Giorgos Karagounis facts for kids
Karagounis playing for Greece in 2010
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 6 March 1977 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Pyrgos, Greece | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.76 m | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Midfielder | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1993–1996 | Panathinaikos | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1996–2003 | Panathinaikos | 118 | (25) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1996–1998 | → Apollon Athens (loan) | 55 | (9) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003–2005 | Inter Milan | 21 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005–2007 | Benfica | 45 | (3) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2012 | Panathinaikos | 133 | (16) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012–2014 | Fulham | 39 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 411 | (54) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1996–1999 | Greece U21 | 39 | (11) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999–2014 | Greece | 139 | (10) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Honours
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Giorgos Karagounis (born March 6, 1977) is a famous Greek former footballer. He played as a midfielder, which is a player who helps both attack and defense.
Karagounis played for several big clubs during his career. These included Panathinaikos in Greece, Inter Milan in Italy, Benfica in Portugal, and Fulham in England.
He also played for the Greek national team from 1999 to 2014. He was a key player when Greece surprisingly won the UEFA Euro 2004 tournament. He also played in other major tournaments like the 2010 FIFA World Cup and 2014 FIFA World Cup. With 139 games played, he is the player with the most appearances for the Greek national team.
Giorgos Karagounis' Early Life
Giorgos Karagounis was born in a town called Pyrgos in Greece. He grew up in a place called Ampelonas.
He started playing football at a young age. A scout named Juan Ramón Rocha noticed his talent in 1990. Rocha encouraged Karagounis' family to send him to the Panathinaikos football academy. This is where he began his journey to become a professional player.
Karagounis' Club Career Highlights
Starting Out: Panathinaikos and Apollon Smyrnis
Karagounis began his professional football journey in 1996. He was loaned from Panathinaikos to Apollon Smyrnis. Even in his first few years, he showed great energy and skill in midfield. He could also score goals.
After two seasons with Apollon, he returned to Panathinaikos in 1998. He quickly became a regular player for the team. Panathinaikos didn't win the league title during this time. However, they were always strong contenders. Karagounis scored important goals in European competitions like the UEFA Champions League. For example, he scored a memorable goal against Manchester United from a free kick. He also scored a great header against Arsenal that helped his team reach the Champions League quarter-finals.
Playing in Italy: Inter Milan
In 2003, Karagounis moved to Italy to play for Inter Milan. In his first year, he mostly played in European games and the Italian cup. He wasn't a regular starter in the league.
After helping Greece win Euro 2004, he returned to Inter. He helped Inter win the Italian Cup in 2005. Inter also reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League that season.
Moving to Portugal: Benfica
In 2005, Karagounis signed a three-year contract with Benfica in Portugal. This was special because Benfica's stadium, the Estádio da Luz, was where he won the Euro 2004 final with Greece.
He scored some amazing long-range goals for Benfica. His first season was a bit tough, but he became a regular starter in his second year. Fans really liked him because of his strong performances.
Coming Home: Return to Panathinaikos
In 2007, Karagounis returned to Panathinaikos. He quickly became a key player again, scoring important goals, especially in European matches.
He became the captain of the Greek national team. He also led Panathinaikos to win his second Greek league title and the Greek Cup. He wanted to finish his career at Panathinaikos and extended his contract until 2012.
Playing in England: Fulham
On September 11, 2012, Karagounis joined English Premier League team Fulham. He was excited for this new challenge in England. The manager, Martin Jol, praised Karagounis' experience and leadership.
Karagounis made his debut for Fulham in September 2012. He scored his first goal in England in January 2013 during an FA Cup match. It was a fantastic shot from far away. A week later, he scored his first Premier League goal.
Fulham released him at the end of the 2012–13 season. However, he signed a new one-year deal to rejoin them. He scored one more goal for Fulham in a League Cup match. Fulham was relegated from the Premier League at the end of the season.
Karagounis retired from football after the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Karagounis' International Career
Early Years with Greece
Karagounis was the captain of Greece's Under-21 team. They almost won the 1998 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, losing 1–0 to Spain in the final. Soon after, he started playing for the senior national team. His first international game was against El Salvador in 1999.
Euro 2004 Victory and Beyond
The biggest moment of his international career was winning the UEFA European Championship in 2004. He was a very important player for Greece. He scored the first goal of the tournament against Portugal. It was a stunning long-range shot that helped Greece win the game and gain confidence.
After winning Euro 2004, Karagounis continued to play regularly for Greece. He scored two similar free-kick goals in a friendly match against Portugal in 2008, helping Greece win 2–1.
As captain, Karagounis helped Greece qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He led Greece to their first-ever World Cup win against Nigeria. In October 2010, he played his 100th international game, becoming one of Greece's most capped players. He later became the player with the most appearances for Greece, with 139 games.
Euro 2012 Performance
At UEFA Euro 2012, Karagounis played in the opening match against Poland. He took a penalty kick, but the Polish goalkeeper saved it.
On June 16, 2012, Karagounis played in the final group match against Russia. He scored the only goal of the game just before half-time. This goal meant Greece qualified for the next stage of the tournament. However, he received a yellow card, which meant he missed the quarter-finals.
2014 FIFA World Cup and Retirement
In October 2012, Karagounis played his 121st game for Greece. This made him the most capped player for his country, passing Theodoros Zagorakis. He also scored a free-kick goal against Liechtenstein.
Karagounis played a vital role in Greece's qualification for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Even at 37 years old, his influence on the team was huge. He played all 120 minutes of the World Cup match against Costa Rica.
Karagounis retired from international football after Greece was knocked out of the World Cup by Costa Rica in a penalty shootout. He ended his career as Greece's most capped player with 139 appearances over 15 years. His teammate, Sokratis Papastathopoulos, praised him, saying he had "written his own story" and "given everything for the team."
Giorgos Karagounis' Style of Play
Karagounis was a midfielder known for his tough and determined playing style. He was not very tall, standing at 5 feet 9 inches.
He was good at dribbling the ball and making creative passes, especially long ones. People described him as a "hard worker in the midfield" and excellent at taking set pieces (like free kicks and corners). He could also shoot powerfully from a distance. His aggressive play helped him win the ball back from opponents.
Honours and Achievements
Inter Milan
- Coppa Italia: 2004–05
Panathinaikos
- Super League Greece: 2009–10
- Greek Cup: 2009–10
Greece U21
- UEFA European Under-21 Championship runner-up: 1998
Greece
Images for kids
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Karagounis' penalty for Greece at UEFA Euro 2012, saved by Polish goalkeeper Przemysław Tytoń
