Kostas Tsimikas

Konstantinos Tsimikas (Greek: Κωνσταντίνος Τσιμίκας; born 12 May 1996) is a Greek professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Premier League club Liverpool and the Greece national team.[4][5]

Kostas Tsimikas
Tsimikas playing for Liverpool in 2022
Personal information
Full name Konstantinos Tsimikas[1]
Date of birth (1996-05-12) 12 May 1996[2]
Place of birth Thessaloniki, Greece[3]
Height 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)[2]
Position(s) Left-back
Team information
Current team
 Liverpool
Number 21
Youth career
2010–2013 Neapoli Thessaloniki
2013–2014 Panserraikos
2014–2015 Olympiacos
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015–2020 Olympiacos 46 (0)
2017 → Esbjerg (loan) 9 (2)
2017–2018 → Willem II (loan) 33 (3)
2020– Liverpool 37 (0)
International career‡
2014–2015 Greece U19 13 (0)
2016–2018 Greece U21 16 (2)
2018– Greece 31 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 14:54, 21 October 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23:48, 16 October 2023 (UTC)

Tsimikas previously played for Olympiacos, and also had loan spells with Esbjerg and Willem II.

Club career

Early career

Tsimikas was born in Thessaloniki, and hails from the village of Lefkonas, Serres.[6] He started his career from his village's local team and he transferred to AS Neapoli Thessaloniki when he was 14 years old. In 2013, he moved to Panserraikos and he scored 5 goals during 2013–14 season in Gamma Ethniki.[7]

Olympiacos

Tsimikas made his Olympiacos debut in the Super League in a match against AEL Kalloni on 19 December 2015.[8]

Loan to Esbjerg

On 28 December 2016, Tsimikas signed for Danish club Esbjerg on a loan until the end of the 2016–17 season.[9] On 17 February 2017, in his debut with the club, he scored a goal in a 3–0 home win game against SønderjyskE Fodbold. He left the club after 13 games, and returned to Olympiacos.

Loan to Willem II

On 30 June 2017, Tsimikas made another loan move, this time to Dutch club Willem II on a season-long contract.[10] He was a regular in the 2017–18 Eredivisie, starting 32 of the 34 matches,[11] and also scored 5 goals. In the quarter-finals of the KNVB Cup, his deflected free kick took the tie into extra time, and Willem II went on to beat Roda on penalties.[12] Tsimikas' spectacular bicycle kick in a 3–2 win against FC Utrecht was voted Voetbal International Goal of the Month and contributed to his being named Eredivisie Rookie of the Month for March 2018.[13]

Return to Olympiacos

Coach Pedro Martins kept Tsimikas at Olympiacos for the 2018–19 season. In November 2018, he crossed for Kostas Fortounis' first goal in a 5–1 defeat of F91 Dudelange in the Europa League group stage; both players were named in the UEFA Europa League Team of the Week.[14] In late 2018 he did not start many games but was still offered a new deal, keeping Tsimikas at the club until the summer of 2023.[15]

Liverpool
Tsimikas playing for Liverpool in 2021

On 11 August 2020, Tsimikas signed for Liverpool on a deal for reported fee of £11.75 million. He became just the second Greek footballer to become a Liverpool player after Sotirios Kyrgiakos who joined the club from AEK Athens in 2009.[16][17][18] He made his debut for Liverpool in the EFL Cup on 24 September 2020, against Lincoln City in a 7–2 win.[19] He made his Premier League debut as a substitute for Andrew Robertson against Manchester City in a 4–1 loss.

On 14 August 2021, he made his first league start in the 3–0 away win against Norwich City on the opening weekend of the season.[20] He followed this up with a man-of-the-match performance on 21 August, providing the assist for Diogo Jota's goal in a 2–0 win over Burnley.[21]

On 13 April 2022, at the quarter-finals of the 2021–22 UEFA Champions League against Benfica, Tsimikas provided two assists in a 3–3 draw, helping Liverpool to secure their place in the semi-finals. He was named Player of the Match.[22]

On 14 May 2022, Liverpool faced Chelsea in the FA Cup final at Wembley. With the game having finished 0–0 after 90 minutes, Tsimikas came off the bench in the 111th minute to replace the injured Robertson. Liverpool then won the penalty shoot-out 6–5, with Tsimikas scoring the deciding penalty.[23] He said afterwards, "The boss asked me which number (penalty) I want, and I said number seven. He asked 'why so far?'. I said 'I just want number seven' and it gave me the opportunity to win the game. I chose the right side and scored."[24]

On 25 September 2023, Tsimikas signed a new long-term deal reportedly keeping him at the club until 2027.[25]

International career

Tsimikas received his first call-up to the Greece senior team for the 2018–19 UEFA Nations League matches against Hungary and Finland in October 2018.[26] He made his international debut in the starting eleven for the match at home to Hungary on 12 October, and crossed for Kostas Mitroglou to score the only goal of the game.[27]

Career statistics

Club
As of match played 21 October 2023
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Europe Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Olympiacos 2015–16 Super League Greece 3060—00—90
2016–17 Super League Greece 1020—00—30
2018–19 Super League Greece 15040—9[lower-alpha 1]0—280
2019–20 Super League Greece 27030—16[lower-alpha 2]0—460
Total 460150—250—860
Esbjerg (loan) 2016–17 Danish Superliga 9240———132
Willem II (loan) 2017–18 Eredivisie 33343———376
Liverpool 2020–21 Premier League 2000104[lower-alpha 3]00070
2021–22 Premier League 13050305[lower-alpha 3]0—260
2022–23 Premier League 20010106[lower-alpha 3]000280
2023–24 Premier League 2000102[lower-alpha 4]00050
Total 370606017000660
Career total 125529360420002028
  1. Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  2. Twelve appearances in UEFA Champions League, four appearances in UEFA Europa League
  3. Appearances in UEFA Champions League
  4. Appearances in UEFA Europa League

