Kostas Tsimikas


Kostas Tsimikas is a Greek professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Olympiacos and the Greece national team.

Club career

Olympiacos

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

Loan to Esbjerg

On 28 December 2016, Tsimikas signed for Danish club Esbjerg on a loan until the end of the 2016–17 season. 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. He was a regular in the 2017–18 Eredivisie, starting 32 of the 34 matches, and also scored 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. 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.

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. In late 2018, he was mainly left on the bench with Leonardo Koutris given the nod in his position, but the Olympiacos management is known to have huge faith in Tsimikas. As a result, the 22-year old was offered a new deal, with Tsimikas agreeing to sign the contract which keeps him at the club until the summer of 2023.
On 19 February 2020, Olympiacos' full-back Kostas Tsimikas has been included in the UEFA Champions League Rookie Team of the Group Stage. According to whoscored.com, a website which evaluates players’ performances based on their statistical showings, Tsimikas was one of the best 11 rookie players of the 2019–20 UEFA Champions League group stage. The talented left-back has made a grand total of 34 appearances across all competitions, contributing with six assists. His energetic, enthusiastic way of playing offers a potent attacking threat on the left wing, and the Greek international is also solid defensively.

International career

Tsimikas received his first call-up to the Greek senior team for 2018–19 UEFA Nations League matches against Hungary and Finland in October. 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.

Career statistics

Club

Honours

;Olympiacos