Greece have been regular qualifiers for international competitions for a number of years now. They peaked at the 2004 European Championships, which they won. This shocked everyone, and they have failed to live up to that performance since, but the side is starting to improve as a number of decent players are starting to come through. They go into the tournament with very little expectation on them, but they have a very good chance of qualifying if they play well.
The Greeks are going to play a very defensive style of football. They are aware that they are unlikely to play sides off the park, therefore they look to play on the counter. Their defence doesn’t leak too many goals with the likes of Sokratis Papastathopoulos and Kostas Manolas being very good defenders in the centre. Both are young and have plenty to give the national team for years to come. The latter has been linked with a move to England for the past few transfer windows and a good World Cup will only see interest increase in the centre back.
During qualifying, the Greeks were impressive, finishing second in their group, despite being level on points with the winners Bosnia and Herzegovina. Their style of play was summed up by their goals for (12) and goals against (4). This shows clearly that the side will rely on their strong defence to carry them through as they offer little going forwards. If they struggle to score against some of the smaller nations qualifying, then they will find it even tougher at the World Cup.
Strengths
As has already been mentioned, Greece have a formidable back four which will not leak many goals. They are set up in such a way that men will stay behind the ball and let the opposition keep possession. The two central defenders are both very good readers of the game, while they can both put in a decent tackle. Furthermore the full backs, Vasilis Torosidis and Jose Holebas, can defend and get forward when needed. They will not be expected to attack too much, unless the side are trailing and need a goal. The Greek game is built on their solid foundations.
The team morale will carry the side during tough periods in the tournament. The football side has become a symbol in Greece in the tough economic conditions and that national pride will seep into the game of the players this summer.
When it comes to the forward line, the Greeks have a lot of experience to their name as Giorgos Samaras, Dimitris Salpingidis and Theofanis Gekas all have over 70 caps to their name. This could prove vital as they will be used to playing at tournaments and will use that experience to benefit their country. Although they may lack goals, the Greek attackers all have a lot of heart and all have the ability to score vital goals that could be the difference between going out at the group stage and qualifying for the last 16.
Weaknesses
Their main weakness is their lack of goals. They will never outscore an opponent if they concede one or two. In the tight group that they are in, they will need to keep a tight ship, otherwise they could find themselves losing all three of their matches. They will also need to improve the creativity in the final third as their forwards can’t be expected to score, if they don’t get their chances. The Greek side has never fully lived up to the expectations of 2004, which will need to be put right this summer. They have a genuine chance of getting out of the group, they need to work in their work in the final third.
Coach
Fernando Santos has carried on the traditions of Greek football by advocating defensive football with organisation as a crucial principle. This will be obvious in Brazil as the Greeks look to play counter attacking football as they try to play to their strengths. He has been a very successful coach in both Greece and Portugal, which only goes to show the pedigree he has going into the World Cup. If he gets Greece through the groups, he will be seen as an icon of Greek football.
World Cup History
Incredibly this is only Greece’s third World Cup and they will be keen to reach the second round. In their previous two tournaments, they have failed to qualify from the group stage.
Key Man
Although he may not be well known across the globe, Dimitris Salpingidis plays a crucial role for Greece on the right hand side of their attacking three. He is a mobile, energetic player who is capable of making things happen in the final third, albeit he isn’t prolific in front of goal. At the age of 32, he’ll be hoping to make an impact this summer as it could be the final World Cup of his career. The striker has been a key player for Greece in recent years, making 76 appearances and scoring 13 times. He has never played domestic football outside of his home land and a good World Cup could see him land a move to a bigger league.
Verdict
They are in a very tight group, but they have a chance, especially if they manage to keep up their impressive defensive record. Their attack is weak, but if they play like they did in qualifying, they have a great chance of getting enough points to qualify for the second round. They will not meet any premier nations in their group, but they are still likely to fall out at the group stage.
Prediction: Group Stage