Panagiotis Retsos Explained

Panagiotis Retsos
Fullname:Panagiotis Retsos[1]
Birth Date:9 August 1998[2]
Birth Place:Johannesburg, South Africa
Height:1.86 m[3]
Position:Defender
Currentclub:Olympiacos
Clubnumber:45
Youthyears1:2008–2016
Youthclubs1:Olympiacos
Years1:2016–2017
Clubs1:Olympiacos
Caps1:20
Goals1:0
Years2:2017–2022
Clubs2:Bayer Leverkusen
Caps2:31
Goals2:1
Years3:2020
Clubs3:Sheffield United (loan)
Caps3:0
Goals3:0
Years4:2020–2021
Clubs4:Saint-Étienne (loan)
Caps4:4
Goals4:0
Years5:2022–2023
Clubs5:Hellas Verona
Caps5:7
Goals5:0
Years6:2022–2023
Clubs6:Olympiacos (loan)
Caps6:7
Goals6:0
Years7:2023–
Clubs7:Olympiacos
Caps7:34
Goals7:0
Nationalyears1:2014–2015
Nationalteam1:Greece U17
Nationalcaps1:10
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:2015
Nationalteam2:Greece U18
Nationalcaps2:3
Nationalgoals2:1
Nationalyears3:2016–2017
Nationalteam3:Greece U19
Nationalcaps3:10
Nationalgoals3:0
Nationalyears4:2019–2020
Nationalteam4:Greece U21
Nationalcaps4:5
Nationalgoals4:0
Nationalyears5:2017–
Nationalteam5:Greece
Nationalcaps5:15
Nationalgoals5:0
Club-Update:1 December 2024 (UTC)
Nationalteam-Update:17 November 2024

Panagiotis Retsos (el|Παναγιώτης Ρέτσος, born 9 August 1998) is a Greek professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Super League club Olympiacos and the Greece national team.

Club career

Olympiacos

In the summer of 2016, at age 18, he was promoted from Olympiacos' youth team by first manager Víctor Sánchez, who was impressed by his stamina.[4] On 25 August 2016, he made his debut with the club in a Europa League playoffs home match against Arouca.

On 8 February 2017, Retsos was appointed captain of the club in a Greek Cup goalless home draw against Atromitos.[5] Retsos became the youngest captain of Olympiacos aged only 18, five months and 30 days.

Bayer Leverkusen

On 30 August 2017, Retsos was sold to Bayer Leverkusen for a fee of £15.75 million. The 19-year-old centre-back signed a five-year deal with Leverkusen.[6] [7] On 17 September 2017, he made his Bundesliga debut in a 4–0 home win against SC Freiburg as a starter. On the club's Twitter account, Retsos was voted the Man of the Match.[8]

On 9 April 2018, Retsos scored his first goal in Bundesliga in a 4–1 away win against RB Leipzig. Retsos made a total of 20 appearances in his debut Bundesliga campaign.[9] [10]

On 2 August 2018, Retsos suffered a heavy blow to the quadriceps during pre-season training with Bayer Leverkusen and was diagnosed with tendonitis in the right thigh. The injury is expected to sideline the defender for at least six weeks.

On 29 November 2018, Retsos returned to action in a UEFA Europa League home game against Ludogorets,[11] but suffered a new injury in his left thigh.[12] On 29 October 2019, after almost a year out with injury, Retsos played in a DFB-Pokal game as a substitute in a 1–0 home win against Paderborn SC.[13]

Loan to Sheffield United

On 1 February 2020, Retsos signed for Premier League club Sheffield United on loan from Bayer Leverkusen until the end of the 2019–20 season with an option to buy. The breakout of COVID-19 across the UK, however, which lead to the temporary suspension of football in England meant Retsos failed to make an appearance. Retsos declined an offer to extend his loan to comply with the extended Premier League season, returning to his parent club.[14]

Loan to Saint-Étienne

On 4 October 2020, Retsos joined Saint-Étienne on loan with a purchase option of €6.5 million in the summer of 2021, becoming an obligation if he makes 20 appearances. On 25 October 2020, Retsos suffered a muscular injury at the beginning of the second half vs FC Metz, keeping him out for 2½ months.[15] He returned on 6 January 2021 playing 90 minutes against PSG. However, three days later in the away match against Reims he went off injured at the end of the first half with another injury.[16] Retsos did not appear again for the club.

