Greece at the FIFA World Cup

Participation of Greece's national football team in the FIFA World Cup

The Greece national football team have appeared in the FIFA World Cup on three occasions, in 1994, 2010 and 2014. They were the reigning European champions when they failed to qualify for the 2006 tournament.

## Overview

[edit]

FIFA World Cup record  |  | FIFA World Cup qualification record

|
|

Year  | Round  | Position  | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA
1930 | Did not enter | Did not enter
1934 | Did not qualify | 1  | 0  | 0  | 1  | 0  | 4
1938 | 3  | 2  | 0  | 1  | 5  | 12
1950 | Did not enter | Did not enter
1954 | Did not qualify | 4  | 2  | 0  | 2  | 3  | 2
1958 | 4  | 0  | 1  | 3  | 2  | 9
1962 | 4  | 1  | 0  | 3  | 3  | 8
1966 | 6  | 2  | 1  | 3  | 10  | 14
1970 | 6  | 2  | 3  | 1  | 13  | 9
1974 | 4  | 0  | 0  | 4  | 5  | 11
1978 | 4  | 1  | 1  | 2  | 2  | 6
1982 | 8  | 3  | 1  | 4  | 10  | 13
1986 | 6  | 1  | 2  | 3  | 5  | 10
1990 | 6  | 1  | 2  | 3  | 3  | 15
1994 | Group stage  | 24th  | 3  | 0  | 0  | 3  | 0  | 10  | 8  | 6  | 2  | 0  | 10  | 2
1998 | Did not qualify | 8  | 4  | 2  | 2  | 11  | 4
2002 | 8  | 2  | 1  | 5  | 7  | 17
2006 | 12  | 6  | 3  | 3  | 15  | 9
2010 | Group stage  | 25th  | 3  | 1  | 0  | 2  | 2  | 5  | 12  | 7  | 3  | 2  | 21  | 10
2014 | Round of 16  | 13th  | 4  | 1  | 2  | 1  | 3  | 5  | 12  | 9  | 2  | 1  | 16  | 6
2018 | Did not qualify | 9  | 4  | 4  | 1  | 13  | 6
2022 | 8  | 2  | 4  | 2  | 8  | 8
2026 | To be determined | To be determined
2030
2034
Total  | Best: Round of 16 | 3/22  | 10  | 2  | 2  | 6  | 5  | 20  | 136  | 56  | 33  | 47  | 167  | 179

* Draws include knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out.
Greece's World Cup record

First match |  Argentina 4–0 Greece
(Foxborough, United States; 21 June 1994)
Biggest win |  Greece 2–1 Nigeria
(Bloemfontein, South Africa; 17 June 2010)
Greece 2–1 Ivory Coast
(Fortaleza, Brazil; 24 June 2014)
Biggest defeat |  Argentina 4–0 Greece
(Foxborough, United States; 21 June 1994)
Bulgaria 4–0 Greece
(Chicago, United States; 26 June 1994)
Best result | Round of 16 at the 2014 FIFA World Cup
Worst result | Group Stage at the 1994 and 2010 FIFA World Cup

## 1994 United States

[edit]

* v
* t
* e

Greece squad – 1994 FIFA World Cup

* 1 Minou
* 2 Apostolakis
* 3 Kolitsidakis
* 4 Manolas
* 5 Kalitzakis
* 6 Tsalouchidis
* 7 Saravakos
* 8 Nioplias
* 9 Machlas
* 10 Mitropoulos (c)
* 11 Tsiantakis
* 12 Marangos
* 13 Karagiannis
* 14 Dimitriadis
* 15 Karkamanis
* 16 Alexoudis
* 17 Hantzidis
* 18 Karataidis
* 19 Kofidis
* 20 Atmatsidis
* 21 Alexandris
* 22 Alexiou
* Coach: Panagoulias

### Group stage

[edit]

