How Kostoulas went from Brighton breakthrough to battling for spot in the Greece team

[p]The port of Volos, on the outskirts of Thessaly, is only [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/greece/COuk57Ci/"]Greece[/a]'s 12th-largest municipality by population. Yet its east-facing geography has made it a crucial location, particularly in mythology. From there, Jason and the Argonauts set out for Colchis, where they would recover the highly coveted Golden Fleece.[/p][p]This same outpost is where [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kostoulas-charalampos/GA3CqpgC/"]Kostoulas[/a] was born and raised. He now plays for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/brighton/2XrRecc3/"]Brighton[/a] and the Greece national team.[/p][p]The son of Athanasios, a celebrated former defender for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/olympiacos-piraeus/hnzvnHPS/"]Olympiacos[/a] and other Greek clubs, he grew up with all the calm his father passed on to him. Athanasios has always described himself as a communist and still lives in Volos, where he is self-employed and supports the family business.[/p][p]The money he earned as a footballer helped him set up a petrol station right on the motorway. His brother [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kostoulas-konstantinos/SYCrxUhl/"]Konstantinos[/a], a defender for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ofi-crete/bTObIPJB/"]OFI Crete[/a], has instead invested in the olive oil business.[/p][image alt="Kostoulas' recent ratings" id="2788bf76-b3fb-49ae-a4a1-e167e922962c" credit-line="Flashscore" hidden-attrs="alt, credit" guid="f1cb9f65-84fc-4c91-8fef-f7799fc47d31" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][h2]Launchpad[/h2][p]Signed from Olympiacos for €35 million in the summer of 2025, the younger Kostoulas is emerging as one of Brighton's most exciting attacking options in the 2026/2027 season. The forward, born in 2007, has had his minutes carefully managed by the English club, but he is showing a sharp eye for goal and continued growth in his involvement in the build-up.[/p][p]Standing 185 cm tall, he is not the archetypal powerhouse focal point, but he still offers a significant presence in the opposition box.[/p][p]Everyone will remember the right-footed rocket from outside the box that helped the Seagulls beat [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/arsenal/hA1Zm19f/"]Arsenal[/a] on September 19th.[/p][p]It was a display of outstanding timing and shooting technique that has already taken him to another level. His potential is enormous, although the real climb is only just beginning. A forward who is also adept at combining with his teammates, he has completed 73.8% of his passes in the Premier League, averaging around 10 successful passes from 13.6 attempts per game.[/p][embed guid="8b08dc44-20e3-4bb6-914f-f3caf26258e2" url="https://x.com/yanbyball/status/2102223282397384717" social-type="twitter" /][h2]Waiting for Konstantelias[/h2][p]In a Greece side that has made such a strong start to the Nations League, picking up seven points from a possible nine, Kostoulas is still waiting to establish himself as a starter. The competition is fierce.[/p][p]More experienced players [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/douvikas-anastasios/YgPGkQYi/"]Anastasios Douvikas[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ioannidis-zacharias/2c6VNFdd/"]Zacharias Ioannidis[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/pavlidis-vangelis/fTsS9nkc/"]Vangelis Pavlidis[/a] clearly have greater standing. Even so, the Greek has scored in each of his last three consecutive games, showing not only a clinical touch in front of goal but also a constant willingness to fight for every ball.[/p][p]He has made just five appearances for the Greece national team so far and is still waiting for his first goal. But the 19-year-old centre-forward is preparing to add his powerful oar to the Greek boat captained by Serbian coach Ivan Jovanovic.[/p][p]Jovanovic began his coaching career in the very city where Kostoulas was born, taking charge of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/niki-volos/IPI8Q73J/"]Niki Volou[/a] in 2001/02. It is a coincidence that bodes well for their relationship, and perhaps for Kostoulas' involvement in [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/germany-ptQide1O/greece-COuk57Ci/?mid=hblmOCoI"]Sunday's clash[/a] with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/germany/ptQide1O/"]Germany[/a].[/p][p]Volos is also eagerly awaiting another player born in the small city. That player is [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/konstantelias-ioannis/tMZOo2PB/"]Giannis Konstantelias[/a], who moved from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/paok/Kry6HxA9/"]PAOK[/a] to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/dortmund/nP1i5US1/"]Borussia Dortmund[/a] last summer.[/p][p]A left-footed player of pure talent, he can change the course of an attack with a split-second piece of skill, whether it be a first touch or a dribble. Seriously injured at the start of this season, the 23-year-old Volos native will not represent Greece at least until next summer.[/p][p]But the target is Euro 2028, a tournament the Greece national team intends not only to reach but also to make a strong impression at. The tournament, which will be held in less than two years, will take place in the United Kingdom (plus Ireland), a region Kostoulas will most likely become very familiar with.[/p][p]Before then, they are enjoying an excellent Nations League campaign. On November 16th, Greece will host Serbia, Jovanovic's country of origin, in Volos...[/p]