The Greek national team suffered another defeat in the 2027 World Cup qualifiers, this time against Ukraine. Our national team is now in last place in the group, in a precarious situation.
Both Nick Calathes and Tyler Dorsey have returned to the national team. However, the Greek national team is still facing significant absences in this round of qualifiers, with Giannis Antetokounmpo’s absence being the most notable.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
Vassilis Spanoulis had spoken of a “full-scale mobilization” ahead of the games against Ukraine and Spain, with all eyes naturally turning to Giannis Antetokounmpo. The presence of Greece’s top basketball player would undoubtedly give the national team even greater momentum.
A few weeks after his trade and official introduction by the Miami Heat, the 31-year-old NBA superstar made his first comments on the matter. Speaking on “AnesTea The Podcast,” Giannis Antetokounmpo made it clear that he would be available to the national team if called up.
At the same time, in an attempt to explain his absence from the previous two games, he brought the issue of his insurance back into the spotlight—a topic that has sparked quite a bit of discussion recently, but is not the problem.
The EOK’s Explanation
For its part, the EOK, through Dimos Dikoudis, attempted to clarify this specific issue, explaining that the amount of the insurance in question is paid annually by the Federation.
In this year’s case, however, things were different. Not in terms of the financial aspect of the matter, but with regard to the management of Giannis Antetokounmpo due to the injuries that had plagued him recently, when he was still a player for the Bucks.
“At that particular moment, there was a risk involved with Giannis’s participation. Last year, he played only a few games. He hasn’t played in an official game since last March, and his preparation for a safe return to competitive play without the risk of injury will be a long process. His participation at this time in official and high-intensity matches with the national team would put his physical health at risk. “And this is something we all must respect—not just for Giannis, but for all the players,” said Dimos Dikoudis regarding the matter.
At the end of the day, what matters is that the national team is missing its most valuable player and is heading into yet another “final,” this time against Spain.
*photo source: KYPE
