Taxiarchis Fountas

Taxiarchis Fountas (Greek: Ταξιάρχης Φούντας, born 4 September 1995) is a Greek professional footballer who plays as a forward for Austrian club Rapid Wien and the Greece national team.

Taxiarchis Fountas
Personal information
Full name Taxiarchis Fountas
Date of birth (1995-09-04) 4 September 1995
Place of birth Messolonghi, Greece
Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s) Forward
Club information
Current team
 Rapid Wien
Number 9
Youth career
2011 Acheloos Neochoriou
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011–2013 AEK Athens 35 (4)
2013–2016 Red Bull Salzburg 0 (0)
2013 → Liefering (loan) 6 (0)
2014 → Grödig (loan) 7 (0)
2014–2015 → Panionios (loan) 26 (4)
2015–2016 → Asteras Tripolis (loan) 16 (1)
2016–2017 Panionios 19 (2)
2017–2018 Sonnenhof Großaspach 14 (1)
2018–2019 St. Pölten 21 (4)
2019– Rapid Wien 35 (23)
National team‡
2011 Greece U17 4 (1)
2012–2014 Greece U19 11 (1)
2013 Greece U20 1 (0)
2015 Greece U21 3 (1)
2015– Greece 7 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 22:26, 19 December 2020 (UTC).
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 22:23, 20 November 2020 (UTC).

Club career

AEK Athens

Taxiarchis Fountas was scouted by Toni Savevski, the head of AEK Athens' youth academy at the time. On 17 March 2012. Fountas made his senior debut for AEK Athens against Asteras Tripolis being the youngest player to play for AEK Athens in a Superleague game aged 16 years 6 months and 13 days old.[1] He played 31 minutes in this game. He made his first start for the club on 22 April on the final day of the 2011–12 regular season against Doxa Drama, completing the whole 90 minutes.

Fountas scored his first goal for the club in a 1–0 win against Platanias on 28 October 2012, thus becoming the youngest player to score for AEK at the age of 17 years and 54 days.[2] He scored another goal against Veria on 18 October 2012 and another one against PAS Giannina on 3 November 2012. He was also awarded the MVP award after this match. He scored his 4th goal again against Veria on 16 March 2013 with a fine left foot shoot. When the club was relegated, the player was released. He also scored a snipe against Everton in a friendly match in the summer of 2012.

Red Bull Salzburg

Reports stating that the Greek international Fountas is under contract with Red Bull Salzburg. "We have indeed longer employed with him, but there is still no enforcement," said Salzburg motorsport boss Ralf Rangnick. The 17-year-old attacking midfielder played for AEK Athens. The Greek club is currently on the verge of financial collapse. No one knows at present how it goes at AEK Athens, and thus is complicates the transfer. Whether the Greek youth team player who already dwells in Salzburg, will ride on Friday training camp in Germany, should decide at short notice.[3] Eventually on September 2013, Fountas had joined the club on a four-year contract.[4] After the signing of his contract, the club decided to play on loan for six months for Liefering in Austrian Football First League.

Fountas comes on loan to Grödig until end of season from local rivals Red Bull Salzburg. The 18-year-old midfielder has at the current standings in the Austrian Football Bundesliga on a contract until the summer of 2017.[5][6] Fountas succeeded to make his first appearance in Bundesliga a week later.

On the beginning of the 2014–15 season, Fountas comes on loan to Panionios, returning to the Greek Superleague.[7] Fountas exceptional season with Panionios made Asteras Tripolis to start discussions with Red Bull Salzburg for obtain him on loan, with a buying option if the young player convince with his appearances.[8] The Greek striker will play for Asteras Tripolis on loan from Red Bull Salzburg and is expected to have a duration of two years which clearly wanted and the player's side.[9][10] On 2 January 2016, he scored his first goal with the club to a comfortable 4–0 home win against Panthrakikos.[11] On 5 January 2015, few days after his first goal with his club in the Greek Superleague, he scored an amazing goal in a 3–0 away win against AEL for Greek Cup.[12]

Panionios

On 21 July 2016, Taxiarchis Fountas, who was recently released from Asteras Tripolis, signed a one (plus one) year contract and officially returned to Panionios.[13] On 1 July 2017, under mutual agreement Panionios solved the player's contract.

