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Greece national under-19 football team

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Greece Under-19
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s)Εθνική Νέων
("Youth National Team")
AssociationHellenic Football Federation
Head coachVangelis Moras
CaptainAlexis Kalogeropoulos
Most capsSotiris Liberopoulos (32)
Top scorerKostas Mitroglou (12)
First colours
Second colours
Third colours
First international
Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia 2–0 Greece Greece
(Hungary; 29 March 1956)
Biggest win
Greece Greece 10–0 Andorra Andorra
(Greece; 21 October 2011)
Biggest defeat
Belgium Belgium 7–1 Greece Greece
(Belgium; 21 May 1977)
UEFA U-19 Championship
Appearances7 (first in 2005)
Best resultRunners-up (2007, 2012)
FIFA U-20 World Cup
Appearances1 (first in 2013)
Best resultRound of 16

The Greece national under-19 football team is the national football team of Greece and is controlled by the Hellenic Football Federation. In July 2007 the Under-20/19 Football Team finished second in the 2007 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship in Linz, Austria. They also reached the final of the 2012 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship.

History

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First and early years

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The Youth National Team of Greece (U-18) was first set up in 1956 for their participation in the UEFA European Under-18 Championship, which was held in Hungary. Since then, they have been continuously participating in European Youth Leagues, formerly as U-18 and since 2002 as U-19. They have qualified several times in the final stage and has played twice in the final of the event: in 2007 and 2012 and three times in the final: 1974 and 1999 (defeated) and 1995 (who beat and took third place).

The road to Austria

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Greece Under-19 Team started the campaign leading to the 2007 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship in October 2006. During the first qualifying round the team was seeded in the Group 1, with Bulgaria (hostess), Ukraine and Kazakhstan being the other participants in the group. Greece finished at the top of the Group 1, after two wins against the hosts Bulgarians (2–0 on October 20, goals by Lampropoulos and Vallianos) and Ukraine (2–1 on October 25, goals by Vasilis Pliatsikas and Lampropoulos). The team also lost 4–2 to Kazakhstan (October 22, goals by Kostas Mitroglou and Pliatsikas).

Greece hosted the next phase, called Elite Round, facing now stronger opponents. Against Croatia on June 1 of 2007, Greece was held to 2–2 by a late equaliser despite two goals from the Greek promising attacker Kostas Mitroglou. Two days later, Mitroglou stroke against and lead the team to a 2–0 win against Italy, Siovas scoring the other goal. Finally, on June 6, Greece crushed Sweden 4–0, with goals from Papadopoulos, Mitroglou, Ath. Papazoglou and a late own-goal from the Swedish team. Again, Greece U-19 Team sealed the first place of the group.

2007 European Under-19 Championship in Austria

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Greece was seeded in the Group A with Austria, Portugal and Spain. The team started with a precious victory against Portugal (16 July 2007), in a close encounter with many opportunities from both sides. Sotiris Ninis and Kostas Mitroglou were a constant danger and finally the second scored on the 52nd minute. Two days later, Greece faced the hosting Austria team and also the crowd that filled the stadium in Pasching. Ninis showed great vision breaking the Austrian defense with a through ball that brought Mitroglou alone against the opponent goalkeeper. Mitroglou scored again but the hosts scored a second half goal from penalty and the match ended 1–1. On July 21 Greece faced holders and favourites Spain. Both teams qualified after a goalless draw, despite a good second half performance from the Greek side and a lost penalty by Mitroglou.

