Greek national team at a glance

Most Greeks hope to forget the last time their country’s national soccer team played on American soil. It was the 1994 World Cup, and Greece lost all three of its games in the first round, giving up 10 goals and scoring none.
On June 7, players and fans alike will hope for better results when Greece faces Ecuador in an exhibition match at Citi Field.
While the current roster will be unfamiliar to most soccer fans, the players on the field will be the face of the Greek national team for years to come. After winning the 2004 European Cup, the greatest accomplishment in the history of Greek soccer, former coach Otto Rehhagel continued to play his veterans for several years. Rehhagel stuck with his “old lineup” well beyond the point when age prevented them from being competitive at the international level.
Greece subsequently failed to reach the 2006 World Cup, and went winless at the 2008 Euro Cup. Many of the older players were indefensibly given starting positions during the 2010 World Cup as well. However, under new coach Fernando Santos, there has been an influx of young, talented Greeks who are now being given the opportunity to excel at the international level. The team taking the field on June 7 will have multiple players who represent the future of Greek soccer.
They are the 12th best team in the world, according to the FIFA Rankings and are undefeated and in first place in their Euro Cup qualifying group with a record of three wins and two draws in their first five matches. Greece has won their last three games, and their defense has been particularly stellar during this stretch, conceding only one goal over their previous four contests. On June 4, they will play the sixth match of their qualifying campaign in Greece against Malta, a team they defeated 1-0 in March.
The Greek formation is a standard 4-5-1. They play with four defenders back and two defensive, or holding, midfielders. The Greek offense is comprised of two wingers, one on each side of the field, a center-attacking midfielder between them and one striker ahead of the bunch. The midfield is crucial to the Greek strategy. In order for Greece to be effective, the defensive midfielders must systematically control the pace of the game and distribute the ball to the attacking midfielders, giving them room to run in space and putting them in a position to create scoring opportunities for themselves and their teammates.
Giorgos Karagounis, the Greek captain and on-the-field leader, is one of the key players to watch throughout the match. Karagounis is one of the last remaining players from the 2004 Euro Cup team, and his experience and constant intensity make him an important member of the Greek side. Known for his ability to score incredible goals from difficult angles and long distances, Karagounis is a crucial part of the Greek midfield and offensive attack.
The young players to watch are without question Sotiris Ninis and Ioannis Fetfatzidis. Ninis, a talented, 21-year-old attacking midfielder, is considered by many to be the future star of Greek soccer. Due in large part to a lack of playing time, Ninis’ international resume does not impress. He has yet to live up to the grand expectations that were placed upon him when he was only an adolescent. However, with more experience, Ninis is expected to be one of the Greece’s main playmakers.
Fetfatzidis, a mesmerizing 20-year-old left midfielder, is also a highly-touted footballer. His dizzying dribbling and wonderful pace on the ball make him a headache for defenders, and have earned him the nickname, “The Greek Messi.” If Fetfatzidis and Ninis can form chemistry with one another, they will likely be a tremendous force in the Greek midfield for over a decade.
While the Greeks obviously hope to score goals, their defense has always been, and continues to be, their strength. With powerful, young defenders such as Vasilis Torosidis, Sokratis Papastathopoulos and Avraam Papadopoulos, the Greeks would love nothing more than for this friendly match to be become a physical, defensive battle. They will attempt to stifle the speed and finesse of Ecuador’s attack with their strength and aggressiveness. Expect the Greeks to play sturdy in the back and wait for the opportune time to strike, either on a counter attack or a corner kick.