Greece have been relatively stable in European football in the last decade, and while they’re not expected to repeat their performances of 2004 they will harbour legitimate aims of progressing out of Group A.

One surprise name included in their Euro 2012 is that of Kostas Fortounis. The 19-year-old 1. FC Kaiserslautern winger has just two caps to his name but impressed enough during training to persuade the coach to include him.

Greece squad

Goalkeepers: Kostas Chalkias (PAOK FC), Michalis Sifakis (Aris Thessaloniki FC), Alexandros Tzorvas (US Città di Palermo).

Defenders: Vassilis Torossidis (Olympiacos FC), Kyriakos Papadopoulos (FC Schalke 04), Sokratis Papastathopoulos (SV Werder Bremen), Avraam Papadopoulos (Olympiacos FC), José Holebas (Olympiacos FC), Giorgos Tzavellas (Eintracht Frankfurt), Stelios Malezas (PAOK FC).

Midfielders: Kostas Katsouranis (Panathinaikos FC), Giorgos Karagounis (Panathinaikos FC), Giannis Maniatis (Olympiacos FC), Giorgos Fotakis (PAOK FC), Grigoris Makos (AEK Athens FC), Giannis Fetfatzidis (Olympiacos FC), Sotiris Ninis (Panathinaikos FC), Kostas Fortounis (1. FC Kaiserslautern).

Forwards: Dimitris Salpingidis (PAOK FC), Giorgos Samaras (Celtic FC), Fanis Gekas (Samsunspor), Nikos Liberopoulos (AEK Athens FC), Kostas Mitroglou (Atromitos FC).

Coach: Fernando Santos

Greece Preview

FIFA Ranking: 14

Euro Best: Winners 2004

Castrol EDGE Performance data shows that Greece remained focused in the latter periods of their UEFA EURO 2012™ qualifying games, not conceding a single goal in the last half-hour of their games, a feat only Norway and Italy could match.

Overall the Greeks only shipped five goals on the road to Poland and Ukraine, a haul bettered by only three other sides – Italy, France and Russia.

Goals Conceded 61stto 90thminute – UEFA EURO 2012™ qualifiers

According to Castrol EDGE Performance research, Avraam Papadopoulos was key to Greece’s impressive defensive displays in the UEFA EURO 2012™ qualifying campaign, with the Schalke star making 31 tackles, the fourth-highest total for any defender in the competition.

Of those 31 challenges, Papadopoulos won an impressive 74% of them, the second best tackle success rate of any of the top five tackling defenders.

Top Tackling Defenders – UEFA EURO 2012™ qualifiers

Also See:

Euro 2012 Fixtures

Euro 2012 Infographic