The semifinal against Germany was held on July 24 in Steyr. The German side included promising stars with experience in the Bundesliga, such as Sebastian Tyrala, Jerome Boateng, and Anis Ben-Hatira. The Germans, who had finished first in Group B, started strongly and piled up pressure until they scored on the 25th minute with Ben-Hatira. Greece responded almost immediately with shots from Papadopoulos, Vasilis Pliatsikas and Mitroglou and it was Sotiris Ninis, Greece's wonderkid who unlocked the German defense on the 40th minute to score a deserved equaliser. Greece seemed vivid in the start of the second half and had some chances until Ninis with a clever header found Mitroglou in the area 58 minutes after the start of the game. The Greek striker scored his third goal of the tournament and Greece was now ahead 2–1. On the 61st minute Vasilis Pliatsikas was shown a second yellow card and the team now is left with ten. Germany started its counterattack and was given a controversial penalty four minutes later, taken successfully from Ben-Hatira for the 2–2. Despite playing with ten men the Greek side managed to overcome the German pressure and tried to hit back. It was the 90th minute when Ninis took a corner from left, aimed Lambropoulos at the near post and the young forward beat the German goalkeeper to give a dramatic and memorable 3–2 win to the Greek side.

Greece faced Spain on July 27 in Linz. The Spanish coach, Juan Santisteban and his side were the holders and the first to reach successive U-19 finals. Players from giants Real Madrid, Valencia, Barcelona were among the Spanish players. The Greek team, on the other side was very confident and inspired by the coaching of Nikos Nioplias who pushed a ten-men team forward in the game against Germany. However Greece had two experienced players out. Vasilis Pliatsikas had faced a red card in the semifinal and the captain, central defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos picked a second yellow in the tournament when Germany was awarded a controversial penalty in the semifinal. It is said that the referee has acknowledged his mistake to Papastathopoulos after the game.

The game started with long shots from the Spanish team in the first ten minutes and the Greek team was also dangerous with Mitroglou and Ninis. Unfortunately Greece paid for the missed chances when Daniel Parejo scored a free-kick from a wide position on the 38 minute, after the best Spanish player, Aaron had won a foul from Siakas. Greece showed an impressive fight to come back with chances missed from Moniakis, Siovas, Mitroglou and Papadopoulos but the Spanish defence held during the second half. The Spanish team won the final but the Greek team deserved more with its display after the 1–0. Nikos Nioplias expressed his pride in the team after the game and the Spanish coach referred to a "great Greek side". Sotiris Ninis and Sokratis Papastathopoulos were included by UEFA in the "name-to-note" list after the end of the tournament. Kostas Mitroglou, with 3 goals in 5 games, shared the first scorer title with highly rated Ben-Hatira (Germany) and Monnet-Paquet (France).

2012 European Under-19 Championship in Estonia

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Only three countries (Greece, Serbia and the defending champions, Spain) had been at the 2011 finals in Romania. The 2012 final tournament in Estonia served as a qualifying event for the forthcoming FIFA Under-20 World Cup, with Croatia, England, France, Greece, Portugal and Spain earning places at the final tournament to be played in Turkey from 21 June to 13 July 2013. The Spaniards started the tournament as the only country to have successfully defended the Under-19 title and, during the first half of their opening game against Greece, Julen Lopetegui's side produced trademark patient, possession-based combination play with Gerard Deulofeu, in particular, creating danger with his skill on either flank. His run on the right provided Spain's first goal but, after the second, they struggled with the higher pressing by the Greek team and needed resilience to hang on for a 2–1 win.

Against Greece, Estonia started well. But Greece took the lead through Giorgos Katidis and, improving in the second half, scored two magnificent goals. Karl-Eerik Luigend scored Estonia's only goal of the tournament but Greece had the last word with a fourth goal. With Spain into the semi-finals and the hosts eliminated, the Portugal v Greece match in Rakvere took on must-win dimensions for the latter, whereas Edgar Borges' team needed only a point. After a cautious start, the game burst into life in the 16th minute when Giannis Gianniotas cut in from the right and rounded off a fine individual effort with a left-footed finish. Within 60 seconds, André Gomes collected the ball outside the box, beat three defenders and levelled with a powerful shot. When Daniel Martins was shown a red card for violent conduct, Greece sensed their opportunity and, a few minutes later, captain Katidis scored the first of his two goals. Even when the Greeks were also reduced to ten in the second half, they continued to dominate, even though substitute Betinho set up a nail-biting finish by making it 3–2 with a late goal.

