Konstantinos Karetsas was voted Rising star of the Year on Monday evening in Athens during the annual Greek Sports Awards. The young KRC Genk midfielder received the award from Greek football legend Giorgos Karagounis.
At the Megaron Concert Hall in Athens, Konstantinos Karetsas was presented on Monday evening with the trophy for Rising star of the year in Greece. The Genk youngster came out on top following a public vote, ahead of Christos Mouzakitis of Greek side Olympiakos. Third place went to Neoklis Avdalas, a promising Greek basketball player.
For Karetsas, the award is a fine recognition of his strong development over the past year. During the live show, Karetsas also reflected briefly on his journey. In a short and heartfelt speech, he thanked his parents for their unconditional support and KRC Genk for the daily guidance and trust. His mother and father, who were also present in Athens, received a special mention.
That ‘Kos’ received the award from Giorgos Karagounis – the captain of the legendary Greek national team that won the European Championship in 2004 – added extra symbolism to the moment. A year ago, Karetsas made the definitive choice to represent the Greek national team, where he is regarded as one of the figureheads of a new, talented generation of footballers.
“I wasn’t born yet in 2004, but I am very aware of the impact that the historic European Championship success had on Greek football and, by extension, the entire country. It is my ambition, together with this generation, to experience great moments again with all of Greece,” Karetsas said.