Hellas Verona

On 25 January 2022, Retsos joined Hellas Verona on a free transfer signing an 18-month contract.

Loan to Olympiacos

On 31 August 2022, Retsos returned to Olympiacos.[17]

International career

Retsos made his debut for Greece on 31 August 2017, in a 0–0 home draw against Estonia in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification.

Personal life

Retsos was born in Johannesburg, South Africa[18] to Hungarian-Greek parents Christos and Eleni. He and his family returned to their native Greece a year after his birth.[19] He has a younger cousin, Christos, who is also a footballer.His paternal family hails from Skortsinos.[20]

Career statistics

[21] [22]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational cupEuropeTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Olympiacos2016–17Super League Greece1808080340
2017–18Super League Greece20004060
Total20080120400
Bayer Leverkusen2017–18Bundesliga2414000281
2018–19Bundesliga00001010
2019–20Bundesliga30102060
2021–22Bundesliga40203090
Total3117060441
Sheffield United (loan)2019–20Premier League001010
Saint-Étienne (loan)2020–21Ligue 1400040
Hellas Verona2021–22Serie A500050
2022–23Serie A200020
Total700070
Olympiacos (loan)Super League Greece 703040140
OlympiacosSuper League Greece27010171451
2024–25Super League Greece702050140
Total34030221591
Career total10312204411702

Honours

Olympiacos

2016–17

2023–24[23]