The first was marked by the dismissal of Greek keeper Stefanos Kapino during added time at the end of the first half, when his team were leading 1–0. But the first action by reserve keeper Sokratis Dioudis was to save the ensuing penalty. England took the upper hand after equalising in the 56th minute but failed to beat Dioudis and were beaten by a counterattack in the 18th minute of extra-time.

In the final, against Spain both sides displayed admirable speed in transitions both from defence into attack and vice versa. While Spain's No. 17, Gerard Deulofeu, operating on the right wing after the break, was a constant menace with his incisive dribbling movements, the Greeks, meanwhile, threatened with inswinging corners and free kicks from Kostas Stafylidis and Giannis Gianniotas respectively. Ten minutes before the end of the game, Gerard Deulofeu went to the byline and forced a save from the Greek keeper, Sokratis Dioudis, with a dangerous cutback. One minute later, and the decisive moment of the match arrived. With great tenacity, Spanish full-back Jonny stole the ball from the Greeks just inside their own half. Within the blink of an eye, the ball was transferred to right-wing partner Gerard Deulofeu. The latter ran to the heart of the Greek defence and slid a perfectly weighted, subtle through pass to his fellow winger, Jesé who scored the only goal.

UEFA European Under-19 Championship

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UEFA European Under-19 Championship record Qualification record
Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA GD Pld W D L GF GA GD
Norway 2002 did not qualify 5 2 0 3 11 10 +1
Liechtenstein 2003 3 0 1 2 3 6 −3
Switzerland 2004 3 0 2 1 2 3 −1
Northern Ireland 2005 Group stage 6th 3 1 0 2 1 6 −5 6 4 1 1 11 3 +8
Poland 2006 did not qualify 3 1 0 2 6 7 −1
Austria 2007 Final Runners-up 5 2 2 1 5 4 +1 6 4 1 1 14 7 +7
Czech Republic 2008 Group stage 7th 3 0 2 1 1 4 −3 6 4 1 1 14 7 +7
Ukraine 2009 did not qualify 6 2 0 4 5 6 −1
France 2010 6 4 1 1 7 2 +5
Romania 2011 Group stage 6th 3 1 0 2 2 3 −1 6 4 1 1 7 4 +3
Estonia 2012 Final Runners-up 5 3 0 2 10 7 +3 6 5 1 0 21 2 +19
Lithuania 2013 did not qualify 6 1 3 2 5 6 −1
Hungary 2014 6 1 2 3 7 14 −7
Greece 2015 Semi-finals 3rd/4th 4 1 1 2 2 6 −4 Qualified as hosts
Germany 2016 did not qualify 6 3 1 2 6 9 −3
Georgia (country) 2017 6 3 1 2 11 5 +6
Finland 2018 6 3 0 3 12 10 +2
Armenia 2019 6 4 1 1 17 9 +8
Northern Ireland 2020 Cancelled 3 1 0 2 7 7 0
Romania 2021 Cancelled
Slovakia 2022 did not qualify 3 0 2 1 1 2 −1
Malta 2023 Group stage 7th 3 0 1 2 4 10 −6 6 4 2 0 11 2 +9
Northern Ireland 2024 did not qualify 6 1 1 4 7 10 −3
Total 0 titles 7/21 26 8 6 12 25 40 −15 110 51 22 37 185 131 +54

Results and schedule

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The following is a list of match results from the previous 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

2023

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21 November 2023 (2023-11-21) 2024 UEFA European U-19 Championship Qualifying Round Greece  0–1  Turkey Manavgat, Turkey
14:00 Report
Stadium: Arslan Zeki Demirci Sports Complex
Referee: Simone Sozza (Italy)

