Giannis Papanikolaou

Giannis Papanikolaou (Greek: Γιάννης Παπανικολάου; born 18 November 1998) is a Greek professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder or central midfielder for Turkish Süper Lig club Çaykur Rizespor and the Greece national football team.^[1]

Giannis Papanikolaou

Papanikolaou with Raków Częstochowa in 2023
Personal information
Full name	Ioannis Papanikolaou
Date of birth	(1998-11-18) 18 November 1998 (age 26)
Place of birth	Athens, Greece
Height	1.82 m (5 ft 11+1⁄2 in)
Position(s)	Defensive midfielder, Central midfielder
Team information
Current team	Çaykur Rizespor
Number	6
Youth career
2006–2014	AEK Athens
2014–2016	Platanias
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2016–2019	Platanias	42	(3)
2019–2020	Panionios	30	(0)
2020–2024	Raków Częstochowa	81	(7)
2024–	Çaykur Rizespor	24	(0)
International career‡
2019–2020	Greece U21	6	(0)
2022–	Greece	4	(0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 17 November 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 10 September 2023

Club career

Platanias

On 23 April 2017, Papanikolaou made his official debut in a 3–1 home loss against PAOK.^[2] On 5 November 2017, he scored his first professional goal in a 5–1 away loss against Olympiacos.^[3]

Panionios

On 11 June 2019, Panionios officially announced the signing of Papanikolaou on a free transfer.^[4] The young winger, who made 31 appearances during the 2018–19 season, scoring four goals and giving five assists, joined the club, following his refusal to renew his contract with Platanias.^[5]

Raków Częstochowa

On 11 August 2020, Papanikolaou joined Polish Ekstraklasa club Raków Częstochowa, on a contract until the end of June 2021, and an available option of a four-years extension of the contract.^[6] On 8 February 2021, the club announced they have made use of the option and have extended his contract until the end of June 2025.^[7] On 12 February 2022, he opened the score with a kick in the left corner in an away 1–0 win game against Radomiak Radom in the 20th second of the game. It was his first goal with the club in all competitions.^[8]

During his four-year stay, Papanikolaou made 118 appearances for Raków across all competitions, and one for their reserve team, and contributed to their first-ever league title, two national cup and two Super Cup wins.^[9]

Caykur Rizespor

On 13 June 2024, Turkish Süper Lig club Çaykur Rizespor announced they have reached an agreement with Raków to sign Papanikolaou on a three-year contract.^[10]

International career

Papanikolaou was called up by the senior Greece side for the 2022–23 UEFA Nations League matches against Northern Ireland on 2 June 2022, against Kosovo on 5 June 2022 and 12 June 2022 and against Cyprus on 9 June 2022.^[11]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 22 February 2025

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National cup[a]		Continental		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Platanias	2016–17	Super League Greece	2	0	0	0	—		—		2	0
	2017–18	Super League Greece	12	1	3	0	—		—		15	1
	2018–19	Football League	28	2	1	1	—		—		29	3
	Total		42	3	4	1	—		—		46	4
Panionios	2019–20	Super League Greece	30	0	2	1	—		—		32	1
Raków Częstochowa	2020–21	Ekstraklasa	7	0	3	0	—		—		10	0
	2021–22	Ekstraklasa	26	1	5	0	6[b]	0	1[c]	0	38	1
	2022–23	Ekstraklasa	31	1	5	0	6[b]	0	1[c]	0	43	1
	2023–24	Ekstraklasa	17	5	0	0	9[d]	1	1[c]	0	27	6
	Total		81	7	13	0	21	1	3	0	118	8
Çaykur Rizespor	2024–25	Süper Lig	22	0	3	2	—		—		25	2
Career total			175	10	22	4	21	1	3	0	221	15

1. Includes Greek Cup, Polish Cup
2. Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League
3. Appearance in Polish Super Cup
4. Five appearances in UEFA Champions League, two appearances in UEFA Europa League

Honours

Raków Częstochowa

• Ekstraklasa: 2022–23
• Polish Cup: 2020–21, 2021–22
• Polish Super Cup: 2021,^[12] 2022

Raków Częstochowa II

• IV liga Silesia I: 2021–22^[13][14]