Sonnenhof Großaspach

On 20 September 2017, as a free agent, Fountas signed a long season contract with German club SG Sonnenhof Großaspach.[14]

St. Pölten

On 14 July 2018, after a year in Germany, Fountas signed a long season contract, with Austrian club St. Pölten.[15]

Rapid Wien

On 9 May 2019, Fountas signed a deal with Austrian club Rapid Wien through the summer of 2022. The past season with SKN St. Pölten, Fountas made 22 total appearances and notched four goals in what was a successful campaign for the former international. His contract with St Polten was due to expire at the end of the season and Rapid Wien were quick to snap up the attacking player.[16] On 4 August, he scored his first goal for the club in a 2–2 away draw against former club St. Pölten and a week later he scored a brace against SC Rheindorf Altach,[17] contributing to his team's first win of the season. On 29 September, in a 3–3 home draw against TSV Hartberg, he scored another brace.[18] On 20 October, he scored again in a 1–1 home draw game against Wolfsberger AC.[19] On 15 December, he scored his third brace of the season, sealing a 3–0 away win against Admira Wacker, which included him in the Team of the Week in the Austrian Bundesliga for matchday 18. Fountas continued his breakout season throughout the fall, and he led Rapid Wien in scoring with 11 goals from 15 matches.[20] [21]

On 3 February 2020, Rapid Wien's fans named Fountas as the best player of 2019 thanks to his excellent performances with the Austrian club.[22] On 16 February, his twelfth goal of the season came after a mistake by opponent player Thanos Petsos in a 2–0 home win game against WSG Swarovski Tirol.[23] On 1 March, Fountas converted a pass from Christoph Knasmüllner to score the second goal in a 3–1 home win game against SV Mattersburg.[24] He would score again on 7 March, benefiting from a serious mistake by Nemanja Rnić and finishing after winning the ball for his 14th goal of the season, in a 2–2 away draw against Wolfsberger AC.[25] On 7 June, after the COVID-19 pandemic had suspended the league, he scored again in a 4–0 win game over SK Sturm Graz.[26] Three days later, he scored the vital goal in a 1–0 away win against LASK Linz.[27] A week later he scored again, sealing another 1–0 away win against TSV Hartberg.[28] On 24 June, he scored a late goal after Ercan Kara's assist, in a disaster 2–7 home loss to league champions Red Bull Salzburg.[29] On 1 July, he scored in his fifth game in a row sealing a vital 3–1 home win game against LASK.[30] Taxiarchis Fountas maintained his prolific form with Rapid Vienna until the end of the 2019–20 Austrian Football Bundesliga campaign, registering an impressive haul of 19 goals to help his club earn a berth in the UEFA Champions League qualifiers. Furthermore, Fountas ended the season as the third highest scorer of the Bundesliga in Austria, trailing only Patson Daka (24 goals, RB Salzburg) and Shon Weissman (30 goals, Wolfsberger).

On 30 August 2020, in his first official game for the 2020–21 season, he scored a hat trick in a 5–0 Austrian Cup win against TSV St. Johann. On 11 September 2020, Fountas helped his club to win Admira by scoring a brace at the 2020–21 Austrian Football Bundesliga opener.[31] On 26 September, he scored with a left-footed shot in a 2–1 away win against SKN St. Pölten.[32] On 4 October, he scored with a left-footed shot after a rebound and gave an assist in a triumphic 3–0 home win game against LASK.[33] He scored again during a 2–1 defeat to Arsenal in the Europa League Group stage on 22 October, capitalising on an error by goalkeeper Bernd Leno to put the ball in the net.[34] [35]

International career

Fountas made his international debut for Greece on 13 June 2015, against Faroe Islands where in one of the worst nights of Greek international football, Faroe Islands beat Greece for the second time for the preliminary round of UEFA Euro 2016. He came in the match on 81 minute replacing Panagiotis Kone.[36]

Career statistics

Club
As of 18 December 2020
Club Season League Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
AEK Athens 2011–12 Superleague Greece 8000——80
2012–13 27400——274
Total AEK 35400——354
Red Bull Salzburg 2013–14 Austrian Bundesliga 001000—10
Liefering 2013–14 2. Liga 6010——60
Grödig (loan) 2013–14 Austrian Bundesliga 7000——70
Panionios (loan) 2014–15 Superleague Greece 26470——334
Asteras Tripolis (loan) 2015–16 1614340—244
Panionios (loan) 2016–17 19210——202
Sonnenhof Großaspach 2017–18 3. Liga 14120——161
St. Pölten 2018–19 Austrian Bundesliga 21410——224
Rapid Wien 2019–20 271921——2920
2020–21 742451—149
Total Rapid Wien 34234551—4329
Career total 17840208910020748