2024

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10 February 2024 (2024-02-10) Friendly Tournament Greece  1–2  Turkey Umag, Croatia
13:30
Report
Stadium: Umag Football Fields
13 February 2024 (2024-02-13) Friendly Tournament Greece  3–0  Latvia Umag, Croatia
13:30 Report Stadium: Umag Football Fields
16 February 2024 (2024-02-16) Friendly Tournament  Croatia 0–2 Greece  Umag, Croatia
13:30 Report Stadium: Umag Football Fields
20 March 2024 (2024-03-20) 2024 UEFA European U-19 Championship Elite Round  Portugal 2–1 Greece  Aveiro, Portugal
20:00
Report
Stadium: Estádio Municipal de Aveiro
Referee: Mohammad Usman Aslam (Norway)
23 March 2024 (2024-03-23) 2024 UEFA European U-19 Championship Elite Round  Denmark 2–1 Greece  Anadia, Portugal
17:00 Report Stadium: Estádio Municipal Engenheiro Sílvio Henriques Cerveira
Referee: Roman Jitari (Moldova)
26 March 2024 (2024-03-26) 2024 UEFA European U-19 Championship Elite Round Greece  3–3  Serbia Tábua, Portugal
17:00
Report
Stadium: Estádio Municipal de Tábua
Referee: Mohammad Usman Aslam (Norway)
9 October 2024 (2024-10-09) Friendly Tournament Greece  2–2  Republic of Ireland Poreč, Croatia
16:15
Report
Stadium: Sports Centre Zelena Laguna
12 October 2024 (2024-10-12) Friendly Tournament  Mexico 3–3 Greece  Poreč, Croatia
13:30 Report
Stadium: Sports Centre Zelena Laguna
15 October 2024 (2024-10-15) Friendly Tournament  Croatia 1–1 Greece  Poreč, Croatia
12:00 Report Stadium: Sports Centre Zelena Laguna
19 November 2024 (2024-11-19) 2025 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualification Greece  0–1  Italy Heraklion, Greece
14:30 Report
Stadium: Theodoros Vardinogiannis Stadium
Referee: Henrik Nalbandyan (Armenia)

Euro 2025 Under-19 Championship qualification

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Group 8

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Italy 3 3 0 0 7 0 +7 9 Elite round
2  Montenegro 3 2 0 1 6 5 +1 6
3  Greece (H) 3 1 0 2 5 6 −1 3 Possible Elite round if the best third-placed team
4  Bosnia and Herzegovina 3 0 0 3 4 11 −7 0
Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
(H) Hosts

Players

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Current squad

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As of 19 November 2024

The following 20 players were called up for the 2025 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualification matches, to be played from 13 to 19 November 2024.[1]


No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1 1GK Iason Georgakopoulos (2007-02-16) 16 February 2007 (age 17) 4 0 Greece Olympiacos U19
12 1GK Efstathios Beleris (2007-03-05) 5 March 2007 (age 17) 3 0 Greece PAOK U19

2 2DF Georgios Koupenos (2006-02-26) 26 February 2006 (age 18) 6 1 Greece PAOK U19
3 2DF Nektarios Alafakis (2006-03-13) 13 March 2006 (age 18) 5 0 Greece Olympiacos U19
4 2DF Dimitrios Bataoulas (2007-05-29) 29 May 2007 (age 17) 6 0 Greece PAOK U19
5 2DF Georgios Kosidis (2007-06-13) 13 June 2007 (age 17) 5 0 Greece PAOK U19
14 2DF Ilias Panagakos (2006-07-27) 27 July 2006 (age 18) 6 1 Greece Olympiacos U19
15 2DF Vasilis Karkatsalis (2007-04-10) 10 April 2007 (age 17) 0 0 Greece Olympiacos U19
16 2DF David Galiatsos (2006-02-01) 1 February 2006 (age 18) 4 0 Greece Panetolikos
21 2DF Konstantinos Polykratis (2006-07-02) 2 July 2006 (age 18) 3 1 Greece PAOK U19

