# Panagiotis Retsos

Panagiotis Retsos (Greek: Παναγιώτης Ρέτσος, born 9 August 1998) is a Greek professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Super League club Olympiacos and the Greece national team.

## Club career
### Olympiacos

In the summer of 2016, at age 18, he was promoted from Olympiacos' youth team by first manager Víctor Sánchez, who was impressed by his stamina. On 25 August 2016, he made his debut with the club in a Europa League playoffs home match against Arouca.
On 8 February 2017, Retsos was appointed captain of the club in a Greek Cup goalless home draw against Atromitos. Retsos became the youngest captain of Olympiacos aged only 18, five months and 30 days.

### Bayer Leverkusen

On 30 August 2017, Retsos was sold to Bayer Leverkusen for a fee of £15.75 million. The 19-year-old centre-back signed a five-year deal with Leverkusen. On 17 September 2017, he made his Bundesliga debut in a 4–0 home win against SC Freiburg as a starter. On the club's Twitter account, Retsos was voted the Man of the Match.
On 9 April 2018, Retsos scored his first goal in Bundesliga in a 4–1 away win against RB Leipzig. Retsos made a total of 20 appearances in his debut Bundesliga campaign.
On 2 August 2018, Retsos suffered a heavy blow to the quadriceps during pre-season training with Bayer Leverkusen and was diagnosed with tendonitis in the right thigh. The injury is expected to sideline the defender for at least six weeks.
On 29 November 2018, Retsos returned to action in a UEFA Europa League home game against Ludogorets, but suffered a new injury in his left thigh. On 29 October 2019, after almost a year out with injury, Retsos played in a DFB-Pokal game as a substitute in a 1–0 home win against Paderborn SC.

#### Loan to Sheffield United

On 1 February 2020, Retsos signed for Premier League club Sheffield United on loan from Bayer Leverkusen until the end of the 2019–20 season with an option to buy. The breakout of COVID-19 across the UK, however, which lead to the temporary suspension of football in England meant Retsos failed to make an appearance. Retsos declined an offer to extend his loan to comply with the extended Premier League season, returning to his parent club.

#### Loan to Saint-Étienne

On 4 October 2020, Retsos joined Saint-Étienne on loan with a purchase option of €6.5 million in the summer of 2021, becoming an obligation if he makes 20 appearances. On 25 October 2020, Retsos suffered a muscular injury at the beginning of the second half vs FC Metz, keeping him out for 2½ months. He returned on 6 January 2021 playing 90 minutes against PSG. However, three days later in the away match against Reims he went off injured at the end of the first half with another injury. Retsos did not appear again for the club.

### Hellas Verona

On 25 January 2022, Retsos joined Hellas Verona on a free transfer signing an 18-month contract.

#### Loan to Olympiacos

On 31 August 2022, Retsos returned to Olympiacos.

## International career

Retsos made his debut for Greece on 31 August 2017, in a 0–0 home draw against Estonia in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification.

## Personal life

Retsos was born in Johannesburg, South Africa to Hungarian-Greek parents Christos and Eleni. He and his family returned to their native Greece a year after his birth. He has a younger cousin, Christos, who is also a footballer.His paternal family hails from Skortsinos.

## Career statistics

    As of 3 May 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | National cup | National cup | Europe | Europe | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Olympiacos | 2016–17 | Super League Greece | 18 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 34 | 0 |
| Olympiacos | 2017–18 | Super League Greece | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Olympiacos | Total | Total | 20 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 40 | 0 |
| Bayer Leverkusen | 2017–18 | Bundesliga | 24 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 1 |
| Bayer Leverkusen | 2018–19 | Bundesliga | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Bayer Leverkusen | 2019–20 | Bundesliga | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Bayer Leverkusen | 2021–22 | Bundesliga | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Bayer Leverkusen | Total | Total | 31 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 44 | 1 |
| Sheffield United (loan) | 2019–20 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 1 | 0 |
| Saint-Étienne (loan) | 2020–21 | Ligue 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 4 | 0 |
| Hellas Verona | 2021–22 | Serie A | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 5 | 0 |
| Hellas Verona | 2022–23 | Serie A | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 2 | 0 |
| Hellas Verona | Total | Total | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 7 | 0 |
| Olympiacos (loan) | 2022–23 | Super League Greece | 7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| Olympiacos | 2023–24 | Super League Greece | 27 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 1 | 45 | 1 |
| Olympiacos | 2024–25 | Super League Greece | 14 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 27 | 1 |
| Olympiacos | Total | Total | 41 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 26 | 1 | 72 | 2 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 110 | 2 | 24 | 0 | 48 | 1 | 183 | 3 |
* ↑ Includes Greek Football Cup, DFB-Pokal, FA Cup

## Honours

Olympiacos
* Super League Greece: 2016–17
* UEFA Europa Conference League: 2023–24
Individual
* Super League Greece Young Player of the Season: 2016–17
* Super League Greece Team of the Season: 2016–17