Main article: 1994 FIFA World Cup Group D

Pos | Team

* v
* t
* e

| Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1  |  Nigeria | 3  | 2  | 0  | 1  | 6  | 2  | +4  | 6  | Advance to knockout stage
2  |  Bulgaria | 3  | 2  | 0  | 1  | 6  | 3  | +3  | 6
3  |  Argentina | 3  | 2  | 0  | 1  | 6  | 3  | +3  | 6
4  |  Greece | 3  | 0  | 0  | 3  | 0  | 10  | −10  | 0  |

Source: FIFA

Win   Tie   Loss

Argentina  v  Greece 21 June 1994 |  Argentina  | 4–0|   Greece | Boston, United States

|
|
|
|

12:30 | Batistuta 2', 44', 89' (pen.)
Maradona 60' | Report |  | Stadium: Foxboro Stadium
Attendance: 54,456
Referee: Arturo Angeles (United States)

Bulgaria  v  Greece 26 June 1994 |  Bulgaria  | 4–0|   Greece | Chicago, United States

|
|
|
|

12:30 | Stoichkov 5' (pen.), 55' (pen.)
Letchkov 65'
Borimirov 90' | Report |  | Stadium: Soldier Field
Attendance: 63,160
Referee: Ali Bujsaim (United Arab Emirates)

Greece  v  Nigeria 30 June 1994 |  Greece  | 0–2|   Nigeria | Boston, United States

|
|
|
|

19:30 |  | Report | George 45'
Amokachi 90' | Stadium: Foxboro Stadium
Attendance: 53,001
Referee: Leslie Mottram (Scotland)

## 2010 South Africa

[edit]

* v
* t
* e

Greece squad – 2010 FIFA World Cup

* 1 Chalkias
* 2 Seitaridis
* 3 Patsatzoglou
* 4 Spyropoulos
* 5 Moras
* 6 Tziolis
* 7 Samaras
* 8 Papadopoulos
* 9 Charisteas
* 10 Karagounis (c)
* 11 Vyntra
* 12 Tzorvas
* 13 Sifakis
* 14 Salpingidis
* 15 Torosidis
* 16 Kyrgiakos
* 17 Gekas
* 18 Ninis
* 19 Papastathopoulos
* 20 Kapetanos
* 21 Katsouranis
* 22 Malezas
* 23 Prittas
* Coach: Rehhagel

### Round 1

[edit]

Main article: 2010 FIFA World Cup Group B

Pos | Team

* v
* t
* e

| Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1  |  Argentina | 3  | 3  | 0  | 0  | 7  | 1  | +6  | 9  | Advance to knockout stage
2  |  South Korea | 3  | 1  | 1  | 1  | 5  | 6  | −1  | 4
3  |  Greece | 3  | 1  | 0  | 2  | 2  | 5  | −3  | 3  |
4  |  Nigeria | 3  | 0  | 1  | 2  | 3  | 5  | −2  | 1

Source: FIFA
Rules for classification: Tie-breaking criteria

Win   Tie   Loss

South Korea  v  Greece 12 June 2010 |  South Korea  | 2–0|   Greece | Port Elizabeth, South Africa

|
|
|
|

13:30 | Lee Jung-soo 7'
Park Ji-sung 52' | Report |  | Stadium: Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium
Attendance: 31,513
Referee: Michael Hester (New Zealand)

Greece  v  Nigeria 17 June 2010 |  Greece  | 2–1|   Nigeria | Bloemfontein, South Africa

|
|
|
|

16:00 | Salpingidis 44'
Torosidis 71' | Report | Uche 16' | Stadium: Free State Stadium
Attendance: 31,593
Referee: Óscar Ruiz (Colombia)

Greece  v  Argentina 22 June 2010 |  Greece  | 0–2|   Argentina | Polokwane, South Africa

|
|
|
|

20:30 |  | Report | Demichelis 77'
Palermo 89' | Stadium: Peter Mokaba Stadium
Attendance: 38,891
Referee: Ravshan Irmatov (Uzbekistan

## 2014 Brazil

[edit]