6 3MF Loukas Maroutsis (captain) (2006-05-15) 15 May 2006 (age 18) 12 0 Greece AEK B
8 3MF Argyrios Liatsikouras (2006-12-20) 20 December 2006 (age 17) 11 1 Greece Olympiacos U19
10 3MF Adriano Bregu (2006-04-09) 9 April 2006 (age 18) 6 3 Greece Panathinaikos
17 3MF Marios Kalaitsidis (2006-07-27) 27 July 2006 (age 18) 5 0 Greece PAOK U19
19 3MF Christoforos Kolimatsis (2006-08-04) 4 August 2006 (age 18) 2 0 Greece AEK B

7 4FW Theodoros Delianidis (2006-03-11) 11 March 2006 (age 18) 11 2 Netherlands PEC Zwolle U21
9 4FW Anestis Mythou (2007-05-22) 22 May 2007 (age 17) 6 1 Greece PAOK B
11 4FW Dimitrios Chatsidis (2006-06-14) 14 June 2006 (age 18) 5 3 Greece PAOK U19
18 4FW Stavros Pnevmonidis (2006-08-07) 7 August 2006 (age 18) 4 0 Greece Olympiacos U19
20 4FW Panagiotis Santis (2007-02-21) 21 February 2007 (age 17) 4 0 Greece Volos U19

Recent call-ups

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Following are listed players called up in the previous twelve months who are still eligible to represent the under-19 team.

Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK Theofilos Kakadiaris (2007-01-17) 17 January 2007 (age 17) 0 0 Greece Asteras Tripolis B v. Bosnia and Herzegovina, 13 November 2024PRE
GK Georgios Karakasidis (2005-01-31) 31 January 2005 (age 19) 4 0 Greece Panathinaikos v. Serbia, 26 March 2024
GK Vasilios Nikolakoulis (2005-05-20) 20 May 2005 (age 19) 4 0 Greece PAOK B v. Serbia, 26 March 2024
GK Panormitis Kaliaros (2005-01-28) 28 January 2005 (age 19) 0 0 Greece AEK B v. Croatia, 16 February 2024
GK Spyros Angelidis (2005-01-28) 28 January 2005 (age 19) 5 0 Germany Werder Bremen II v. Turkey, 21 November 2023

DF Dimitrios Sakellaris (2006-04-12) 12 April 2006 (age 18) 0 0 Greece Volos U19 v. Croatia, 15 October 2024
DF Theodoros Tsioungaris (2007-01-21) 21 January 2007 (age 17) 1 0 Italy Bologna U18 v. Croatia, 15 October 2024
DF Konstantinos Lykourinos (2006-07-24) 24 July 2006 (age 18) 2 0 Greece Volos v. Croatia, 15 October 2024
DF Taxiarchis Filon (2005-03-16) 16 March 2005 (age 19) 13 1 Greece PAOK B v. Serbia, 26 March 2024
DF Charalampos Georgiadis (2005-03-26) 26 March 2005 (age 19) 12 0 Germany Nürnberg U19 v. Serbia, 26 March 2024
DF Georgios Katris (2005-10-14) 14 October 2005 (age 19) 8 1 Greece Panathinaikos v. Serbia, 26 March 2024
DF Christos Alexiou (2005-06-30) 30 June 2005 (age 19) 6 3 Italy Inter Milan Primavera v. Serbia, 26 March 2024
DF Nikolaos Deligiannis (2005-03-22) 22 March 2005 (age 19) 16 0 Greece PAOK B v. Serbia, 26 March 2024
DF Vasilios Pasachidis (2005-08-29) 29 August 2005 (age 19) 4 0 Greece PAOK B v. Serbia, 26 March 2024
DF Christos Kosidis (2005-02-28) 28 February 2005 (age 19) 8 1 Greece AEK B v. Croatia, 16 February 2024
DF Petros Kokkakis (2005-02-12) 12 February 2005 (age 19) 2 0 Greece Panathinaikos U19 v. Croatia, 16 February 2024
DF Ilias Simantirakis (2005-12-22) 22 December 2005 (age 18) 8 1 Greece OFI v. Croatia, 16 February 2024
DF Konstantinos Kostoulas (2005-02-08) 8 February 2005 (age 19) 2 0 Portugal Rio Ave U23 v. Croatia, 16 February 2024
DF Dimitrios Laskaris (2005-09-29) 29 September 2005 (age 19) 4 0 Greece Asteras Tripolis B v. Turkey, 21 November 2023
DF Dimitrios Kottas (2005-01-14) 14 January 2005 (age 19) 15 0 Greece PAOK B v. Turkey, 21 November 2023
DF Konstantinos Kastidis (2005-02-09) 9 February 2005 (age 19) 5 0 Greece PAOK B v. Turkey, 21 November 2023