Individual

2016–17

2016–17[24]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Updated squad lists for 2019/20 Premier League . Premier League . 6 February 2020 . 16 February 2020 . 10 February 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200210135047/https://www.premierleague.com/news/1603207 . live .
  2. Web site: Panagiotis Retsos . ESPN . 16 February 2020 . 3 December 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201203103545/https://www.espn.co.uk/football/player/_/id/233973/Panagiotis-Retsos . live .
  3. Web site: Panagiotis Retsos: Overview . Premier League . 16 February 2020 . 18 December 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201218171333/https://www.premierleague.com/players/16003/Panagiotis-Retsos/overview . live .
  4. http://www.gazzetta.gr/football/article/952651/orismos-toy-value-money-o-pitsirikas-retsos Ορισμός του value for money ο πιτσιρικάς Ρέτσος!
  5. http://www.sport24.gr/Columns/Diamantopoulos/ti-ezhse-ayto-to-paidi.4519451.html Τι έζησε αυτό το παιδί!
  6. http://www.bundesliga.com/en/news/Bundesliga/panagiotis-retsos-to-bayer-leverkusen-from-Olympiacos-transfer-deadline-day-458090.jsp Bayer Leverkusen sign Panagiotis Retsos from Olympiacos
  7. http://www.contra.gr/Soccer/Germany/Bundesliga/leverkusen/h-prwth-fwtografia-toy-retsoy-me-th-fanela-ths-leverkouzen.4824655.html Η πρώτη φωτογραφία του Ρέτσου με τη φανέλα της Λεβερκούζεν
  8. http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/bundesliga/spieltag/1-bundesliga/2017-18/4/3827621/livematch_bayer-leverkusen-9_sc-freiburg-7.html Bayern Leverkusen vs SC Freiburg 4-0
  9. https://www.sportschau.de/fussball/bundesliga/rb-leipzig-bayer-leverkusen-spielbericht-104.html RB Leipzig - Bayer Leverkusen 1:4 Leverkusen feiert furiosen Sieg in Leipzig
  10. http://www.spox.com/de/sport/fussball/bundesliga/saison2017-2018/spieltag-29/rb-leipzig-bayer-04-leverkusen/analyse-b04-werkself-schlaegt-rbl-und-klettert-auf-rang-vier.html RB Leipzig - Bayer Leverkusen 1:4: Werkself siegt deutlich und klettert auf Rang vier
  11. https://www.sport24.gr/football/EllinesExoterikou/panagiwths-retsos-paizei-se-epishmo-mats-meta-apo-208-meres.5375496.html Παναγιώτης Ρέτσος: Παίζει σε επίσημο ματς μετά από 208 μέρες!
  12. https://www.to10.gr/podosfero/europa-league/479630/o-retsos-apochorise-travmatias-stin-proti-symmetochi-tou-meta-apo-epta-mines/ Ο Ρέτσος αποχώρησε τραυματίας στην πρώτη συμμετοχή του μετά από επτά μήνες!
  13. http://www.gazzetta.gr/football/bundesliga/article/1409486/epestrepse-ystera-apo-334-meres-gia-tin-leverkoyzen-o-retsos Επέστρεψε ύστερα από 334 μέρες για την Λεβερκούζεν ο Ρέτσος!
  14. https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/51325072 Sheffield United: Richairo Zivkovic and Panagiotis Retsos join on loan
  15. https://www.sdna.gr/podosfairo/772711_xana-atyhos-o-panagiotis-retsos Ξανά άτυχος ο Παναγιώτης Ρέτσος!
  16. https://www.gazzetta.gr/football/championnat/article/1551967/retsos-oskar-atyhias-me-neo-traymatismo Ρέτσος: Όσκαρ ατυχίας με νέο τραυματισμό
  17. Web site: Olympiacos. Panagiotis Retsos returns to Olympiacos. 31 August 2022. 31 August 2022. 31 August 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220831130649/https://www.olympiacos.org/en/2022/08/31/panagiotis-retsos-returns-to-olympiacos/. live.
  18. Web site: Παναγιώτης Ρέτσος: Από τη Νότιο Αφρική... ο πιο νέος αρχηγός του Ολυμπιακού! | Gazzetta. 18 May 2017. 18 January 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180118165828/http://www.gazzetta.gr/stili/oi-prwtagwnistes/article/1045049/panagiotis-retsos-apo-ti-notio-afriki-o-pio-neos-arhigos-toy-olympiakoy. live.
  19. Web site: Mzansi-Born Star Explains Why He Represents Greece, Not SA. 18 October 2018. 19 December 2019.
  20. https://www.kalimera-arkadia.gr/athlitika/item/69122-panagiotis-retsos-ena-megalo-talento-me-katagogi-apo-to-xorio-skortsinoy-arkadias.html Ο Παναγιώτης Ρέτσος ένα μεγάλο ταλέντο, με καταγωγή από τι χωριό Σκορτσινού Αρκαδίας kalimera-arkadia
  21. Web site: Panagiotis Retsos. Soccerway. 30 June 2017. 29 November 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181129225232/https://int.soccerway.com/players/panagiotis-retsos/372303/. live.
  22. Web site: Panagiotis Retsos. superleaguegreece.net. 20 August 2017. 9 March 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180309112951/http://www.superleaguegreece.net/el/teams/team/olympiacos-fc-530/2017-2018-superleague-70/players/panagiotis-retsos-2660. live.
  23. Web site: El Kaabi swoops to secure Greece's first major European trophy . UEFA . 29 May 2024 . 30 May 2024 . 30 May 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240530003227/https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaconferenceleague/news/028d-1b01e5ec31a5-144c1f00e4f3-1000--olympiacos-1-0-fiorentina-aet-el-kaabi-swoops-to-secure-g/ . live .
  24. Web site: IEFIMERIDA.GR. NEWSROOM. 2018-01-29. Βραβεία ΠΣΑΠ: Μάνταλος-Ιβιτς οι κορυφαίοι της χρονιάς 2016/17 [εικόνες] ΣΠΟΡ]. 2022-01-11. iefimerida.gr. el.