Thanasis Karagounis Explained

Thanasis Karagounis
Fullname:Athanasios Karagounis
Height:1.77m
Birth Date:25 September 1991
Birth Place:Lamia, Greece
Currentclub:Proodeftiki
Clubnumber:46
Position:Winger
Attacking midfielder
Youthclubs1:Akadimia Lamia
Youthclubs2:Androutsos Gravia
Years1:2008–2009
Clubs1:Fokikos
Caps1:30
Goals1:4
Years2:2009–2014
Clubs2:Atromitos
Caps2:80
Goals2:5
Years3:2014–2018
Clubs3:Zwolle
Caps3:21
Goals3:1
Years4:2018–2019
Clubs4:Lamia
Caps4:10
Goals4:0
Years5:2019–2021
Clubs5:Apollon Smyrnis
Caps5:8
Goals5:1
Years6:2021–2022
Clubs6:A.E. Kifisia
Caps6:12
Goals6:3
Years7:2023–
Clubs7:Proodeftiki
Caps7:4
Goals7:0
Nationalyears1:2010–2011
Nationalteam1:Greece U19
Nationalcaps1:7
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:2011–2013
Nationalteam2:Greece U21
Nationalcaps2:9
Nationalgoals2:2
Pcupdate:16 June 2023
Ntupdate:15 November 2011

Thanasis Karagounis (Greek: Θανάσης Καραγκούνης; born 25 September 1991) is a Greek professional footballer who plays as a winger or an attacking midfielder for Super League 2 club Proodeftiki.[1]

Club career

Fokikos

Karagounis started his professional career in 2008 with Fokikos, making 30 appearances in the Football League 2 and scoring 4 goals.[2]

Atromitos

In summer 2009 he joined the newly promoted Beta Ethniki champions[3] Atromitos,.[2]

He was part of the Atromitos team who were runners-up of the 2010–11 Greek Cup, after losing 0–3 to AEK Athens.[4] Thanasis only made 2 appearances in Atromitos' way to the final, one as a starter against Anagennisi Giannitsa for the fourth phase[5] and one as a substitute against Diagoras for the second leg of the quarter-finals.[6] He scored his first goal with the club on 3 May 2014 in an away loss 2–1 against Twente.

Zwolle

In January 2014, he signed a 2.5-year contract with PEC Zwolle for a transfer fee of €300,000. He made his debut with the club in January, 18th as a substitute in a 1–2 home loss against Vitesse Arnhem. Karagounis injured on his lip during the Dutch cup match between PEC Zwolle and NEC Nijmegen at the IJsseldelta stadium on 26 March 2014 in Zwolle.[7] On 25 November 2014, Karagounis injured again suffering a cruciate ligament rupture losing the rest of the 2014–15 season.[8]

In July 2015, after a very difficult year for the defender marred by injury (185 days to be exact), according to Voetbal International, Karagounis' return was postponed when there was a setback during his rehabilitation from a cruciate ligament injury. It remained a question whether there is a need for another operation.[9] [10] Eventually he lost the whole season and returned to the squad on 30 June 2016.

In April 2016, PEC Zwolle renewed Karagounis' contract for two seasons, till the summer of 2018, despite his severe injury that kept him out of action for the whole season. There is also an option included in his contract for one more season.[11]

After a very difficult year for the midfielder marred by injury (363 days to be exact), Karagounis returned to action in a 4–1 away win game against DVS '33 for the 2016–17 KNVB Cup.[12] On 2 October 2016, he made his reappearance in the championship as a late substitute in a 2–1 home win against ADO Den Haag. On 17 February 2017, he suffered a new knee injury, a second during the 2016–17 season, and the medical predictions estimate his return to action in six months.

In the beginning of 2017–18 season after a third difficult season marred by injury (219 days to be exact), PEC Zwolle announced Karagounis that he could continue his career elsewhere as his not in the plans of club's coach John van 't Schip, besides the fact that his contract is still in force. According to Dutch websites the player will probably sign a contract with Ekstraklasa club Korona Kielce in the January transfer window, but the transfer was not completed and the Greek midfielder is still searching for the next club in his career.

Lamia

On 3 July 2018, Lamia announced the signing of the Greek midfielder for an undisclosed fee.[13]

Apollon Smyrnis

On 14 August 2019, Apollon Smyrnis announced the signing of the Greek midfielder for an undisclosed fee.[14]

International career

Thanasis Karagounis made 7 appearances for Greece under-19 in the past.[1] He is currently a member of the under-21 team,[15] making 9 appearances for them so far.[1]

Personal life

His brother, Vasilis, is also a professional footballer, who is currently playing for [Greek] second division club Kalamata FC.Although he shares the same surname as Giorgos Karagounis, the former captain of Greece, it was revealed at a joint interview of both players that they are not related.[16]

Career statistics

Club

[17] [18]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueCupEuropeOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Fokikos2008–09Football League 23041000314
Atromitos2009–10Superleague1110000111
2010–111302000150
2011–122114200253
2012–13232101053305
2013–141211121153
Total8058331539612
Zwolle2013–14Eredivisie1212000141
2014–1530210051
2015–1600000000
2016–1750200070
2017–1810000010
Total211610000272
Lamia2018–19Superleague1003000130
Apollon Smyrnis2019–20Superleague 261200081
2020–21Super League Greece20100030
Career total14911214315317819

Honours

Zwolle

2013–14

2014

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Thanasis Karagounis profile . UEFA.
  2. Web site: Thanasis Karagounis to Atromitos . Paratiritis Fthiotidas . 26 November 2011. el.
  3. Web site: Atromitos are champions . . 18 May 2009 . el . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120506091258/http://sports.in.gr/football/bethniki/article/?aid=1015004 . 6 May 2012 . dmy-all .
  4. Web site: 2010–11 Greek Cup Final, match report . . el . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120510041159/http://www.epo.gr/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=18788 . 10 May 2012 . dmy-all .
  5. Web site: Anagennisi Giannitsa – Atromitos 1–3 (26/10/2010), match report . Hellenic Football Federation., Καραγκούνης
  6. Web site: Diagoras – Atromitos 0–1 (3/2/2011), match report . . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110526213653/http://www.epo.gr/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=18414 . 26 May 2011 . dmy-all ., Καραγκούνης
  7. Web site: Dutch Cup - PEC Zwolle v NEC Nijmegen.
  8. Web site: Χάνει τη χρονιά ο Θανάσης Καραγκούνης.
  9. Web site: PEC dreigt Karagounis nog een jaar te missen . 3 July 2015.
  10. Web site: Thanasis Karagounis is eindelijk weer voetballer.
  11. Web site: Thanasis Karagounis verlengt contract . 22 April 2016.
  12. Web site: DVS'33 uit Ermelo verliest van buurman PEC Zwolle: 1-4 . 21 September 2016.
  13. Web site: Στη Λαμία ο Καραγκούνης . 3 July 2018.
  14. Web site: Υπέγραψε στον Απόλλωνα Σμύρνης ο Καραγκούνης . 14 August 2019.
  15. Web site: Greece U21 squad . . 26 November 2011. el.
  16. Web site: When Karagounis met Karagounis . Espresso . 14 November 2010 . 26 November 2011 . Katonis, Pavlos . el . 5 June 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120605110121/http://www.espressonews.gr/default.asp?pid=79&catid=42&artID=1287031 . dead .
  17. Web site: Thanasis Karagounis » Club matches. worldfootball.net. 3 February 2018.
  18. Web site: T. Karagounis. Soccerway. 3 February 2018.