Kostas Fortounis facts for kids
Fortounis playing for Greece in 2013
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Konstantinos Fortounis | ||
| Date of birth | 16 October 1992 | ||
| Place of birth | Trikala, Greece | ||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Attacking midfielder Winger |
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| Team information | |||
|
Current team
|
Al-Khaleej | ||
| Number | 17 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2003–2008 | Olympiacos | ||
| 2008–2009 | Trikala | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2008–2010 | Trikala | 13 | (0) |
| 2010–2011 | Asteras Tripolis | 24 | (1) |
| 2011–2014 | 1. FC Kaiserslautern | 70 | (2) |
| 2014–2024 | Olympiacos | 230 | (75) |
| 2024– | Al-Khaleej | 30 | (9) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2010–2011 | Greece U19 | 15 | (1) |
| 2011–2015 | Greece U21 | 14 | (4) |
| 2012–2023 | Greece | 56 | (9) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 26 May 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23:00, 1 September 2023 (UTC) |
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Konstantinos 'Kostas' Fortounis (born October 16, 1992) is a Greek professional footballer. He plays as an attacking midfielder for the Saudi team Al-Khaleej. Kostas was born in Trikala, Thessaly, Greece.
Contents
Club Career Highlights
Starting Out: Trikala and Asteras Tripolis
Kostas Fortounis started his football journey at Olympiacos' youth team. In 2008, he moved to AO Trikala. He played very well for the Under-21 team, scoring four goals in 14 matches. From 2008 to 2010, he played 13 matches for the main team.
Because of his good play, Asteras Tripolis' manager, Vangelis Vlachos, asked him to join their team. Kostas made his first game appearance in a draw against PAOK. He often came on as a substitute. He played 24 league games and scored his first goal on September 19, 2010, against AEK Athens. Juventus, a famous Italian club, wanted to loan him, but Asteras decided not to let him go.
Playing in Germany: 1. FC Kaiserslautern
In 2011, Kostas moved to Kaiserslautern in Germany. He signed a contract until June 2015. In his first season, he played 28 league games. He reportedly caught the eye of big clubs like Ajax and Juventus.
In the 2012–13 season, he scored two goals in 24 games. He helped Kaiserslautern finish third in the German second league. However, they missed out on promotion after losing a play-off game.
Returning Home: Olympiacos Success
On July 21, 2014, Fortounis signed a five-year contract with Olympiacos, returning to his home country. He chose Olympiacos because they could offer him Champions League football. He scored his first goal for Olympiacos on December 6, 2014, in a 2–2 draw. He scored 7 goals in 25 games in the 2014–15 Superleague. Kostas helped Olympiacos win the 2015 Cup Final. He scored a great free kick from 25 yards, helping them win 3–1. This win completed the "double" (winning both the league and cup).
Key Moments in Olympiacos
Kostas scored Olympiacos' first goal of the 2015–16 Superleague season. He also scored twice against Skoda Xanthi and was named "Man of the Match." In a Champions League game against Arsenal, he was involved in two goals, helping Olympiacos win 3–2. This earned him a spot in the Champions League Team of the Week. He scored two more goals in a 4–0 win against AEK.
In November, he helped Olympiacos win 2–1 against Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League. He scored twice (one penalty) in a 3–1 home win against his old club, Asteras Tripolis. This was Olympiacos' 11th win in a row, matching a club record. On December 5, he scored a penalty in a 4–3 away win. Two weeks later, he scored two penalties in a 2–0 victory. On January 31, 2016, he scored two goals and assisted another in a 3–0 win.
Kostas scored his first European goal on February 25, 2016, with a penalty kick. On March 20, he became only the third Olympiacos player to score 10 goals and make 10 assists in a season. In the final league game, he scored his 18th goal, making him the league's top scorer. He was also the top assister with 12 assists. His team won their sixth league title in a row.
Continued Success and Challenges
Despite interest from other clubs, Fortounis extended his contract with Olympiacos until 2020. He scored his first goal of the 2016–17 season on October 2, 2016, in a 3–0 derby win against AEK. In November 2016, he scored from a free-kick in a UEFA Europa League game. He was chosen as the MVP of the match. He finished the season with 40 appearances, 8 goals, and 8 assists.
In the 2017–18 season, he scored twice in the opening game. He also scored the only goal from a penalty against Lamia. In October, he was the "man of the match" against Panionios. He assisted a goal and then scored a late penalty to win 4–3. He finished the season with 37 appearances, 11 goals, and 14 assists.
Kostas became Olympiacos captain in August 2018. He scored two goals and assisted one in a Europa League play-off game. In November 2018, he was named in the tournament's Team of the Week. On December 13, he scored a penalty against AC Milan, helping Olympiacos qualify for the knockout rounds. On January 30, 2019, he scored three goals against Larissa. Three weeks later, he scored twice in a 4–1 win against AEK Athens. He finished the season with 43 appearances, 17 goals, and 16 assists.
In July 2019, Kostas suffered a serious knee injury. He was out of action for six months. He made his return on January 15, 2020, in a Greek Cup game. On February 15, 2020, he scored his first goal after his injury in a 4–0 win. He finished the season with 21 appearances, 3 goals, and 3 assists.
In the 2020–21 Super League Greece season opener, Kostas came on as a substitute and scored. This helped Olympiacos win 3–0. In October 2020, he reportedly turned down a large offer from a Saudi Arabian club. He finished the season with 46 appearances, 9 goals, and 11 assists.
On June 27, 2021, he suffered another serious knee injury. This was the same injury he had two years earlier, but on his other knee. After a difficult 2021–22 season, he played 28 games in the 2022–23 season, scoring 4 goals and making 9 assists. The 2023–24 season was one of his best, with 49 appearances, 11 goals, and 19 assists.
