Who is the young Greek footballer who almost played for the Italian Youth National Team.
From the amateur clubs of Thessaloniki, to the team of the football giants of the Italian capital, AS ROMA, at the age of 17!
This is Dimitris Keramitsis, whose story makes us proud. This is because it reminds us that there is no ceiling to a dream, as long as one works hard and is consistent in the goals one sets.
A genuine football talent, he passed at a young age through the academies of ARIS, A. Kalamarias and PAOK. His departure from the academies of the latter, steeled his determination to pursue his football dream – with the support of his family – abroad.
But he had to wait until he was 16 years old to be able to transfer abroad (FIFA rules). So, from the age of 14 to 16 (born 01-07-2004) he played in the men’s teams of AMS PANORAMATOS, THERMAIKOS THERMIS and A.E KRINI. His participation with the Thessaloniki mixed team in the national championships organized by the Hellenic Football Federation was followed by his participation in an international tournament in Belgrade (with the presence of the football teams of Serbia, Greece, Montenegro, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Hungary, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Slovakia).
In April 2019, Dimitris was called up to the Greek Children’s National Team (U15). Finally, the 1.93m tall Greek centre back, who uses both feet in football, headed to Tuscany in the summer of 2020 to find a football home at EMPOLI F.C. It is no coincidence that he previously had the opportunity to be tested by top teams in Italy (FIORENTINA, MILAN, INTER, ATALANTA), but also in the Netherlands (WILLEM) and Scotland (RANGERS).
The fact that 2020-2021 was a difficult year for football due to the pandemic did not prevent Dimitris’ talent from being tested in 7 friendly and 8 official games of EMPOLI F.C. As a result, EMPOLI wishes to tie him to a 3-year professional contract. But so do many other teams in the Campionato (LAZIO, FIORENTINA, SASSUOLO, SPEZIA and ROMA, with the last one being the winner of the football apple of discord with the name Dimitris Keramitsis.
Characteristic is the fact that the national coach of the Italian U17 national team, Bernardo Corradi, fascinated by Dimitris’ football performance and seduced by his Italian name and his excellent knowledge of the Italian language, made him believe that he is of Italian origin and as a result he wanted to invite him to the Italian national team.
Ultimately, the Greek footballer from Evros will have to settle for proving his talent, class and integrity of character only on the Campionato football stage and winning the hearts and minds of the demanding fans of the eternal city.
All power to him.
3/9/2021
Source: OnSports