Karagounis retires to take new role with Greece
Friday, October 3, 2014
Article summary
Giorgos Karagounis, who won 139 caps for Greece, has called time on his playing career in order to become football director of his country's national teams.
Article top media content
Article body
"I am officially retiring from football," said an emotional Giorgos Karagounis at a press conference in Athens on Friday. Hellenic Football Federation (EPO) president Giorgos Sarris added: "He will now be the football director of Greece's national teams. It's the easiest and most pleasurable decision of my tenure so far."
The 37-year-old Karagounis ended his Greece playing career in June following their elimination from the FIFA World Cup. Sarris continued: "I cannot wait to welcome him back. The Greece national teams have been his home since he was a young boy. We are investing in his love for the shirt, his dedication, his soul and his knowledge."
Karagounis bows out with a record 139 caps, as well as 111 matches with Greece youth teams and more than 550 appearances for clubs including Panathinaikos FC, FC Internazionale Milano and SL Benfica. "I wasn't planning on retiring – I was training on my own and considering my last move. However, after talking with the FA president and meeting [coach] Claudio Ranieri – as well as receiving calls from my former team-mates who wanted me to return – I made up my mind."
He was a member of the Greece squad that won UEFA EURO 2004, helped his country to the last eight of UEFA EURO 2012 and participated in the 2010 and 2014 World Cups. The midfielder was also a runner-up with Greece at the 1998 UEFA European Under-21 Championship and won the double with Panathinaikos in 2010, plus the Coppa Italia with Inter in 2005.
"For now, I will mainly be with the seniors in the role of liaison between players and coach," he went on. "I am here to help with the change of coach and departure of some important players. What matters now is getting good results and making up for the opening qualifying loss to Romania."
Next up for Greece in Group F are Finland on 11 October and Northern Ireland on 14 October. They meet for training on Monday. "It will be very tough not to put on the training kit and start running alongside my team-mates," mused Karagounis.