* v
* t
* e

Greece squad – 2014 FIFA World Cup

* 1 Karnezis
* 2 Maniatis
* 3 Tzavellas
* 4 Manolas
* 5 Moras
* 6 Tziolis
* 7 Samaras
* 8 Kone
* 9 Mitroglou
* 10 Karagounis (c)
* 11 Vyntra
* 12 Glykos
* 13 Kapino
* 14 Salpingidis
* 15 Torosidis
* 16 Christodoulopoulos
* 17 Gekas
* 18 Fetfatzidis
* 19 Papastathopoulos
* 20 Holebas
* 21 Katsouranis
* 22 Samaris
* 23 Tachtsidis
* Coach: Santos

### Group stage

[edit]

Main article: 2014 FIFA World Cup Group C

Pos | Team

* v
* t
* e

| Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1  |  Colombia | 3  | 3  | 0  | 0  | 9  | 2  | +7  | 9  | Advance to knockout stage
2  |  Greece | 3  | 1  | 1  | 1  | 2  | 4  | −2  | 4
3  |  Ivory Coast | 3  | 1  | 0  | 2  | 4  | 5  | −1  | 3  |
4  |  Japan | 3  | 0  | 1  | 2  | 2  | 6  | −4  | 1

Source: FIFA
Rules for classification: Tie-breaking criteria

Win   Tie   Loss

Colombia  v  Greece 14 June 2014 |  Colombia  | 3–0|   Greece | Belo Horizonte, Brazil

|
|
|
|

13:00 | Armero 5'
Gutiérrez 58'
Rodríguez 90+3' | Report |  | Stadium: Estádio Mineirão
Attendance: 57,174
Referee: Mark Geiger (United States)

Japan  v  Greece 19 June 2014 |  Japan  | 0–0|   Greece | Natal, Brazil

|
|
|
|

19:00 |  | Report |  | Stadium: Arena das Dunas
Attendance: 39,485
Referee: Joel Aguilar (El Salvador)

Greece  v  Ivory Coast 24 June 2014 |  Greece  | 2–1|   Ivory Coast | Fortaleza, Brazil

|
|
|
|

17:00 | Samaris 42'
Samaras 90+3' (pen.) | Report | Bony 74' | Stadium: Estádio Castelão
Attendance: 59,095
Referee: Carlos Vera (Ecuador)

### Knockout stage

[edit]

Main article: 2014 FIFA World Cup knockout stage

Win   Tie   Loss

Costa Rica  v  Greece 29 June 2014 Round of 16|  Costa Rica  | 1–1 (a.e.t.)
(5–3 p)|   Greece | Recife, Brazil

|
|
|
|

17:00 |

* Ruiz 52'

| Report |

* Papastathopoulos 90+1'

| Stadium: Arena Pernambuco
Attendance: 41,242
Referee: Ben Williams (Australia)
| Penalties|

* Borges
* Ruiz
* González
* Campbell
* Umaña

|  |

* Mitroglou
* Christodoulopoulos
* Holebas
* Gekas

## Record players

[edit]

Rank  | Player  | Matches  | World Cups

|
|
|

1  | Giorgos Karagounis | 7 | 2010 and 2014
Georgios Samaras | 7 | 2010 and 2014
Vasilis Torosidis | 7 | 2010 and 2014
4  | Theofanis Gekas | 6 | 2010 and 2014
Kostas Katsouranis | 6 | 2010 and 2014
Sokratis Papastathopoulos | 6 | 2010 and 2014
Dimitris Salpingidis | 6 | 2010 and 2014
8  | José Holebas | 4 | 2014
Orestis Karnezis | 4 | 2014
Giannis Maniatis | 4 | 2014
Kostas Manolas | 4 | 2014

## Top goalscorers

[edit]

Five players scored one goal each for Greece at a FIFA World Cup:

Rank  | Player  | Goals  | World Cup

|
|
|

1  | Dimitris Salpingidis | 1 | 2010
Vasilis Torosidis | 1 | 2010
Sokratis Papastathopoulos | 1 | 2014
Georgios Samaras | 1 | 2014
Andreas Samaris | 1 | 2014

