Konstantinos Karetsas

Konstantinos Karetsas
Κωνσταντίνος Καρέτσας
Personal information
Date of birth (2007-11-19) 19 November 2007
Place of birth Genk, Belgium
Height 1.71 m (5 ft 7 in)
Positions
Team information
Current team
 Borussia Dortmund
Number 19
Youth career
2015–2020 Genk
2020–2023 Anderlecht
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2023–2024 Jong Genk 20 (6)
2024–2026 Genk 72 (3)
2026– Borussia Dortmund 0 (0)
International career‡
2022 Belgium U15 1 (0)
2022–2023 Belgium U16 13 (3)
2023–2024 Belgium U17 4 (0)
2024 Belgium U21 2 (0)
2025– Greece 10 (3)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 12 May 2026
‡ National team caps and goals as of 27 March 2026

Konstantinos Karetsas (Greek: Κωνσταντίνος Καρέτσας; born 19 November 2007) is a professional footballer who plays as a right winger or attacking midfielder for Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund.[1] Born in Belgium, he represents the Greece national team.

Club career

Genk

Karetsas came through the system at his home town club Genk before spending three years at Anderlecht. He then returned to Genk in January 2023.[2]

He made his professional debut as a fifteen-year-old for Jong Genk in the opening game of the 2023–24 season. He scored three goals in his first seven league games.[3] When he scored his first professional goal on 1 September 2023, in the Challenger Pro League against RSCA Futures, he became the youngest goalscorer in Belgian pro-league history.[4][5]

After a few strong months at Jong Genk, Karetsas was promoted to Genk's first team in February 2024 together with teammate Noah Adedeji-Sternberg. He was given his official debut by coach Wouter Vrancken in the league match against Cercle Brugge on 4 May. In the 88th minute, Karetsas came on for Bilal El Khannouss. Two weeks later, interim head coach Domenico Olivieri give him a first-team start for the first time for the league match against Royal Antwerp and in the 28th minute, he provided the assist for the only goal of the game, scored by Andi Zeqiri.

Karetsas continued to impress in the opening weeks of the 2024–25 season, while still 16 years old, and was selected among The Guardian's 60 best young talents in world football selection for 2024.[6]

Borussia Dortmund

On 3 August 2026, he moved to Germany and transferred to Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund.[7]

International career

Karetsas was born in Belgium to Greek parents.[8] He chose to represent the Greek international team. He is a former Belgian youth international.[9]

Karetsas was selected by the Belgian Under-21s for European qualifiers against Scotland and Hungary in October 2024, coming on as a substitute in the latter match for this debut at that level.[10]

In March 2025, FIFA approved the change of association Karetsas could represent from Belgium to Greece.[11] He made his international debut as a substitute against Scotland on 20 March 2025 during the Nations League promotion/relegation play-offs.[12] Three days later, he scored his first goal in a 3–0 away win against the same opponent, at the age of 17 years and 124 days, making him the youngest scorer in Greece's history as well as Nation League's history.[13]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 22 August 2026
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Europe Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Jong Genk 2023–24 Challenger Pro League 206———206
Genk 2023–24 Belgian Pro League 4000——40
2024–25 34350——393
2025–26 3402113[a]2—483
Total 72371132—926
Borussia Dortmund 2026–27 Bundesliga 0000001[b]010
Career total 929711321011312

International

As of match played 27 March 2026
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Greece 202593
202610
Total103
Scores and results list Greece's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Karetsas goal.
List of international goals scored by Konstantinos Karetsas
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
123 March 2025Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland Scotland2–03–02024–25 UEFA Nations League
25 September 2025Karaiskakis Stadium, Piraeus, Greece Belarus1–05–12026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers
315 November 2025Karaiskakis Stadium, Piraeus, Greece Scotland2–03–22026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers

References

  1. ↑ Konstantinos Karetsas at Soccerway
  2. ↑ "Anderlecht: the great talent Konstantinos Karetsas heads to Genk" (in French). 10 January 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  3. ↑ "KONSTANTINOS KARETSAS: THE 15-YEAR-OLD 'WONDERKID' LIGHTING UP THE BELGIAN SECOND TIER". Onefootball.com. 2 October 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  4. ↑ "VIDEO: 15-year-old wonderkid Konstantinos Karetsas scores a screamer, becoming the youngest scorer in Belgian football history". Nogomania.com. 7 September 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  5. ↑ "RSC ANDERLECHT II VS. KRC GENK II 1 - 1". Soccerway. 1 September 2023.
  6. ↑ "Next Generation 2024: 60 of the best young talents in world football". Guardian. 16 October 2024. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  7. ↑ "BVB signs Konstantinos Karetsas". Borussia Dortmund. 3 August 2026. Retrieved 3 August 2026.
  8. ↑ "Κωνσταντίνος Καρέτσας, Ελληνόπουλο το μεγαλύτερο ταλέντο στο Βέλγιο". 14 January 2023.
  9. ↑ "Big blow for Anderlecht: the great talent Konstantinos Karetsas goes to Genk". Sudinfo.be. 10 January 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  10. ↑ "Belgium U21 vs. Hungary U21 - 15 October 2024 - Soccerway". Soccerway. 15 October 2024. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  11. ↑ "FIFA Change of Association Platform". FIFA. Retrieved 6 March 2025.
  12. ↑ Lamont, Alasdair (22 March 2025). "The 'pretty special' 17-year-old out to dash Scotland dreams". BBC Sport.
  13. ↑ "Youngest Nations League scorers: Konstantinos Karetsas, Lamine Yamal, Gavi, Ansu Fati". UEFA. 24 March 2025.
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