International
As of match played 16 October 2023[28]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Greece
201820
201910
202030
2021100
202280
202370
Total310

Honours

Olympiacos

Liverpool

Individual

References
  1. "2020/21 Premier League squads confirmed". Premier League. 20 October 2020. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  2. "Kostas Tsimikas". Premier League. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  3. "Kostas Tsimikas". Liverpool F.C. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  4. "Konstantinos Tsimikas". Soccerway. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
  5. "Konstantinos Tsimikas - UEFA". Retrieved 11 September 2017.
  6. "Ο Σάκης Αναστασιάδης μιλά για τον "Σερραίο" Τσιμίκα: "Στην πρώτη προπόνηση δεν ακούμπησε μπάλα!"". LiverpoolFans.gr (in Greek). 2020-08-12. Retrieved 2021-02-04.
  7. talentabout.gr Ο ταλαντούχος Κώστας Τσιμικας
  8. Τσιμίκας: «Οι κόποι μου ανταμείβονται» [Tsimikas: "My troubles are rewarded"] (in Greek). 19 December 2015. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
  9. Επίσημο: στην Έσμπιεργκ δανεικός ο Τσιμίκας [Official: Tsimikas is on a loan with Esbjerg] (in Greek). 28 December 2016. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
  10. "Willem II haalt linksback Konstantinos Tsimikas uit Griekenland" [Willem II get left-back Konstantinos Tsimikas from Greece] (in Dutch). 30 June 2017. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
  11. "K. Tsimikas". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  12. Burns, Will (2 February 2018). "KNVB Beker report: Quarter-finals". Total Dutch Football. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  13. "Slip in Tilburg". FC Utrecht. 31 March 2018. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
    "Fenomenale goal Tsimikas verkozen tot Doelpunt van de Maand maart" [Tsimikas' phenomenal goal chosen as Goal of the Month for March]. VI.nl (in Dutch). 13 April 2018. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
    "Santiago Arias named Player of the Month". Eredivisie. 4 April 2018. Archived from the original on 6 April 2018. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  14. "Olympiakos 5–1 F91 Dudelange". Sky Sports. 9 November 2018. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
    "Who makes our Europa League Team of the Week?". UEFA. 9 November 2018. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  15. "Ολυμπιακός: Ανανέωσε για 4 χρόνια ο Τσιμίκας". www.sport24.gr. 10 January 2019. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
  16. Shaw, Chris (10 August 2020). "Liverpool complete signing of Kostas Tsimikas". Liverpool F.C. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  17. Williams, Sam (11 August 2020). "Kostas Tsimikas: 'I was a Liverpool fan - my family are very happy'". Liverpool F.C. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
  18. Dobson, Mark; Unwin, Will (9 August 2020). "Liverpool set to sign Olympiakos left-back Kostas Tsimikas for £11.75m". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  19. Unwin, Will (24 September 2020). "Lincoln City v Liverpool and more: Carabao Cup third round – live!". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  20. Ames, Nick (14 August 2021). "Mohamed Salah's sublime strike seals Liverpool win over Norwich". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
  21. "Jota and Mane lead Liverpool to victory". premierleague.com. Premier League. 21 August 2021. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  22. "Liverpool 3-3 Benfica (agg 6-4): Reds resist thrilling late comeback after Firmino double". Uefa.com. 13 April 2022. Retrieved 14 April 2022.
  23. Andrews, Connor (14 May 2022). "MATES Liverpool penalty hero Kostas Tsimikas reveals it was his 'first one' and pleads with Mohamed Salah to stay after FA Cup triumph over Chelsea". Talksport.
  24. Watson, Ian (14 May 2022). "Liverpool hero Tsimikas reveals penalty conversation as Klopp feels for Chelsea". Football365. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
  25. "Kostas Tsimikas signs new long-term contract with Liverpool FC - Liverpool FC". Liverpool FC. 25 September 2023. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  26. Nicolaides, Shaun (4 October 2018). "Paschalakis and Tsimikas receive maiden national team call-ups". AgonaSport. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  27. Georgakopoulos, George (12 October 2018). "Mitroglou settles Greece's scores against Hungary". Ekathimerini. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  28. "Kostas Tsimikas". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  29. McNulty, Phil (14 May 2022). "Chelsea 0–0 Liverpool". BBC Sport. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
  30. McNulty, Phil (27 February 2022). "Chelsea 0–0 Liverpool". BBC Sport. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  31. McNulty, Phil (28 May 2022). "Liverpool 0–1 Real Madrid: Reds beaten in Paris as Vinicius Jr hits winner". BBC Sport. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
  32. "Santiago Arias Named Player of the Month". eredivisie.nl. 4 April 2018. Archived from the original on 6 April 2018. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
  33. "Konstantinos Tsimikas Named Greek Player Of The Year". Greek City Times. 16 February 2021. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
  34. "Super League Interwetten: Η καλύτερη ενδεκάδα της σεζόν 2019-20". Sport24 (in Greek). 15 February 2021. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  35. "Gazzetta Awards 2021 | Gazzetta". www.gazzetta.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 2023-09-15.
  36. "Ποδοσφαιριστής της χρονιάς: Ο Κώστας Τσιμίκας στη χώρα των θαυμάτων | Gazzetta". www.gazzetta.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 2023-09-15.
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