Skillful with the ball and big goals: That’s Giannis Konstantelias | OneFootball

Giannis Konstantelias was born on 5 March, 2003, in Volos. He took his first steps in soccer at Agia Paraskevi in his hometown. Even as a nine-year-old, he stood out so much that he regularly trained with older players. In 2013, he moved to the youth academy of PAOK Thessaloniki. There, he continued to develop over the following years and received numerous awards at national and international youth tournaments. 

Konstantelias made his professional debut for PAOK in January 2021 at the age of 17 in the Greek Super League against OFI Crete. On his way to becoming a regular starter, he spent the first half of 2022 on loan for six months with Belgian first-division club KAS Eupen.

The attacking player made his definitive breakthrough during the 2023–24 season. That season, PAOK, under head coach Razvan Lucescu, surprisingly won the Greek championship. Konstantelias played a major role in this success, contributing nine goals and six assists.

In 2024–25, he was even named the best Greek player in the Super League. Since then, he has also become a established figure on the Greek national team. Konstantelias now has 18 senior international appearances and has played alongside BVB newcomer Konstantinos Karetsas for the Hellenes on multiple occasions.

A player who wants to make a difference

Konstantelias is an attacking midfielder who feels particularly at home playing between the lines. He can operate centrally behind the striker, though he was occasionally deployed on the left wing while in Thessaloniki.

Bold dribbling, plenty of creativity in the opponent’s danger zone, and numerous direct goal contributions are the hallmarks of the 1.78-meter-tall player. Even as a teenager, he said in an interview: “My playing style is creative and technically sophisticated, and I always try to bring something special to the final third.”

Across all competitions, he scored 13 times last season; in the most recent Europa League qualifiers, he contributed directly to four goals in four appearances over the past few weeks.

For a classic number 10, he frequently gets the ball in the opponent’s penalty area; he scored the majority of his goals for PAOK from there. Giannis Konstantelias is a player who actively seeks solutions and aims to create decisive moments—whether as a playmaker or as a finisher himself.

A Creative Cornerstone for BVB

In Thessaloniki, the midfielder was celebrated for his attacking drive and goal-scoring threat, rising to become one of PAOK’s biggest fan favorites.

With Giannis Konstantelias, Borussia Dortmund is gaining a technically gifted and versatile attacking player. Whether facing deep-lying opponents or teams that press high up the field, the Greek player can be just as valuable with his creativity and courage.