## See also

[edit]

* Greece at the FIFA Confederations Cup
* Greece at the UEFA European Championship

## External links

[edit]

* Greece at FIFA.com

* v
* t
* e

Greece national football team

General topics|

* Hellenic Football Federation
* History
* Managers

Venues|

* Leoforos Alexandras Stadium (1929–1970, 1977–1980, 2002–2003)
* Karaiskakis Stadium (1971–1976, 2004–2008, 2010–2017, 2024–present)
* Kleanthis Vikelidis Stadium (1981)
* Olympic Stadium (1982–2001, 2009, 2018–2021)
* Panthessaliko Stadium (2021–2022)
* Agia Sophia Stadium (2022–2024)
* List of football stadiums in Greece

Results|

* Men's
* 1929–59
* 1960–79
* 1980–99
* 2000–19
* 2020–present
* Women's
* 2000–2009
* 2010–2019
* 2020–present

Players|

* List of Greece international footballers
* World Cup & Euro Championship squads
* Other footballers
* Hat-tricks

FIFA World Cup tournaments|

* Summary
* 1994
* 2010
* 2014

UEFA Euro tournaments|

* Summary
* 1980
* 2004
* 2008
* 2012

FIFA Confed Cup tournaments|

* Summary
* 2005

Matches|

* UEFA Euro 2004 final
* Faroe Islands v Greece (2014–15)

Other HFF teams|

* U-21
* U-20
* U-19
* U-17
* Olympic team
* Βeach soccer
* Futsal
* Women
* Military

* v
* t
* e

Countries at the FIFA World Cup

* Team appearances
* All-time table

AFC|

* Australia1
* China
* Indonesia2
* Iran
* Iraq
* Japan
* Jordan
* Kuwait
* North Korea
* Qatar
* Saudi Arabia
* South Korea
* United Arab Emirates
* Uzbekistan

CAF|

* Algeria
* Angola
* Cameroon
* DR Congo2
* Egypt
* Ghana
* Ivory Coast
* Morocco
* Nigeria
* Senegal
* South Africa
* Togo
* Tunisia

CONCACAF|

* Canada
* Costa Rica
* Cuba
* El Salvador
* Haiti
* Honduras
* Jamaica
* Mexico
* Panama
* Trinidad and Tobago
* United States

CONMEBOL|

* Argentina
* Bolivia
* Brazil
* Chile
* Colombia
* Ecuador
* Paraguay
* Peru
* Uruguay

OFC|

* New Zealand

UEFA|

* Austria
* Belgium
* Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Bulgaria
* Croatia
* Czech Republic2
* Denmark
* East Germany3
* England
* France
* Germany2
* Greece
* Hungary
* Iceland
* Israel1
* Italy
* Netherlands
* Northern Ireland
* Norway
* Poland
* Portugal
* Republic of Ireland
* Romania
* Russia2
* Scotland
* Serbia2
* Slovakia2
* Slovenia
* Spain
* Sweden
* Switzerland
* Turkey
* Ukraine
* Wales

1 Have been member of multiple confederations. 2 Considered a successor team by FIFA, or have competed under another name(s). 3 Team and national federation no longer exist.

## Head-to-head record

[edit]

Opponent  | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win %

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Argentina | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | −6  | 000.00
Bulgaria | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | −4  | 000.00
Colombia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | −3  | 000.00
Nigeria | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1  | 050.00
Costa Rica | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | +0  | 000.00
Ivory Coast | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1  | 100.00
Japan | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +0  | 000.00
South Korea | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | −2  | 000.00
Total  | 10 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 20 | −15  | 020.00
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template
*[Pos]: Position
*[Pld]: Played
*[W]: Won
*[D]: Drawn
*[L]: Lost
*[GF]: Goals for
*[GA]: Goals against
*[GD]: Goal difference
*[Pts]: Points