Karetsas dazzles with a nutmeg against Germany, fans shout Lionel

In the stadium of Augsburg, where Greece took the lead early, 18‑year‑old Konstantinos Karetsas produced a spectacle in the 79th minute that immediately flooded social media. He nutmegged the German defender Jonathan Burkardt with an almost non‑chalant back‑heel, after which fans affectionately called him “Lionel Karetsas”.

Viral moment and analysts' reaction

The moment went viral and sparked a light‑hearted discussion about Greek dance moves on the German pitch. I thought: finally someone who has the courage to lay that little bit of street football on the mat.”

He continued: “This boy is an adventurer, technically very gifted. He is small, a left‑footed player, his dribbles stay low to the ground. I will certainly not compare him here in terms of quality to Messi, but I will in terms of player type.”

Career and national choice

For one player of the Oranje, Karetsas's qualities are no secret; the young Greek made the move this summer from KRC Genk to Borussia Dortmund, where he is now a teammate of Joey Veerman.

He already has a nomination for the Golden Boy Award, the prize for the best European football talent under 21. Born and raised in Belgium, he progressed through all the Belgian youth teams, but ultimately chose the country of his parents. “A choice of the heart,” he explained.

The match against the Oranje is his twelfth international and he has already three goals to his name. With the historic 1‑0 victory over Germany, Greece has experienced the best possible preparation for the confrontation with the Oranje.