Giorgos Giakoumakis

Giakoumakis started his career at Atsalenios. In 2012, he signed for Platanias and he debuted for the club in a 3–2 win against Skoda Xanthi, coming in as a substitute in the 78th minute.[3] In January 2014 he signed for Episkopi on loan until the end of the season and he made a total of 11 appearances and scoring two goals. He returned to Platanias, starting playing more often in the 2014–15 season and on 26 April 2015, he scored his first Superleague goal, in a 2–0 home win Panetolikos.

On 26 June 2017, Giakoumakis joined AEK Athens on a four-year contract.[4] On 20 December, he scored his first goal with the club in a 4–0 away Greek Cup win against Panetolikos.[5] On 4 February, he scored as a late substitute in stoppage time in 2–1 away win game against champions Olympiacos. It was his first goal in Super League with AEK.[6]

He scored his first goal for the 2018–19 season, in a 2–1 home win against Lamia for the Greek Cup, taking advantage of Lucas Boyé's excellent solo effort.[7]

On 24 January 2019, after a year-and-a-half in AEK Athens, Giakoumakis signed a six months contract with OFI in the club's effort to avoid relegation, with an undisclosed purchase option for the summer of 2019.[8] On 17 March 2019, he scored his first goal with the club in a crucial 2–0 home win over fellow strugglers Levadiakos to climb above their SuperLeague rivals, however both clubs still sit in the relegation zone.[9]

On 3 March 2020, he was loaned out to Ekstraklasa club Górnik Zabrze for the remainder of the current football season.[10] On 30 May 2020, Giakoumakis scored the winning goal for Górnik Zabrze against ŁKS Łódź sealing a vital 1–0 away win for his club.[11] On 23 June 2020, Giakoumakis scored his third goal for Górnik Zabrze in the Ekstraklasa, while teammate Stavros Vasilantonopoulos registered his second marker for the club in the same match. The Greek striker connected with a low pass across the box, neatly turning the ball beyond the goalkeeper into the far right corner, sealing a 3–1 away win against ŁKS Łódź.[12]

On 11 August 2020, Giakoumakis moved to VVV-Venlo. He signed a two-year contract with an option for an additional year with the Dutch club, while AEK Athens received a transfer fee of €600,000.[13] On 12 September 2020, in his first game for VVV, Giakoumakis led his new club to win against FC Emmen by scoring a hat trick in the 2020–21 Eredivisie opener. The Greek forward scored all his goals in the second half (50', 65' pen., 72'), overturning the score, as the hosts were leading up to that point with 2–0.[14] On 3 October, he equalized the score in a frustrating 2–1 home loss game against ADO Den Haag. On 18 October 2020, he scored with a penalty kick in an away 2–2 away draw against AZ Alkmaar.[15] On 31 October 2020, Giakoumakis in extra time scored with a bicycle kick for VVV in a 2–1 away loss against FC Groningen.[16] On 7 November 2020, he scored the winning goal sealing a 3–2 vital win against Heracles Almelo. The Greek, who previously missed a penalty kick and even caused one, taps a cross from Guus Hupperts at the far post.[17]

On 14 January 2021, Giakoumakis scored all four goals in a 4–1 away victory at ADO Den Haag.[18] Two weeks later, on 28 January 2021, he again scored all four goals in a 4–1 victory: this time at home to Vitesse.[19] He joins former Ajax, Liverpool and Barcelona striker Luis Suárez as the only players in the 21st century to have twice scored four goals in a single Eredivisie game.[20]

As of 31 January 2021, Giakoumakis leads the rankings for the IFFHS World's Best Goalscorer in 2021, having scored 11 times with Venlo since the year started, the joint-most in the world with Baghdad Bounedjah. The Greek striker has earned top spot in the IFFHS rankings, by virtue of the Eredivisie ranking higher in the world than the Qatar Stars League.[21] Four days later, he was voted Eredivisie Player of the Month for January,[22] having scored the most goals in Netherlands in a calendar month since 1985, and the second-most to Marco Van Basten's 12 with Ajax.[23] On 14 March 2021, VVV-Venlo may have suffered its seventh consecutive defeat in the Eredivisie, however Giakoumakis with the goal he scored against Fortuna Sittard in an 3–1 home loss, made history as he caught Hans Sleven, who in the 1958–59 season had scored 24 goals in one year, rising to the fifth place of the scorers of all times for the club.[24] On 13 May 2021, Giakoumakis scored in VVV-Venlo's defeat in a crucial match against champions Ajax. After a reasonably good start to the competition, the club was unable to win the last fourteen matches in the league and was relegated while Giakoumakis became top scorer of Eredivisie.[25]

During the summer window, the frontman was wanted by various clubs but Celtic have already agreed a fee for him, while its main competitor Werder Bremen also agreed a deal with his club. On 31 August 2021, the last day of the 2021 summer transfer window, Giakoumakis signed for Scottish Premiership club Celtic on a five-year contract, while VVV-Venlo received a transfer fee of £2.5 million.[26][27] After a month, he made his debut with the club as a substitute, in a 4–0 home loss against Bayer Leverkusen for UEFA Europa League. On 23 October 2021, Giorgos Giakoumakis gives the hosts a half-time lead with his first-ever goal for the club, helped the Hoops to a comfortable 2–0 cinch Premiership win against St Johnstone.[28] On 30 October 2021, Giakoumakis missed a late spot-kick as Celtic missed the chance to overtake Rangers after a goalless draw at home to Livingston.[29] On 22 January 2022, Giakoumakis was in Celtic's starting line-up for the first time in three months and rewarded Ange Postecoglou with a goal in the 2–1 away win over Alloa Athletic in the fourth round of the Scottish Cup. The Greek striker scored from close range in the 14th minute after an assist from Liam Scales.[30][31] On 26 January 2022, Giakoumakis scored in a vital 2–1 away win against Heart of Midlothian.[32] On 13 February 2022, Giakoumakis scored in a 4–0 home Scottish Cup fifth round game against Raith Rovers, secured a comfortable place in the last eight with Celtic's ninth consecutive win.[33]

On 20 February 2022, Giakoumakis scored two goals in quick succession, after Danny Mullen's opener for Dundee, before his third goal in the 86th minute sealed a 3–2 home victory, with Giakoumakis voted man of the match for his performance.[34][35] On 14 March 2022, Giorgos Giakoumakis scores twice after Callum McGregor's opener as Celtic beat Dundee United to book their place in the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup.[36] On 19 March 2022, Giorgos Giakoumakis scored his second hat-trick in five games as Celtic swept 4-0 in-form Ross County aside to move six points clear of Rangers at the top of the Scottish Premiership. The Greek striker scored an early double, then set up a Daizen Maeda tap-in to secure the three points within the opening 26 minutes. County defender Kayne Ramsay was sent off moments later and Giakoumakis added his third from the penalty spot - and Celtic's fourth - after a handball. He was voted Man of the Match for his performance.[37][38] His efforts in March earned him the SPFL Player of The Month award.[39]

On 30 March 2015, head coach Kostas Tsanas announced his first call up (replaced Nikolaos Ioannidis) and make his debut with Greece U21 for an international friendly game at Peristeri Stadium against Croatia U21.

On 11 November 2020, Giakoumakis scored on his debut for the Greece national team against Cyprus in a 2–1 victory.[40]

As of match played 1 May 2022

As of match played 28 March 2022[45]

As of match played 28 March 2022

Scores and results list Greece's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Giakoumakis goal[45]

List of international goals scored by Giorgos Giakoumakis

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	11 November 2020	Georgios Kamaras Stadium, Athens, Greece	Cyprus	2–0	2–1	Friendly