The match in Dublin was much more difficult than the final score (0-2) indicates. However, where everything seemed insurmountable for our national team, the “class” of Fotis Ioannidis made things simple. Without his goal early in the second half, the story of the match might have been written differently.
And what a goal it was! He received the ball outside the Irish area and with a masterful shot using his “weak” foot, his left, he left the opposing goalkeeper watching in place as it headed toward the net. Without much power. With calmness, confidence, and skill that few strikers—the greatest—can display.
This was his third goal in two matches with the new national team of Ivan Jovanović. In its debut in this year’s Nations League last Saturday, the 24-year-old striker of Panathinaikos had almost single-handedly defeated the Finns. He scored two of the three Greek goals and also contributed to the third. In the 75 minutes he played, the Finnish defense suffered.
“We bow to you, Fotis Ioannidis,” UEFA wrote this morning (11/9) on the official website of the tournament. On the A Bola website, it was the top story. “Take a closer look at Ioannidis’ masterpiece. Goals like that are what Sporting wanted… The Greek striker shot from outside the box and left the Irish goalkeeper glued to the ground.”
This summer, Sporting fought to acquire him. Other European clubs, such as Southampton and Leicester, also pursued him, putting in offers that approached 30 million euros, according to reports. However, Panathinaikos believes that soon Ioannidis will be worth much more. They are preparing to offer him a new contract extension (set to expire in the summer of 2027), the second in a year and a half, with a significant increase in his earnings.
The goal—a la Messi—that he scored in France against Lens has already raised his value in the football market. Yesterday’s goal raised it even further. The European Cups and national team matches are the “showcase” where potential buyers admire his rare talent. Ioannidis is not just a good finisher; he is a complete center-forward. The Greek football scene has not produced a striker like him for many years. Moreover, there aren’t many players in the rest of the world with his attributes.
His remarkable progression is a case study. When he joined Panathinaikos in August 2020, his transfer went (almost) unnoticed. In Livadeia, he had clearly demonstrated his rare talent, which had given him the opportunity to make his Super League debut even before he turned 18. But for many, he was “Fotis from Levadiakos.” A 20-year-old acquired from a team relegated to Super League 2. He was met with skepticism, but that turned out to be beneficial, as it turned out.
Without the stress of great expectations, without the rush to prove that “he’s worth the money,” he climbed the ladder of success one step at a time. He played for Panathinaikos, then became a starter, and ultimately irreplaceable, when he earned the trust of his coaches—not when demanded by the fans and the media. He was fortunate to meet two good mentors for young players, Laszlo Boloni and Ivan Jovanović, but he also invested in himself.
He worked hard and never gave up. He was not discouraged, even when he was third in the hierarchy, behind Makeda and Carlitos, nor when Andraž Šporar, an experienced striker and international with the Slovenian national team, arrived at Panathinaikos. The same happened in the national team, where a couple of years ago he had Pavlidis and Giakoumakis ahead of him.
The “launch” of Ioannidis began in November 2022. Almost two years later, no one would disagree that it is only a matter of time before he breaks the record for the most expensive transfer of a Greek footballer, held by Panagiotis Retsos since 2017, when he moved from Olympiacos to Bayer Leverkusen for 17.5 million euros.
That day will not be long in coming. And if on October 10 he scores at Wembley against England a goal like those he scored at “Felix Bolard” and in Dublin, on the 11th he should start packing his bags for one of the top leagues in Europe.
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