1. In 2009, his uncle Stelios Kostas Manolas, who was the technical director of AEK Athens at the time, was scouting his nephew at a youth match with AEK manager Dusan Bajevic and was impressed with his performance.
43 Facts About Kostas Manolas
1. 2.
On 16 June 2009, Kostas Manolas signed a three-year deal with AEK.
3.
Kostas Manolas scored his first professional goal against archrivals Olympiacos on 19 May 2010.
4.
Kostas Manolas refused to be taken to the hospital before the match was over, despite being urged by his uncle Stelios Manolas.
5.
Kostas Manolas scored a very important goal for AEK against Hajduk Split, securing the win for the Greek side.
6.
Kostas Manolas's experience has helped me become confident on the ball and the decisions I make in the game.
7.
On 30 April 2011, Kostas Manolas won the first trophy of his career, the Greek Cup.
8.
Kostas Manolas played a large role in winning the trophy and played solid throughout the match against Atromitos, where at one point he cleared an opposition shot off his line.
9.
Kostas Manolas received man of the match honours due to his outstanding display.
10.
On 11 July 2011, Kostas Manolas signed a three-year contract extension with AEK, keeping him at the club until 2014.
11.
Kostas Manolas renewed his contract despite interested from big European outfits Werder Bremen, Sevilla, Wolfsburg and Hamburger SV.
12.
My dream now is to become the team's captain and win the league just like my uncle Stelios Kostas Manolas, who achieved this when he joined AEK.
13.
Kostas Manolas dedicated the goal to Jimenez, who had been taking criticism in recent weeks for his team's poor performances.
14.
Kostas Manolas declined the offer, as he felt he would be leaving his club in a bad situation as the club would have only had three centre backs in the squad: Traianos Dellas and two youth players Mavroudis Bougaidis and Elfar Freyr Helgason after the departure of loanee Cala, who was recalled back to his club Sevilla.
15.
On 1 July 2012, Kostas Manolas joined rivals Olympiacos on a free transfer until 30 June 2016 after his contract with AEK Athens had expired.
16.
Kostas Manolas made 24 appearances for Olympiacos in the league that season, helping them win the Superleague.
17.
Kostas Manolas was unlikely to seriously consider any move that would see his chances of first-team football jeopardised.
18.
On 22 March 2014, Kostas Manolas extended his contract with Olympiacos for another year, keeping him at the club until the summer of 2017.
19.
Kostas Manolas left Olympiacos having 73 appearances in all competitions.
20.
Kostas Manolas enjoyed an excellent first season in Serie A, cementing his place at the heart of manager Rudi Garcia's defence as his side finished second in the league table.
21.
Kostas Manolas opened the scoring after netting Lucas Digne's clever assist with his right boot besides the challenge in the box from Carpi's Gabriel Silva.
22.
Kostas Manolas closed down Karim Benzema quite well throughout the game.
23.
On 20 April 2016, in a match for Serie A, Kostas Manolas scored his second goal in the season, giving an assist in a glorious home win against Torino FC.
24.
Kostas Manolas is considered the best marker of 'calcio' and Barcelona have been following him for a while.
25.
On 4 December 2016, in one of the most spectacular Roman derbies in history, Kostas Manolas showed the usual ability both in anticipating and blocking his opponents, giving Balde Diao Keita and Ciro Immobile a very difficult afternoon.
26.
Kostas Manolas was forced off in the latter stages at Juventus Stadium, and he will now miss Roma's match against Chievo, the defender having already been struck down with a broken nose and muscle strain this season.
27.
Kostas Manolas was one of Roma's most consistent players over the course of the campaign, proving to be a reliable figure in the Italians' defence.
28.
On 27 June 2019, Kostas Manolas was close to a move to Napoli after Roma and the Neapolitan club reached a deal for the Greek defender.
29.
Kostas Manolas's club did not mention how long he would be out for, but 'Corriere dello Sport' reported that he would miss six weeks.
30.
On 12 January 2021, Napoli confirmed that Kostas Manolas had suffered a first-degree muscle injury.
31.
On 8 February 2021, Napoli confirmed that Kostas Manolas would be out for three weeks, as he suffered a second-degree sprain and damaged the ligament in the right ankle.
32.
On 21 October 2021, Kostas Manolas suffered an injury during Napoli's Europa League clash against Legia Warsaw.
33.
Kostas Manolas was forced off the pitch in the 72nd minute with a suspected muscle injury.
34.
In December 2021, having lost his place in the starting lineup to Amir Rrahmani, Kostas Manolas again expressed his desire to leave the club.
35.
On 8 February 2024, Kostas Manolas returned to Serie A to sign a short-term deal with Salernitana.
36.
Kostas Manolas joined Filippo Inzaghi's side on a contract that expired in June 2024.
37.
On 16 October 2024, Kostas Manolas returned to his boyhood club, Pannaxiakos in the Kyklades FCA First Division, signing a one-year deal.
38.
Kostas Manolas would wait roughly three more years before eventually making his international debut against Switzerland in a friendly.
39.
Kostas Manolas was named by The Independent as being among the 50 best players at the World Cup as the Greeks ultimately fell to Costa Rica.
40.
Kostas Manolas possesses the speed to keep track of smaller, quicker attackers, while possessing the strength and aggression needed to battle with more physical opponents.
41.
Kostas Manolas is a deceptively quick footballer, given his size, able to sweep up behind a high-line but having the versatility and discipline to play deeper.
42.
Kostas Manolas is known for his tackling and ability in the air.
43.
Kostas Manolas is a fluent speaker of Greek, Italian, and English.