New Chapter: Al-Khaleej
On August 30, 2024, Fortounis joined Saudi Pro League club Al-Khaleej. He signed a two-year deal.
International Career
Kostas has played for Greece at different youth levels, including U-21, U-19, and U-17.
He made his debut for the senior Greece team in February 2012 against Belgium. He also played in friendly games against Slovenia and Armenia. His good play helped Greece's attack. He was part of the Greece team for UEFA Euro 2012.
Kostas was not part of the team for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. However, his move to Olympiacos helped his international career. He became a key player for the national team again. On March 29, 2016, he scored two goals in a friendly game against Iceland. On October 8, 2016, he played well against Cyprus, helping Greece win 2–0.
Playing Style
Kostas Fortounis is known as a "playmaker" for Olympiacos. This means he likes to get the ball and control the game's attack. He is a very skilled player with good ball control, passing, and crossing. He is naturally right-footed but can score goals with either foot. He creates many chances for his team and has a great vision for making the final pass. When he is healthy, Kostas often leads the league in stats like goals, assists, and successful passes.
Career Statistics
Club Appearances
As of May 26, 2025
| Club | Season | League | National cup | Europe | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Trikala | 2008–09 | Delta Ethniki | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 2009–10 | Delta Ethniki | 13 | 0 | — | — | 13 | 0 | |||
| Total | 13 | 0 | — | — | 13 | 0 | ||||
| Asteras Tripolis | 2010–11 | Super League Greece | 24 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 26 | 1 | |
| 1. FC Kaiserslautern | 2011–12 | Bundesliga | 28 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 30 | 0 | |
| 2012–13 | 2. Bundesliga | 24 | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | 26 | 3 | ||
| 2013–14 | 2. Bundesliga | 18 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 21 | 0 | ||
| Total | 70 | 2 | 7 | 1 | — | 77 | 3 | |||
| Olympiacos | 2014–15 | Super League Greece | 25 | 7 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 37 | 10 |
| 2015–16 | 27 | 18 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 39 | 21 | ||
| 2016–17 | 25 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 11 | 1 | 40 | 8 | ||
| 2017–18 | 25 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 37 | 11 | ||
| 2018–19 | 28 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 12 | 5 | 43 | 17 | ||
| 2019–20 | 13 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 21 | 3 | ||
| 2020–21 | 31 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 46 | 9 | ||
| 2021–22 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 2022–23 | 25 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 4 | ||
| 2023–24 | 28 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 19 | 5 | 49 | 11 | ||
| Total | 230 | 75 | 38 | 6 | 75 | 13 | 343 | 94 | ||
| Olympiacos B | 2021–22 | Super League Greece 2 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 2 | 1 | ||
| Al-Khaleej FC | 2024–25 | Saudi Pro League | 30 | 9 | 1 | 1 | — | 31 | 10 | |
| Career total | 369 | 88 | 48 | 8 | 75 | 13 | 490 | 109 | ||
International Appearances
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greece | 2012 | 10 | 0 |
| 2013 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2014 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2015 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2016 | 7 | 3 | |
| 2017 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2018 | 7 | 1 | |
| 2019 | 5 | 3 | |
| 2020 | 7 | 2 | |
| 2021 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 2 | 0 | |
| Total | 56 | 9 | |
International Goals
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 29 March 2016 | Karaiskakis Stadium, Piraeus, Greece | 19 |  Iceland |
1–0 | 2–3 | Friendly | |
| 2 | 2–0 | |||||||
| 3 | 6 September 2016 | Estádio Algarve, Faro/Loulé, Portugal | 21 |  Gibraltar |
3–1 | 4–1 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 4 | 8 September 2018 | A. Le Coq Arena, Tallinn, Estonia | 34 |  Estonia |
1–0 | 1–0 | 2018–19 UEFA Nations League C | |
| 5 | 23 March 2019 | Rheinpark Stadion, Vaduz, Liechtenstein | 40 |  Liechtenstein |
2–0 | UEFA Euro 2020 qualification | ||
| 6 | 26 March 2019 | Bilino Polje Stadium, Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina | 41 |  Bosnia and Herzegovina |
1–2 | 2–2 | ||
| 7 | 11 June 2019 | Olympic Stadium, Athens, Greece | 44 |  Armenia |
2–3 | 2–3 | ||
| 8 | 7 October 2020 | Wörthersee Stadion, Klagenfurt, Austria | 46 |  Austria |
1–0 | 1–2 | Friendly | |
| 9 | 15 November 2020 | Zimbru Stadium, Chișinău, Moldova | 50 |  Moldova |
1–0 | 2–0 | 2020–21 UEFA Nations League C |
Honours and Awards
Olympiacos
- Super League Greece: 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2019–20, 2020–21, 2021–22
- Greek Football Cup: 2014–15, 2019–20; runner-up: 2015–16, 2020–21
- UEFA Europa Conference League: 2023–24
Individual Awards
- UEFA European Under-19 Championship Team of the Tournament: 2011
- Super League Greece Player of the Season: 2015–16, 2018–19
- Super League Greece Greek Footballer of the Season: 2015–16, 2018–19
- Super League Greece Top scorer: 2015–16
- Super League Greece Team of the Season: 2015–16, 2016–17, 2018–19
- Super League Greece Player of the Month: November 2020
- Super League Greece Goal of the Season: 2022–23 (vs Ionikos)
- Super League Greece top assist provider: 2015–16, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2020–21
- Olympiacos Goal of the Season: 2015–16 (vs Asteras Tripolis)
- UEFA Europa Conference League Team of the Season: 2023–24
Record
- Most assists in the history of Olympiacos
See also
In Spanish: Kostas Fortounis para niños