MF Thomas Markezinis (2007-08-13) 13 August 2007 (age 17) 1 0 Greece Panathinaikos U19 v. Croatia, 15 October 2024
MF Nikolaos Theocharis (2006-10-30) 30 October 2006 (age 18) 2 0 Greece Volos U19 v. Croatia, 15 October 2024
MF Sotiris Kontouris (2005-02-24) 24 February 2005 (age 19) 9 0 Greece Panetolikos v. Serbia, 26 March 2024
MF Theofanis Bakoulas (2005-01-04) 4 January 2005 (age 19) 6 0 Greece Olympiacos v. Serbia, 26 March 2024
MF Dimitris Kaloskamis (2005-03-01) 1 March 2005 (age 19) 12 3 Greece Atromitos v. Serbia, 26 March 2024
MF Konstantinos Goumas (2005-03-12) 12 March 2005 (age 19) 19 0 Greece PAOK B v. Serbia, 26 March 2024
MF Antonios Papakanellos (2005-08-11) 11 August 2005 (age 19) 3 0 Greece Olympiacos v. Serbia, 26 March 2024
MF Andreas Panagiotakopoulos (2006-07-12) 12 July 2006 (age 18) 4 1 Italy Triestina Primavera v. Croatia, 16 February 2024

FW Stefanos Tzimas (2006-01-06) 6 January 2006 (age 18) 11 7 Germany Nürnberg v. Bosnia and Herzegovina, 13 November 2024PRE
FW Charalampos Kostoulas (2007-05-30) 30 May 2007 (age 17) 6 0 Greece Olympiacos v. Bosnia and Herzegovina, 13 November 2024PRE
FW Grigorios Politakis (2006-05-29) 29 May 2006 (age 18) 3 0 Greece PAOK U19 v. Croatia, 15 October 2024
FW Aristidis Andrikopoulos (2006-01-28) 28 January 2006 (age 18) 6 0 Greece AEK B v. Croatia, 15 October 2024
FW Deivid Hoxha (2007-07-20) 20 July 2007 (age 17) 1 0 Greece Panetolikos U19 v. Croatia, 15 October 2024
FW Giannis Gitersos (2005-05-23) 23 May 2005 (age 19) 8 2 Greece PAOK B v. Serbia, 26 March 2024
FW Vasilios Kontonikos (2005-10-11) 11 October 2005 (age 19) 10 2 Greece AEK B v. Serbia, 26 March 2024
FW Emmanouil Tsompanis (2006-08-14) 14 August 2006 (age 18) 1 0 Greece PAOK U19 v. Croatia, 16 February 2024
FW Anastasios Kontorouchas (2005-03-09) 9 March 2005 (age 19) 5 0 Greece AEK B v. Croatia, 16 February 2024

INJ Withdrew due to injury
PRE Included in preliminary roster

Player records

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Former squads

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Εθνική Νέων: η τελική 20άδα για τα προκριματικά". epo.gr. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
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