Honours

Club
Red Bull Salzburg

Individual
  • Rapid Wien Best Player Award: 2019

References
  1. "Φούντας, ο νεότερος ποδοσφαιριστής στην ιστορία της ΑΕΚ". 18 March 2012.
  2. "ΑΕΚ: Νεότερος σκόρερ στην ιστορία της ΑΕΚ ο Φούντας!". 28 October 2012.
  3. "Fountas-Transfer zu Salzburg zieht sich hin". 27 June 2013.
  4. "Grieche Fountas ab sofort für Salzburg spielberechtigt". 2 September 2013.
  5. "Grödig holte Fountas leihweise von Red Bull Salzburg". 31 January 2014.
  6. "SV Grödig leiht sich Fountas von Red Bull Salzburg". 1 February 2014.
  7. "Ανακοίνωσε Ιμπαγάσα και Φούντα ο Πανιώνιος". 20 August 2014.
  8. "Κοντά σε Παλάσιος και Φούντα ο Αστέρας!". 29 May 2015.
  9. "Διετής ο δανεισμός του Φούντα στον Αστέρα". 30 May 2015.
  10. "Φούντας... διετίας στον Αστέρα Τρίπολης". 30 May 2015.
  11. Comfortable win for Asteras Tripolis Retrieved 2 January 2016
  12. Asteras Tripolis leave Larisa victorious Retrieved 5 January 2016
  13. Ξανά στον Πανιώνιο ο Φούντας! Retrieved 21 July 2016
  14. Στη Ζόνενχοφ ο Φούντας Retrieved 20 September 2017
  15. Στην Ζανκτ Πέλτεν ο Φούντας Retrieved 14 July 2018
  16. Medien: Taxiarchis Fountas wechselt vom SKN St. Pölten zu Rapid Wien Retrieved 9 May 2019
  17. Zittersieg: Fountas bescherte Rapid den ersten Saisonerfolg Retrieved 10 August 2019
  18. Rapid Wien vs TSV Hartberg 3-3 Retrieved 29 September 2019
  19. Rapid Wien vs Wolfsberger 1-1 Retrieved 21 October 2019
  20. Rapid nach 3:0 gegen Admira zumindest einen Tag Dritter Retrieved 16 December 2019
  21. FOUNTAS, AVLONITIS INCLUDED IN MATCHDAY 18 BEST XI IN AUSTRIA Retrieved 20 December 2019
  22. Ταξιάρχης Φούντας: Παίκτης της χρονιάς για τη Ραπίντ Βιέννης Retrieved 3 February 2020
  23. Rapid verabschiedet Marek mit glanzlosem Heimsieg gegen Wattens Retrieved 16 February 2020
  24. SK Rapid Wien - SV Mattersburg 3:1: Hütteldorfer sichern Platz drei ab Retrieved 1 March 2020
  25. Weissman-Doppelpack für den WAC beim 2:2 gegen Rapid Retrieved 7 March 2020
  26. 4:0! Rapid feiert deutlichen Heimsieg gegen behäbige Grazer! Retrieved 7 June 2020
  27. LASK vs RAPID WIEN 0-1 Retrieved 10 June 2020
  28. TSV HARTBERG vs RAPID WIEN 0-1 Retrieved 17 June 2020
  29. 7:2 – Salzburg führt Rapid vor und ist praktisch Meister Retrieved 24 June 2020
  30. SK Rapid Wien - LASK 3:1: Glücklicher SCR ist Vizemeister und fixiert Champions-League-Quali Retrieved 1 July 2020
  31. Rapid zum Auftakt mit 4:1-Sieg gegen die Admira Retrieved 11 September 2020
  32. Rapid nach 2:1 in St. Pölten neuer Liga-Zweiter Retrieved 27 September 2020
  33. Rapid in Hochform - 3:0 im Spitzenspiel gegen den LASK Retrieved 4 October 2020
  34. Arsenal comes back, beats Rapid Vienna
  35. Rapid Wien 1-2 Arsenal
  36. "Faroe Islands defeat Greece again". 13 June 2015.
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