The Reds defender and the Sheffield United connection – meet the Greek stars looking to take down Ireland

Manager

Gus Poyet

The former Chelsea and Spurs midfielder took charge of Greece in February 2022 and has won seven of his 12 games in charge. Greece opened their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign with a 3-0 win against Gibraltar and topped their Nations League C group last year with five wins from six. After Ireland, they face France away on Monday night.

Goalkeeper

Odysseas Vlachodimos (Benfica)

Age: 29 Caps: 31

The German-born Greek No 1 helped Benfica to the Portuguese league title last term, keeping 20 clean sheets in 34 games, while his side were knocked out of the Champions league quarter-finals by Inter Milan. Vlachodimos has kept seven clean sheets in his last eight games for Greece.

Defenders

George Baldock (Sheffield United)

Age: 30 Caps: 7

Along with club team-mate John Egan, the right-back was a crucial part of the Blades’ promotion to the Premier League last season, making 36 appearances. A versatile player, Baldock was born in England but is eligible for Greece through his grandmother.

Pantelis Chatzidiakos (AZ Alkmaar)

Age: 26 Caps: 25

The Rhodes-born centre-back has played with AZ Alkmaar since 2015 after coming up through the Dutch club’s youth system. He started almost every game last season and was crucial in Alkmaar’s run to the Europa Conference League semi-finals. For Greece, he has established himself as a pivotal player at the back, starting their last 13 games.

Konstantinos Mavropanos (Stuttgart)

Age: 25 Caps: 17

The Athens native secured a move to Arsenal in 2018 where he made eight appearances before signing a permanent deal with Stuttgart last summer. The centre-half started almost every league game last term as the club avoided relegation from the Bundesliga. A key man for Poyet since 2021.

Kostas Tsimikas (Liverpool)

Age: 27 Caps: 26

The Thessaloniki native signed for the Reds from Olympiacos in August 2020 and has made 61 appearances, but has often been on the bench behind Andy Robertson. He has won an FA Cup and a League Cup with Jurgen Klopp’s side and has started the last 18 games for Greece for which he has been available.

Midfielders

Manolis Siopis (Trabzonspor)

Age: 29 Caps: 23

The midfielder spent his early club career in Greece before moving to Turkey in 2019. Now at Trabzonspor, Siopis made 40 appearances last term including four in the Europa League group stage.

Dimitrios Kourbelis (Panathinaikos)

Age: 29 Caps: 30

Kourbelis came up through the academy at Asteras Tripoli before signing for Panathinaikos in 2017. An abductor tear in 2021 saw him fail to feature for Greece for 12 months, but he returned for last summer’s Nations League.

Anastasios Bakasetas (Trabzonspor)

Age: 29 Caps: 55

Bakasetas is Greece’s current top goalscorer (11) and has won more caps than anyone in this month’s squad. The attacking midfielder made his debut in June 2016 and is the side’s current captain. Like Siopis, he played his club football in Greece before moving to Trabzonspor in 2021. They finished in sixth last term.

Forwards

Dimitrios Limnios (FC Koln)

Age: 25 Caps: 25

Limnios left Greece for Germany in 2020 and suffered a ruptured cruciate ligament 12 months ago which saw him sidelined until last March. The right winger earned his international debut at 19 and returned to make his first Greece appearance in nine months against Lithuania three months ago.

Vangelis Pavlidis (AZ Alkmaar)

Age: 24 Caps: 29

One of two Alkmaar players in the squad, the centre-forward hit 22 goals and 14 assists in 40 appearances last season, including five on their way to the Conference League last-four. Six goals for Greece since his debut in 2019.

Georgios Masouras (Olympiacos)

Age: 29 Caps: 31

The left winger has just finished his fifth season with Olympiacos, who missed out on the league title by five points. Last term, he hit five goals and four assists. For Greece, he has five goals and three assists to his name, including two in his last four starts.

Substitutes

Georgios Tzavellas (AEK Athens) Age: 35 Caps: 48

Experienced centre-half who has made just one start in Greece’s last 10.

Lazaros Rota (AEK Athens)

Age: 25 Caps: 7

The right-back has started three of Greece’s last four internationals.

Andreas Bouchalakis (Konyaspor – on loan from Olympiacos)

Age: 30 Caps: 35

Once on the books at Nottingham Forest, the midfielder has won 35 caps.

Petros Mantalos (AEK Athens)

Age: 31 Caps: 52

Attacking midfielder has overcome two cruciate injuries in recent years.

Georgios Giakoumakis (Atlanta)

Age: 28 Caps: 13

Currently the joint top scorer in MLS with 10 goals in 14 games since arriving from Celtic last February.