Efthymis Koulouris

Efthymis Koulouris (Greek: Ευθύμης Κουλούρης, born 6 March 1996) is a Greek professional footballer who plays as a striker for Ligue 2 club Toulouse and the Greece national team.

Efthymis Koulouris
Personal information
Full name Efthymios Koulouris
Date of birth (1996-03-06) 6 March 1996
Place of birth Skydra, Greece
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Striker
Club information
Current team
 Toulouse
Number 20
Youth career
2005–2013 PAOK
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2013–2019 PAOK 55 (9)
2015–2016 → Anorthosis (loan) 22 (6)
2018–2019 → Atromitos (loan) 28 (19)
2019– Toulouse 32 (4)
National team‡
2011 Greece U17 8 (3)
2012 Greece U18 4 (1)
2013–2015 Greece U19 22 (4)
2016–2018 Greece U21 18 (7)
2018– Greece 17 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 21:30, 7 November 2020 (UTC).
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 03:20, 09 October 2020 (UTC).

Koulouris began his career with PAOK, and spent time on loan at Cypriot First Division club Anorthosis and at Atromitos, with whom he was top scorer in the 2018–19 Super League. He joined Ligue 1 club Toulouse in 2019. Koulouris represented his country from under-17 to under-21 levels before making his senior debut in 2018.

Club career

PAOK

Koulouris was born in Skydra.[1] He began his football career in PAOK's youth system as a young boy and came through the ranks, winning titles at under-17 and under-20 levels.[1] He made his first-team debut as a 17-year-old on 13 February 2014 in the Greek Cup quarter-final against Apollon Smyrnis. With his side already 4–0 up on aggregate, Koulouris replaced Stefanos Athanasiadis at half-time in the second leg and scored twice.[1][2] Three days later, he made his Super League debut as a late substitute against Asteras Tripolis.[2]

Loan to Anorthosis

In the summer of 2015, Koulouris signed for Cypriot First Division club Anorthosis, on loan for the season.[3] On 28 October, he scored six times as Anorthosis beat Second Division opponents Elpida Xylofagou 9–0 in the Cypriot Cup.[4] His first league goal came four days later: having entered the match away to Pafos as an 88th-minute substitute, he scored with a header that secured a 2–1 win.[5] Koulouris finished the season with seven goals in the Cup, which made him the top scorer in that season's competition, and six in the 2015–16 First Division.[2][6]

Return to PAOK

He returned to PAOK for the 2016–17 season. On 19 September 2016, he scored both goals in a 2–1 away win against Asteras Tripolis and was elected MVP of the game.[7] Koulouris established himself as a regular first-team player with 32 appearances in all competitions, and was voted Players' Young Player of the Year by his teammates.[8]

On 29 September 2017, Koulouris agreed to a contract extension with PAOK until the summer of 2021.[9] On 10 December, he scored in a 4–0 home win against rivals Panathinaikos.[2] On 8 February 2018, he scored his first goal of the 2017–18 Greek Cup to help his club reach the semi-finals with a 5–1 aggregate win against Atromitos.[2][10]

Loan to Atromitos

Koulouris joined Atromitos on loan for the 2018–19 season.[11] On 26 July 2018, in his first competitive game, he scored a late goal against Dynamo Brest in the Europa League second qualifying round as Atromitos came back from 4–0 down to lose the first leg 4–3; they conceded a late equaliser in the second leg after Koulours had a goal disallowed and were eliminated.[12] On 25 August, in his first Super League game of the 2018–19 season, he scored a brace sealing a 2–1 away win against rivals Panetolikos.[13] On 7 October, he scored with a header sealing a 1–0 home win game against PAS Giannina.[14] On 22 October, he scored a brace, including a late winner, in a 3–2 home win against Asteras Tripolis.[15] Six days later he scored in a 2–2 away draw against Panionios.[16] On 31 October, he scored in a 6–1 away Greek Cup win against Iraklis.[17] On 25 November, he scored from the rebound after Azer Bušuladžić's shot was parried to give Atromitos the lead at home to Olympiacos, but they went on to lose 2–1.[18] On 9 December, he scored a brace and gave an assist in a 4–2 home win against Aris Thessaloniki.[19] He scored a hat trick against Apollon Smyrnis in the Greek Cup round of 16.[20] On 27 January 2019, he opened the scoring in a 2–1 away loss against Lamia.[21] On 31 January, he opened the score in an away 1–1 draw against OFI.[22] On 31 March, he opened the score in a 2–1 away loss against Olympiacos.[23]

His 18th goal of the season on 14 April in a 2–0 win away to Aris Thessaloniki confirmed that Atromitos would finish in fourth place.[24] His 19th and last goal of the Super League season came the following week in a 2–0 win at home to Panathinaikos,[2] a tally which made him the top scorer for the season. He became the first Atromitos player to finish as leading scorer in the top flight, and the first player to do so while on loan from another Greek club. He was the third player of Greek nationality to achieve the feat in the Super League era and, at 23 years and 60 days, the third-youngest player of all time to do so in the top division.[25]

Toulouse

On 22 June 2019, Koulouris signed a four-year contract with French club Toulouse. L'Équipe reported the fee to be in the region of €3.5 million plus add-ons.[26] In his first Ligue 1 game, away to Brest, he scored a somewhat fortunate 89th-minute equaliser.[27] His third goal of the season was an even later equaliser, after 96 minutes of the match away to Metz on 28 September.[28]

International career

On 16 March 2018, he was called in the Greek national team from Michael Skibbe for the friendly match against Switzerland on 23 March 2018. On 23 March 2018, he made his debut with the Greek national team in a 1–0 home loss against Switzerland as a late substitute.

