Sport
Greatest Cypriot players of all time
Having been influenced by British, Greek and Turkish customs down the years, Cyprus has always been a surprising mix of football styles and cultures. It’s blend of different influences have seen the island always looking to prove itself against bigger opposition. Despite not qualifying for any major competitions since their first match in 1960, Cyprus have always made an impact one way or another. They have been ranked as high as 43 in the 2010 edition of the FIFA rankings and league side APOEL Nicosia famously reached the quarter finals of the 2011-12 Champions League tournament. With that in mind, let’s cast an eye on some of the leading lights that have helped Cyprus raise their profile significantly in the footballing world.
Michalis Konstantinou
When it came to scoring goals, Michalis Konstantinou always was able to produce when the deadlock needed to be broken. Konstantinou’s thirst for goals emerged in the 1996-97 Cypriot First Division season where he scored 17 goals for Paralimni to bag the league’s golden boot. This achievement saw him earn a move to Greece in 1997 with Iraklis where he easily adapted to life on the continent. After scoring 60 for Iraklis, it brought a big money move to Panathinaikos in 2001 where he was a part of the side that won both Greek domestic competitions in the 2003-04 season. He would switch allegiance to Olympiakos in 2005 where he would secure two more domestic doubles in Greece in both 2006 and 2007. Konstantinou’s efforts were best seen in the Greek Cup where was named best player in both the 2004 and 2006 editions of the tournament. Konstantinou also shone for the Cyprus national side scoring 32 goals in 85 games. This impeccable record left Konstantinou as the record scorer for Cyprus in a feat that remains to this very day.
Constantinos Charalambidis
Capable of being a tricky winger, Charalambidis could unlock defences with killer passes or rasping shots. Primarily deployed as a right winger, Charalambidis emerged as a star for an APOEL Nicosia side that rose to dominance in the early 2000s. As they rose to form, Charalambidis left in 2005 to join Greek side Pananthinaikos. However, a lack of regular football saw him return to APOEL in 2008 just 3 years after leaving. From here, he was a regular in a squad that won 6 Cypriot First Division titles during his second spell there. This rich vein of form saw him regularly appear for Cyprus too where he notched up 93 caps over a 14-year period. An excellent record for one of Cyprus’ brightest talents.
Pieros Sotiriou
There are perhaps few footballers as well-travelled as Pieros Sotiriou. Capable of playing as a left winger or as a central striker, Sotiriou’s creative approach and eye for goals has made him a useful player for squads around the world. Sotiriou enjoyed plenty of success with APOEL at home winning 4 domestic titles as well as being named 2016-17 Cypriot First Division Player of the Year. From there, Sotiriou has travelled the globe winning titles for fun. In arguably his highest profile role, he was a star striker for Danish side FC Copenhagen for three seasons winning the 2018-19 Danish Superliga title. This was followed by shorts stints in Kazakhstan with Astana and then Bulgaria with Ludogorets Razgrad securing titles in both nations. He was particularly potent in Bulgaria scoring 17 goals in the Bulgarian A League and named the league’s top scorer. This has since been bolstered with a move to Japan with Sanfreece Hiroshima where Sotiriou helped win the 2022 Japan J-League Cup.
Konstantinis Laifis
Few Cypriot players have enjoyed a mainstay presence in a major European league quite like Konstantinis Laifis. A quick defender who can shine at both centre back or left back, Laifis also maintains a strong aerial presence and steely demeanour. After shining in Cyprus with Anorthosis Famagusta, Laifis left to join Olympiacos in 2016. However, he never settled in Greece and moved to Belgium with Standard Liege shortly afterwards. Laifis has remained in Belgium since his first move in 2017 being a mainstay for the club ever since. His consistency is unmatched in the squad and has shown that he can shine in a high-profile role to this very day.
Ioannis Okkas
There has perhaps been no bigger Cypriot footballing star than Ioannis Okkas. The quick and agile striker was always someone that could get attacks moving and finish them off without much difficulty. After scoring an incredible 51 goals in 72 games for Anorthosis Famagusta in the late 1990s, he joined Greek side PAOK in 2000 eager to make a major impact. He did just that in Greece helping PAOK win the 2001 and 2003 Greek Cup. In both of these seasons, Okkas was named the club’s Player of the Year for his efforts. He would alter enjoy more success in Greece with Olympiacos having joined them in 2004. His form in the 2004/05 season, where he scored 11 goals, helped them to a domestic double which would be repeated the following season. Okkas left Greece for Spain in 2007 for a short spell with Celta Vigo before finishing his career off in Cyprus with Famagusta. For the national side, Okkas was their leader serving as national captain for the majority of his career. After retiring from international football in 2012, Okkas had won 103 caps for his country., Being the only player to hit triple figures for his nation, Okkas is their all-time appearance leader and a true star of Cypriot football.
