Giorgos Karagounis facts for kids
Karagounis playing for Greece in 2010
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Georgios Karagkounis | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 6 March 1977 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Pyrgos, Greece | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1993–1996 | Panathinaikos | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1996–2003 | Panathinaikos | 118 | (25) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1996–1998 | → Apollon Smyrnis (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) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1996–1999 | Greece U21 | 39 | (11) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999–2014 | Greece | 139 | (10) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Georgios Karagounis (Greek: Γεώργιος Καραγκούνης), born on March 6, 1977, is a famous Greek former footballer. He was known as Giorgos Karagounis (Greek: Γιώργος Καραγκούνης). He played as a midfielder, helping his teams both attack and defend.
During his career, Karagounis played for several well-known clubs. These included Panathinaikos in Greece, Inter Milan in Italy, Benfica in Portugal, and Fulham in England.
He also played for the Greek national team for many years, from 1999 to 2014. He was a key player when Greece surprisingly won the UEFA Euro 2004 tournament. He also played in the UEFA Euro 2008, 2010 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2012, and 2014 FIFA World Cup. With 139 games played, he holds the record for the most appearances for the Greek national team.
Contents
Early Life and Football Start
Giorgos Karagounis was born in Pyrgos, Greece. He grew up in a place called Ampelonas.
He began playing football at a young age with Ampelonas FC. Later, he moved to Paniliakos F.C.. In 1990, a football scout named Juan Ramón Rocha noticed his talent. Rocha encouraged Karagounis' family to send him to the Panathinaikos football academy. This was a big step for his future career.
Club Career Highlights
Starting Out in Greece
Karagounis began his professional journey in 1996. He joined Apollon Smyrnis on loan from Panathinaikos. Even in his first few years, he showed great energy and skill in midfield. He also proved he could score goals. After two seasons, he returned to Panathinaikos in 1998. This was the club where he had learned to play.
For the next five years, he was a regular player for Panathinaikos. Even though the team didn't win the league title, they were always strong contenders. Karagounis scored important goals in European competitions. For example, in the 2000–01 UEFA Champions League, he played in all 12 games. He scored a memorable free kick goal against Manchester United at Old Trafford. The next season, he scored a great header against Arsenal at home. This helped his team reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
Playing in Italy with Inter Milan
In 2003, Karagounis moved to Italy to play for Inter Milan. In his first year, he mostly played in European and Coppa Italia matches. He wasn't a regular starter in the league. Even though he spent time on the bench, his performance was good enough. He was chosen to play for Greece in UEFA Euro 2004.
After Greece won Euro 2004, he returned to Inter Milan. He continued to play mainly in European and domestic cup games. He helped Inter win the 2004–05 Coppa Italia in 2005. Inter finished third in the league that season.
Moving to Portugal with Benfica
In 2005, Karagounis signed a three-year contract with Benfica in Portugal. This was special because Benfica's home stadium, Estádio da Luz, was where he had won the Euro 2004 final with Greece.
He scored some amazing long-range goals for Benfica. One was against Shakhtar Donetsk. Another was a free kick against Desportivo das Aves. His first season was a bit tough, but he became a regular starter in his second year. He became a fan favorite because of his excellent performances.
Returning to Panathinaikos
Karagounis' contract with Benfica was ending in 2008. But he left earlier in 2007 due to personal reasons. He immediately returned to Panathinaikos, signing a three-year deal. He quickly became a key player again, scoring important goals, especially in European games.
His return was seen as a new beginning for the club. Karagounis became a leader for both Panathinaikos and the Greek national team. He was made captain of the national team. His determination helped Panathinaikos succeed in Europe. In 2009, he extended his contract until 2012. He said he wanted to finish his career at the club. As captain, he won his second Greek league title and the Greek Cup.
Playing in England with Fulham
On September 11, 2012, Karagounis joined the English Premier League team Fulham. He joined them for free after leaving Panathinaikos. He was the eighth Greek player from the Euro 2004 winning team to play in the Premier League. Karagounis said he was excited for this new challenge. Fulham's manager, Martin Jol, praised Karagounis' experience and leadership.
Karagounis played his first game for Fulham on September 29, 2012. He came on as a substitute against Manchester City. He scored his first goal in England on January 5, 2013, in an FA Cup match. It was a "stunning 25-yard half-volley" that hit the crossbar and went in. A week later, he scored his first Premier League goal against Wigan Athletic.
Fulham released Karagounis at the end of the 2012–13 season. However, he wanted to return. On July 9, 2013, he signed a new one-year deal with Fulham. In his second season, he scored his only goal in a League Cup match against Leicester City. Fulham was relegated from the Premier League that season. Karagounis was released again in the summer of 2014. He retired from football after the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
International Career for Greece
Early Years and Euro 2004 Win
Karagounis was the captain of the Greek Under-21 team in 1998. They almost won the 1998 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, losing 1–0 to Spain in the final. Soon after, he became a regular player for the senior national team. His first game was against El Salvador in 1999.
The biggest moment of his international career was winning the UEFA European Championship in 2004. He was a very important player for Greece. He famously scored the first goal of the tournament against Portugal. It was a powerful long-range shot that surprised the host team. This goal gave Greece the confidence they needed to win the game and eventually the tournament. After winning Euro 2004, Karagounis continued to play regularly for Greece.
Leading the Team and Setting Records
As captain, Karagounis helped Greece qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He led Greece to their first-ever World Cup win, a 2–1 victory against Nigeria. On October 8, 2010, he played his 100th international game against Latvia. This made him equal with his former teammate, Angelos Basinas. A few days later, he played his 101st game, becoming the second-most capped Greek player.
UEFA Euro 2012 Journey
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 started the final group match against Russia. This game made him Greece's joint-most capped player with 120 games. He scored the only goal of the match just before half-time. This goal meant Greece qualified for the next stage of the competition. He received a yellow card in that game, which meant he missed the quarter-finals.
Final World Cup and Retirement
On October 12, 2012, Karagounis played against Bosnia and Herzegovina. This was his 121st game, setting a new record for most appearances for Greece. He also scored a free-kick goal against Liechtenstein. Karagounis continued to play with great energy and helped Greece qualify for their third World Cup finals in 2014.
Karagounis retired from international football after Greece was eliminated from the 2014 FIFA World Cup. His last game was a penalty shootout loss to Costa Rica. He finished his career as Greece's most capped player, with 139 games over 15 years. His teammate, Sokratis Papastathopoulos, praised him, saying he had "written his own story" and left a "legacy for the future."
Playing Style
Giorgos Karagounis was a midfielder known for his tough and determined play. Even though he was not very tall (1.76 meters or 5 feet 9 inches), he was a strong presence on the field. He was often compared to the famous Greek player Mimis Domazos.
Karagounis was skilled at dribbling the ball and making creative passes. His long passes were especially accurate. He was described as a "dogged worker in the midfield" and excellent at taking set pieces, like free kicks and corners. He could win free kicks for his team and bring bursts of energy to the attack. He also had a powerful shot from a distance. He combined his attacking skills with strong defense, making him great at winning the ball back.
Honours and Achievements
Karagounis won several important titles during his career:
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 playing for Greece in 2010
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Karagounis playing for Fulham in 2013
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Karagounis playing for Greece in 2008
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Karagounis' penalty for Greece at UEFA Euro 2012, saved by Polish goalkeeper Przemysław Tytoń
See also
In Spanish: Giorgos Karagounis para niños
