Roma recently welcomed its tenth Greek player: defender Konstantinos Koulierakis. Will he unleash his inner Manolas, or are we in for another Greek Tragedy like Tsimikas? Let’s take a look at his predecessors in the Eternal City.
Ah, Greece. Sun, sea, hundreds of islands, friendly people, sirtaki, great olive oil, ouzo, pita, lamb dishes. I’m not gonna lie, Greece is my second favorite country in Europe, after, of course, Italy. So many uncharted territories, so many jewels scattered across the Mediterranean
Sea, waiting to be explored.
Anyway, let’s talk football. Greece has generated some excellent players over the years. Take their Euro 2004 squad: Charisteas, Zagorakis, Nikopolidis, Basinas, Seitaridis, Papadopoulos. They weren’t superstars, but they were reliable and skilled players. The team was compact, resilient, and tough, winning against Portugal and France and drawing with Spain in 2004.
More recently, Greece has produced well-known names, including Odysseas Vlachodimos, Konstantinos Mavropanos, Anastasios Douvikas, and Vangelis Pavlidis, as well as promising young talents such as Christos Mandas, Christos Tzolis, and Konstantinos Karetsas.
And there is also Konstantinos Koulierakis: a tall, athletic center-back who just joined Roma from Wolfsburg and has already been capped 22 times by the Greek National Team.
Since he’s Roma’s 10th Greek player, why not rank his Hellenic predecessors?
#9: Dimitrios Keramitsis
Well, this one’s fairly easy. A former Empoli youth product who joined our Primavera in 2021 but played only a single minute for the first team in January 2022. Like so many kids before him (and since), he became more of a lost talent than a standout. I bet you already forgot about him! Now 22 years old, he’s playing in…checks notes…the Polish first division.
#8: Dimitrios Eleftheropoulos
This guy, unlike Keramitsis, never played for Roma but I still liked him because it was early in my Roma fandom. The long-haired goalkeeper joined Roma in 2005 on loan from Milan and was clearly third choice behind Doni and Curci. Unsurprisingly, he returned to Milan after his only season in Rome.
#7: Lampros Choutos
Yay, our first Greek player to log noteworthy minutes for the first team! Well, more or less. The forward, a former Primavera player, made his debut in 1996 but would appear in only three more games before leaving the Giallorossi in 2000 for Olympiacos. He later won Serie A with Inter in 2007.
#6: Kostas Tsimikas
This is still fresh in our minds, isn’t it? Loaned from Liverpool to fill in on the left wingback due to Angeliño’s extended absence, he ended up playing 25 games last season. Still, he never really convinced the fans or management. Honestly, it’s surprising he’s been at a club like Liverpool for so long. It seemed he was never interested in staying or proving himself. Anyway, thanks for the memories, Kostas.
#5: Panagiotis Tachtsidis
Another Greek player, another unremarkable stint at Roma. In 2012, the defensive midfielder was seen as a promising talent, leading Roma to take a chance. They offered a five-year contract, and Zeman even dared to bench De Rossi for Panagiotis ‘Taxi’ Tachtsidis. However, it didn’t work out. Tachtsidis quickly moved back to Genoa after one season and went on to play for numerous Italian clubs: Catania, Torino, Hellas, Lecce, Cagliari. Fun fact: Taxi is still playing professional football; he joined a Cyprus top division club last month. Good for you, Taxi.
#4 Jose Holebas
To be fair, it was a toss-up with Tachtsidis for fourth place, but how can I forget that amazing goal vs. Inter Milan in 2014? He made a solo run from the middle of the pitch, dribbled past two Inter defenders, and fired a rocket at Handanovic. Roma won 4-2, and I genuinely believed Holebas could make it in Rome. He played 34 games that season, and Roma finished second in one of their best-ever seasons. What could possibly go wrong?
Well, Roma happened. Holebas moved to Watford after a contentious transfer saga where neither Roma nor Watford involved or informed Holebas or his agent. Nevertheless, Holebas agreed to the transfer, becoming a cult hero at Watford and in the Premier League over five seasons, and reaching the FA Cup final in 2019.
#3 Traianos Dellas
A towering centreback and a key member of Greece’s celebrated 2004 team. He joined Roma on a free transfer from Perugia in 2002 and spent three seasons there, making 67 appearances and scoring four goals, mostly headers. Dellas exemplified the traditional old-school centreback, excelling in game reading and tackling, and dominating aerial duels, though less comfortable with the ball at his feet. Truly a ‘colossus’.
He somewhat reminds me of the classic La Maggica during Franco Sensi’s era—more discreet signings, a sense of romance, and fewer data-driven or business-focused transfers. Perhaps I am feeling nostalgic, but Dellas certainly deserves a spot in our top three.
#2 Vasilis Torosidis
The rightback spent four seasons in Rome and was a reliable team player. No diva or flashy moves, but consistently decent when needed. He was a conservative, versatile right back who could also play RCB, making 77 appearances for the Giallorossi and netting 7 goals. For just over €6m, that was a fantastic deal.
Perhaps Dellas was a more notable and imposing player at the back, but the numbers (goals, games) speak for themselves: Torosidis deserves second place.
#1 Konstantinos Manolas
Really, was there any doubt? By far the most successful Greek in town. Five seasons, more than 200 games, and 8 goals, including THAT goal vs. Barcelona in the Champions League, which lives rent-free in all our heads. Manolas remains one of Roma’s best deals in recent memory, and he was tailor-made for this club.
He was a mad-hatter—passionate, quick, and fierce. He built strong partnerships with Fazio, Jesus, Emerson, and Rudiger, helping Roma remain in the top three during his tenure.
It’s a pity he didn’t secure any awards in Rome, and he later joined our rivals Napoli. However, that header against Barcelona, combined with the celebration, might be even more memorable than a Coppa Italia or Conference League trophy. Efharistó, Kostas.
That was our final ranking. So, where might Konstantinos Koulierakis be in 3-4 years? Will he turn out to be another disappointing player like Tsimikas? Or could he surpass his namesake Manolas as the top Roman Greek (or Greek Roman)?
All I know is: when Roma face Barcelona in the CL knockout round in 2027, you might want to keep an eye on Konstantinos during a corner.
