutive clean sheets.
On April 29, 2016, Dimi played his 100th game for Middlesbrough. A week later, on May 7, 2016, Middlesbrough drew 1–1 with Brighton. This result meant they were promoted back to the Premier League after seven years! Dimi kept 22 clean sheets that season, setting a new club record.
Later Years at Middlesbrough
After promotion, Middlesbrough signed new goalkeepers, making Dimi third choice. He still made an appearance in the FA Cup in January 2017. He signed new one-year contracts in 2017 and 2018. In January 2019, Dimi became the oldest player ever to play for Middlesbrough in a 5–0 FA Cup win. He left the club at the end of the 2018–19 season.
Second Time at Hartlepool United
In December 2019, Dimi returned to Hartlepool United. He had been training with them for a while. He played one game for the club in the FA Trophy, becoming the oldest player to ever play for Hartlepool at 41 years and 15 days old.
Short Spell at Thornaby
In August 2020, Dimi signed for Thornaby for the 2020–21 season.
International Career
Dimitrios Konstantopoulos played nine games for the Greek Under-21 team between 1998 and 1999.
In November 2010, he was called up to the senior Greece national football team. He made his only appearance for the national team in June 2011, in a match against Malta.
Coaching Career
After his playing career, Dimi moved into coaching.
- In August 2021, he became the goalkeeper coach for Hartlepool United. He left this role in June 2022.
- In June 2022, he became the goalkeeper coach at Panetolikos in Greece. He also spent some time as an assistant manager there.
- In June 2023, Dimi moved back to the UK and took on a dual role as first team and goalkeeper coach at Ayr United.
- As of July 2025, he is an assistant coach for Iraklis.
Personal Life
In 2016, Dimi opened a Greek restaurant in Middlesbrough. However, the restaurant closed down in January 2020.
Honours
Hartlepool United
- Football League Two runners-up: 2006–07
Middlesbrough
- Championship runners-up: 2015–16
See also
In Spanish: Dimitrios Konstantopoulos para niños
