In the Superleague 1 championship, which remains a paradise for all kinds of foreign players and irrational competition “strangles” any healthy part of it, some young cheerful faces seem to suffocate. They are looking for this one chance to showcase their talent by wearing the first team jersey. They want to prove that they can be the “next big thing” in Greek football, that they can see their dream come true, fully realized in their teams’ academies.

This season, if anyone wanted to find players who excel at the highest level, they wouldn’t be too tired. They are numerous and talented, and the discovery takes place under the name of Yannis Constantelias. The 19-year-old PAOK midfielder has so far deposited elements on the grass that belong to footballers of the past, when technical training outweighed any other qualification. He has already played nine games in a row as a starter, playing with equal success in all positions behind the center forward. He made his first start against AEK at the Opap Arena and is already in the league’s top five most creative players.

In 2020, at the age of 16.5, Barcelona found him, covered 1/3 of the point PAOK put on him and gave him the motivation to play in their academies. His family refused, believing that he was not ready, but now it seems that time is coming to an end, as interest from major European clubs (like Arsenal) does not stop.

From the ages of 18 to just over 20, a host of talented footballers compete for a place in the first team.

The “Two-Headed Man from the North” gave free rein to his talents, also based on his summer design. It is significant that in the last match against OFI, 17-year-old striker Stefanos Tzimas and 19-year-old defender Ermis Selimai from the second team were included in the squad, while 19-year-old striker Giorgos Kutsias plays on loan in Volos. 14 matches and one goal.

In Panathinaikos, the presence of 21-year-old right-back Giorgos Vagiannidis began to be felt again. In his sixth home game against PAS, he played the full 90 minutes, recalling his great performances for the Greens’ Under-19s and the reason Inter had bought him. 18-year-old left winger Giorgos Kyriopoulos made his debut in the cup game with Volos in Leoforos and, along with 19-year-old midfielder Leandro Froku, who featured in the OFI game in Heraklion, they are two projects that Ivan promoted to this year’s first team Jovanovic. Competing with the second team are 20-year-old defender Giorgos Sideras, 19-year-old defender Thanasis Prodromitis, 21-year-old midfielder Andreas Athanasakopoulos and 21-year-old striker Dimitris Serpezis, who, under certain conditions, are included in the rotation of the first team.

In Rentis, 19-year-old Andreas Doi, a native of the second team of Olympiacos, managed to stand out and with his sword win his place in the multinational composition of the red-whites. And not only that, as he made 11 appearances in the SL1 championship, starting all of them. A clean “six”, with his height (1.90 m) a great advantage, he was also used as a central defender. Stopper Alexis Kalogeropoulos, 18, stopper Kostas Chrysopoulos, 19, left-back Apostolos Apostolopoulos, 20, and midfielder Pavlos Mavroudis, 22, are constantly on the lookout for a move to Mitchell’s first team.

They are gaining strength

At AEK Almeida, five talents are starting to get opportunities. 21-year-old Bosnian right-back V. Radonia with three games in the Cup, 20-year-old striker M. Kosidis (2 matches in SL1), 22-year-old striker E. Christopoulos (1 cap), 21-year-old midfielder S. Skondas ( 1 cap in the Cup) and 22-year-old striker T. Machiras (1 cap in SL1). 19-year-old M. Tsavidas is a key and indispensable (17 matches – 2 goals) in the attack of Atromitos, 22-year-old PASH left-back, Al. Pelios (11 assists in SL1) and 22-year-old midfielder Agg. Liassos (14 assists in SL1) and 20-year-old midfielder El. Lolis (5 cm). 18-year-old OFI midfielder G. Apostolakis also made a splash in the big category, while 21-year-old midfielder Chr. Voutsas, on loan at PAO B΄.