DF: Konstantinos, if we go back to Chania, how does the story begin?

R/: “It starts with a ball that got stuck in my left foot. There, in the academies of Chania, I played as a “ten”. I created, executed, shot from afar. It was football of freedom, without labels. And perhaps that never left me.

DF: In 2017, PAOK came and a decisive decision…

R/: “Yes. When I moved to Thessaloniki for the PAOK academies, I tried myself everywhere: 10-man, 8-man, midfielder. Until my coach, Alexiou, told me: “You are fast, left-footed, you read the game. Become a defender”. That’s where… I got stuck. And that’s how the Greek U19 Championship came about.”

DF: How decisive was Razvan Lucescu?

R/: “Absolutely. Razvan Lucescu didn’t just give me a debut. He gave me faith. When a coach promotes you to the first team, he also gives you responsibility, but above all, strength. From my debut on August 20, 2022 until the establishment, I felt like someone really supported me.”

DF: The 2023–24 season looks like a milestone…

R/: “It was. The night against Dinamo Zagreb in the Conference League, the two goals, the upset, the player of the match award… but also the championship. Beating Aris away in the final and lifting the title – you never forget that.”

DF: And then… Germany. Wolfsburg.

R/: “Wolfsburg is much more than a club. It is a financially powerful club, with stability, structure, vision. It is based on one of the strongest industrial ecosystems in Europe and seriously invests in football. It does not rush, it builds. And for a young footballer this is an ideal environment. So when the official offer came, we spoke for a long time with my agent Paschalis Tountouris who made me understand that it was important to go where I would be given the opportunity to develop, even if I received less money. It was an absolutely right choice..”

DF: The Bundesliga as a whole?

R/: "A huge school. So many young, talented kids, who not only exist but are promoted. They play, they don't "sit still". And of course, Bayern Munich remains the undisputed favorite for the title. It is a point of reference, not only for Germany but for all of Europe.

DF: Speaking of Europe, the UEFA Champions League?

R/: "There are consistently great teams. Besides Bayern, you see Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Barcelona, but also English powers like Arsenal and Liverpool. It is the highest level. That's where you are really tested.

DF: How much role does family play in all of this?

"Huge. My father, Michalis, and my mother, Kassiani, are my refuge. Their love is constant, whether everything is going perfectly or not. Without them, nothing would make sense.

DF: And the National Greece?

R/: "Honor. From the small national teams to the first call-up by Gustavo Poyet, the debut with Malta… every minute with the national team is a responsibility and pride.

DF: The Greek National Team, even when the results are not coming, what does it mean to you?

"Life moves on. That's the main thing. The Greek National Team may not be present at the 2026 World Cup, but we don't bow our heads. In football – as in life – it's not just whether you fall, but how you get up that counts. We get stronger through difficulties, we keep the right things, we correct our mistakes and we continue. I truly believe that we will do better in the future. There is material, there is quality and above all there is will."