Konstantinos Karetsas

Konstantinos Karetsas
Personal information
Date of birth (2007-11-19) 19 November 2007 (age 17)
Place of birth Genk, Belgium
Height 1.71 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Genk
Number 20
Youth career
–2020 Genk
2020–2023 Anderlecht
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2023– Jong Genk 20 (6)
2024– Genk 19 (1)
International career‡
2022 Belgium U15 1 (0)
2022–2023 Belgium U16 13 (3)
2023–2024 Belgium U17 4 (0)
2024– Belgium U21 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 26 December 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 18:36, 30 November 2024 (UTC)

Konstantinos Karetsas (Greek: Κωνσταντίνος Καρέτσας) (born 19 November 2007) is a Greek footballer who also has the Greek nationality (since 2024) and plays for Racing Genk in the Belgian Pro League.[1]

Career

Karetsas came through the system at his home town club Genk before spending three years at Anderlecht. He then returned to Genk in January 2023.[2]

He made his professional debut as a fifteen year-old for Jong Genk in the opening game of the 2023-24 season. He scored three goals in his first seven league games.[3] When he scored his first professional goal on 1 September 2023, in the Challenger Pro League against RSCA Futures, he became the youngest goalscorer in Belgian pro-league history.[4][5]

After a few strong months at Jong Genk, Karetsas was promoted to Genk's first team in February 2024 together with teammate Noah Adedeji-Sternberg. He was given his official debut by coach Wouter Vrancken in the league match against Cercle Brugge on 4 May. In the 88th minute, Karetsas came on for Bilal El Khannouss. Two weeks later, interim head coach Domenico Olivieri give him a first-team start for the first time for the league match against Royal Antwerp and in the 28th minute, he provided the assist for the only goal of the game, scored by Andi Zeqiri.

Karetsas continued to impress in the opening weeks of the 2024-25 season, while still 16 years old, and was selected among The Guardian's 60 best young talents in world football selection for 2024.[6]

International career

Karetsas was born in Belgium to Greek parents.[7] He is eligible to represent Greece and Belgium international teams. He is a Belgian youth international.[8]

Sounded out by the Greek Football Association to play for them, Karetsas was selected by the Belgian Under-21s for European qualifiers against Scotland and Hungary in October 2024, coming on as substitute in the latter match for this debut at that level.[9]

Career statistics

As of match played 26 December 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Europe Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Jong Genk 2023–24 Challenger Pro League 20 6 — — — 20 6
Genk 2023–24 Belgian Pro League 4 0 0 0 — — 4 0
2024–25 Belgian Pro League 15 1 2 0 — — 17 1
Total 19 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 21 1
Career total 39 7 2 0 0 0 0 0 41 7

References

  1. ^ Konstantinos Karetsas at Soccerway
  2. ^ "Anderlecht: the great talent Konstantinos Karetsas heads to Genk" (in French). 10 January 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  3. ^ "KONSTANTINOS KARETSAS: THE 15-YEAR-OLD 'WONDERKID' LIGHTING UP THE BELGIAN SECOND TIER". Onefootball.com. 2 October 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  4. ^ "VIDEO: 15-year-old wonderkid Konstantinos Karetsas scores a screamer, becoming the youngest scorer in Belgian football history". Nogomania.com. 7 September 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  5. ^ "RSC ANDERLECHT II VS. KRC GENK II 1 - 1". Soccerway. 1 September 2023.
  6. ^ "Next Generation 2024: 60 of the best young talents in world football". Guardian. 16 October 2024. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  7. ^ "Κωνσταντίνος Καρέτσας, Ελληνόπουλο το μεγαλύτερο ταλέντο στο Βέλγιο".
  8. ^ "Big blow for Anderlecht: the great talent Konstantinos Karetsas goes to Genk". Sudinfo.be. 10 January 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  9. ^ "Belgium U21 vs. Hungary U21 - 15 October 2024 - Soccerway". Soccerway. 15 October 2024. Retrieved 18 October 2024.