“I remember playing generally from a very young age with the boys at school, playing at our store with my dad. My dad and my grandfather played a lot of football. My grandfather even played in the B’ National League. One day, I was playing alone on the street, and my cousin passed by and told me to join the team. He introduced me to the coach as a very good right back. I didn’t know what a back was; I didn’t know anything. I would kick the ball and fall. But that’s how I started,” says eighteen-year-old Angeliki Pantedri from Rethymno, Crete, where she currently lives. There, Angeliki competes wearing the jersey of the “Rea” football team, while she is intensively training for the difficult “challenge” that awaits her.
The young right-back is the first Greek woman to be tested by Barcelona’s team, which is considered one of the best women’s teams in Europe, alongside Lyon. It all started when Angeliki played with the national U19 team against Lithuania and Scotland, where she was spotted by Catalan scouts and invited to the trials. As a result, Angeliki Pantedri is expected to travel to Barcelona in December and wear the “blaugrana” jersey.
One day, I was playing alone on the street, and my cousin passed by and told me to join the team. He introduced me to the coach as a very good right back. I didn’t know what a back was; I didn’t know anything. I would kick the ball and fall.
Angeliki Pantedri was born and raised in Apollo, Rhodes. She initially attended Apollo Academy, training only with boys. When she was 12 years old, she received an offer from the Ialysos Ladies team. There, she played for four years, with the club achieving promotion to the A’ National League in 2022. After a very successful year in the Women’s Football League, two teams came knocking at the young defender’s door. These were AO REAS and OFI, with her initially closing a deal with the latter. However, she changed her mind and chose AO REAS. She also competes with the U19 national team, where she was also recognized by the Spanish team’s scouts.
Angeliki Pantedri at Apollo Academy.
“We had played a friendly match, and one of them saw me. He came, spoke to me, and told me that I am very good, that he believes a lot in me, and that it shows I will play football. This is how the trials were arranged for December. No matter what happens, just the trial itself is very important; it’s a great opportunity,” emphasizes Angeliki, who trains a total of four hours a day to justify this selection.
“A lot of pressure. Discipline for sure. You understand that there is no time for friendships, outings, or staying up late. All of this must be cut from now on; you need to enter a program and follow it correctly. Take care of your nutrition, your sleep, and do your training. If you don’t do it, you might feel guilty later. As the time approaches, things get tougher. Because going unprepared to a team like Barcelona is a mistake. But it is an honor that I have been chosen. And I believe I still have a lot to offer, whatever happens,” Angeliki explains.
“There is no time for friendships, outings, or staying up late. All of this must be cut from now on; you need to enter a program and follow it correctly. Take care of your nutrition, your sleep, and do your training.”
“Society is ready for women in football”
For Mr. George Papakostas, the coach of the U16 and U19 national teams, who is the one who initially recognized Angeliki, the young athlete’s selection is not surprising.
Angeliki Pantedri (bottom left) wearing the U19 national team jersey.
“We have many new talents. We are competing in the first category in Europe, something we have achieved in the last three years. This is very important because the teams we compete with are at the highest level of European football. This means that in our group, there will always be a team that is in the top 8 in Europe. Whether it’s Spain, England, or Germany; countries that have a long history in women’s football in Europe. This is very significant because it gives the girls the opportunity to see what football is like at a very high level in Europe.
“There are many girls who leave at a young age to play for teams abroad. One of them is Angeliki, who took a very significant step, and regardless of what happens in the future, she can open doors for other girls.”
“We have many girls who now both have talent and have developed through both Greek teams and academies. Many players leave at a young age to play for teams abroad. One of them is Angeliki, who took a very significant step, and regardless of what happens in the future, she can open doors for other girls. I think Barcelona is the biggest club in women’s football right now, I would even say in the world.”
For Angeliki, who grew up in a traditional environment where primarily boys played football, the sport is a one-way street. “I never had a problem because I didn’t pay attention to any of what I heard from those around me, although I had relatively strong support,” she confidently states. “Things are changing after all, more and more girls are playing football, and it is now accepted in society,” she adds. According to coach George Papakostas, women’s football is experiencing significant growth in our country, filling up stadiums.
“Imagine that in many third national leagues, because the teams usually represent entire cities, like Larissa for example, there are even 500 people who go to the games. A derby can have 800 fans. In the early days, 10-15 years ago, only relatives and friends of the athletes showed up. This shows that society is ready for women in football, and Greece has players who are equal to those of foreign teams,” he concludes.