The match in Dublin was much harder than the final score (0-2) suggests. However, at a point where everything seemed like a mountain for our National team, the “class” of Fotis Ioannidis made things simple. Without his goal at the beginning of 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 penalty area and with a masterful shot using his “weaker” foot, the left, he left the opponent goalkeeper watching helplessly as it made its way into the net. Without much power. With calmness, confidence, and a skill that few strikers – the greatest – can showcase.
It was his third goal in two matches with the “new” Greek National team under Ivan Jovanović. In the opening match of this year’s Nations League, last Saturday, the 24-year-old forward of Panathinaikos had defeated the Finns almost “by himself.” He scored two of Greece’s three goals and was involved in the third as well. In the 75 minutes he played, the Finnish defense suffered.
“We bow to you, Fotis Ioannidis,” wrote UEFA this morning (11/9) on the official website of the tournament. On A Bola’s website, it was the top story. “Take a closer look at Ioannidis’ masterpiece. Sporting wanted him for goals like this… The Greek forward shot from outside the penalty area, leaving 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, making offers close to 30 million euros, according to reports. However, Panathinaikos believes that in a short time, Ioannidis will be worth much more. They are preparing to propose a new contract extension for him (which expires in the summer of 2027), the second in a year and a half, with a significant increase in his earnings.
The goal – reminiscent of Messi – he scored in France against Lens has already increased his value in the football market. Yesterday’s goal even more so. The European Cups and national team matches are the “showcase” where potential buyers admire his rare talent. Ioannidis is not just a good scorer, but a complete center forward. Greek football had not produced such a striker for many years. Moreover, in the rest of the world, there are not many players with his qualities.
His spectacular development is a case study. When he joined Panathinaikos in August 2020, his transfer went (almost) unnoticed. In Livadia, he had clearly shown his rare talent, which gave him the opportunity to make his Super League debut even before turning 18. But to most people, he was “the Fotis from Levadiakos.” A 20-year-old acquired from a team relegated to Super League 2. He was treated with skepticism, but as it turned out, this worked in his favor.
Without the pressure of high expectations, without the rush to prove that he “deserves the money,” he climbed the ladder of success step by step. He played at Panathinaikos, then became a regular starter, and eventually irreplaceable, when he earned the trust of his coaches – not when demanded by fans and the media. He was fortunate to meet two good mentors for young players, László Bölöni and Ivan Jovanović, but he also invested in himself.
He worked hard and never gave up. He wasn’t discouraged, even when he was third in the hierarchy, behind Makeda and Carlitos, nor when
Andraž Šporar, an experienced forward and international with the Slovenian national team, arrived at Panathinaikos. The same happened with the National team, where two years ago he had Pavlidis and Giakoumakis in front of him.
Ioannidis’ “takeoff” began in November 2022. Nearly 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 football player, held by Panagiotis Retsos since 2017, when he moved from Olympiacos to Bayer Leverkusen for 17.5 million euros.
That day won’t be long in coming. And if on October 10, he scores a goal at Wembley against England like the ones he scored at “Félix Bollaert” and in Dublin, on the 11th he should start packing his bags for one of the top leagues in Europe.
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