Career statistics
Club Season League Cup Europe Total
Division AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
PAOK 2013–14 Superleague Greece 912200113
2014–15 1401000150
2015–16 00004040
2016–17 1957160326
2017–18 1337210215
Anorthosis (loan) 2015–16 Cypriot First Division 22647002613
Atromitos (loan) 2018–19 Superleague Greece 281955213525
Toulouse 2019–20 Ligue 1 2441000254
2020–21 Ligue 2 80000080
Career totals 13738271713117756

Honours

Club

PAOK

Individual

References
  1. "Efthymis Koulouris". PAOK FC. Archived from the original on 20 June 2018. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  2. "E. Koulouris". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  3. "Pereyra, Koulouris and Pougouras leave on loan". PAOK FC. 31 August 2015. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  4. Christodoulou, Antonis (28 October 2015). "Koulouris scores 6 in Anorthosis mauling of Elpida Xylofagou". SigmaLive. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  5. "Pafos vs. Anorthosis 1–2". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
    Εκτός έδρας νίκη της Ανόρθωσης επί της Πάφου με 2–1. Typos.com.cy. 1 November 2015. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  6. Σκόρερ Κυπέλλου Coca-Cola [Scorers Coca-Cola Cup] (in Greek). Cyprus Football Association. 19 May 2016. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  7. Petros, Costas (19 September 2016). ΠΑΟΚ με μέταλλο, 2-1 στην Τρίπολη τον Αστέρα. Sport24 (in Greek). Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  8. "Koulouris lands Players' Young Player of the Year". PAOK FC. 3 June 2017. Retrieved 3 June 2017.
  9. Ανανέωσαν με τον ΠΑΟΚ οι Πέλκας και Κουλούρης [Pelkas and Koulouris renew with PAOK]. Sport24 (in Greek). 29 September 2017. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  10. "PAOK cruise into Greek Cup semi finals with a 3-1 win over Atromitos in Athens". en.protothema.gr. 8 February 2018. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  11. "Koulouris at Atromitos". PAOK FC. 4 July 2018. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  12. Georgakopoulos, George (27 July 2018). "Goals galore has Greek teams hoping in Europa League". Kathimerini. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
    Wood, Graham (2 August 2018). "Brest late show breaks Atromitos hearts". AgonaSport. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  13. "Ο killer του Περιστερίου (Παναιτωλικός-Ατρόμητος 1-2)". sportsroom.gr. 25 August 2018.
  14. "Ατρόμητος - ΠΑΣ Γιάννινα 1-0: Με γκολ του Κουλούρη αήττητος και πρώτος ο Ατρόμητος". www.sport24.gr. 7 October 2018.
  15. "Ατρόμητος - Αστέρας 3-2: Πάλι στην κορυφή οι Περιστεριώτες". www.sport24.gr. 22 October 2018.
  16. "Πανιώνιος - Ατρόμητος 2-2: Έμειναν όρθιοι στις καθυστερήσεις οι φιλοξενούμενοι". www.sport24.gr. 28 October 2018.
  17. "Ηρακλής - Ατρόμητος 1-6: Χατ τρικ ο Κωτσόπουλος, "σίφουνας" οι Περιστεριώτες". www.sport24.gr. 31 October 2018.
  18. "O Ολυμπιακός... λυτρώθηκε στις καθυστερήσεις (Ατρόμητος - ΟΣΦΠ 1-2)" (in Greek). www.reader.gr. 25 November 2018.
  19. "Ατρόμητος - Άρης 4-2: Ματσάρα στο Περιστέρι, ξανά δεύτερη η αρμάδα του Κάναντι". www.sport24.gr. 9 December 2018.
  20. "Απόλλων Σμύρνης - Ατρόμητος 0-3". www.gazzetta.gr. 9 January 2019.
  21. "Λαμία - Ατρόμητος 2-1". www.gazzetta.gr. 27 January 2019.
  22. "ΟΦΗ - Ατρόμητος 1-1". www.gazzetta.gr. 31 January 2019.
  23. "Ολυμπιακός - Ατρόμητος 2-1". www.gazzetta.gr. 31 March 2019.
  24. Wood, Graham (14 April 2019). "Atromitos beat Aris to clinch fourth". AgonaSport. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  25. Kaperonis, Sarantos (8 May 2019). "Koulouris earns Super League top scorer honor". AgonaSport. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  26. "Transferts: Efthymios Koulouris (PAOK Salonique) signe à Toulouse" [Transfers: Efthymios Koulouris (PAOK Salonica) signs for Toulouse]. L'Équipe (in French). 22 June 2019. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  27. "TFC rescue a point in Brest". Ligue 1. 10 August 2019. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  28. "Metz 2-2 Toulouse Live commentary". Sky Sports. 28 September 2019. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
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