Niko Giantsopoulos

Nikolaos "Niko" Giantsopoulos (born June 24, 1994) is a Canadian soccer player who plays for Cavalry FC as a goalkeeper.

Niko Giantsopoulos
Personal information
Full name Nikolaos Giantsopoulos
Date of birth (1994-06-24) June 24, 1994
Place of birth Markham, Ontario, Canada
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing position(s) Goalkeeper
Club information
Current team
 Cavalry FC
Number 22
Youth career
Pickering SC
– Ajax SC
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012–2013 Adrian Bulldogs 35 (0)
2014–2015 Calvin Knights 47 (0)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016 Devonport City 21 (0)
2017 Broadmeadow Magic 20 (0)
2018 Launceston City 21 (0)
2019– Cavalry FC 5 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of October 5, 2019

Club career

Early career

Giantsopoulos played youth soccer with Pickering SC[1] and Ajax SC.[2]

In 2012, he began his college career with NCAA Division III school Adrian College in Michigan. He won All-MIAA first team accolades and NSCAA Division III All-Central region honors in 2013.[3] He played there for two seasons, but decided to transfer schools after the soccer coaching staff was relived of their duties.[4]

Despite interest from NCAA Division I and Division II schools, he decided to transfer to Division III Calvin College.[4] In his two seasons at Calvin, he was named to the All-MIAA first team and the NSCAA Division III All-Central Region first team twice as well as the NSCAA Division III All-America third team. He help lead them to the MIAA championship and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III Tournament. During his two years as Calvin's starting goalkeeper, he posted a won-loss record of 40-3-4, including a 28-0 record in MIAA competition.[3]

Devonport City

In March 2016, Giantsopoulos joined Devonport City in the NPL Tasmania, the second tier of football in Australia.[5] He started all 21 matches for Devonport in the 2016 season, helping to lead the team to a league championship and was named to the NPL Tasmania Team of the Year.[6] In the 90th minute of the Round of 16 match in the FFA Cup against Bentleigh Greens with the score at 0-0, he suffered a shoulder injury and was forced to leave the game, which Devonport ultimately lost 1-0, after extra time.[7] As a result of the injury, he also missed the Semi-Finals and Finals of the NPL Tasmania Playoff Series, where Devonport ultimately lost in the Finals,[8] as well as the NPL Finals Series for the champions of each of the regional leagues.[9]

Broadmeadow Magic

In 2017, he joined Broadmeadow Magic in the NPL Northern NSW, a different regional league in the same second tier of Australian soccer.[10]

Launceston City

Giantsopoulos would return to the Tasmania regional division, signing with NPL Tasmania club Lauceston City for the 2018 season. He would be named vice-captain of the club,[11] and would start all 21 matches in 2018.[12] On August 18, in a match against South Hobart, as a penalty shot was about to be taken, Giantsopoulos ran up and kicked the ball away before it could be taken. He was yellow carded, but his antics proved to be effective, as the ensuing penalty shot was missed. The incident became a viral video around the world.[13] This was part of a streak of three consecutive penalty saves in three matches for Giantsopoulos.[12] He was named to the NPL Tasmania Team of the Year at the end of the season.[12]

Cavalry FC

Giantsopoulos returned to Canada and signed with Cavalry FC of the Canadian Premier League on January 23, 2019.[14] He served as the backup goalkeeper behind Marco Carducci. He made his debut on May 16 in a Canadian Championship match against Pacific FC.[15] After the season, he re-signed with the club for an additional year.[16]

Statistics
As of 18 October 2019
Club Season League Playoffs[lower-alpha 1] Domestic Cup[lower-alpha 2] Continental Total
League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Devonport City 2016 NPL Tasmania2101050—270
Broadmeadow Magic 2017 NPL Northern NSW2001050—260
Launceston City 2018 NPL Tasmania210—30—240
Cavalry FC 2019 Canadian Premier League500040—90
Career totals 67020170––860
  1. Includes other competitive competitions such as NPL Playoff Finals and CPL Playoffs.
  2. Includes FFA Cup, Milan Lakoseljac Cup and Canadian Championship

Honours

Club

Devonport City

Calvary FC

Individual
  • NPL Tasmania Team of the Year: 2016[6], 2018[17]

References
  1. Brad Kelly (September 4, 2008). "Three area soccer teams in Ontario Cup finals". Durham Region News. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
  2. Brad Kelly (October 15, 2010). "Ajax, Pickering U16 teams win national soccer titles". Durham Region News. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  3. Calvin College (March 15, 2016). "Niko Giantsopoulos Signs Professional Soccer Contract in Australia". Calvin College. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
  4. Steven Sandor (February 7, 2019). "Giant by name, by nature: Giantsopoulos took long road back to CPL". Canadian Premier League. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
  5. Camron Slessor (March 14, 2016). "Canadian duo out to bolster Strikers". The Advocate. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  6. Shaun McManus (August 26, 2016). "Devonport Strikers dominate team of the year". The Mercury. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
  7. Camron Slessor (August 31, 2016). "Devonport Strikers keeper in high spirits following painful FFA Cup injury". The Advocate. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
  8. Brad Cole (September 1, 2016). "Weary Strikers Ready". The Advocate. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
  9. Andrew Cooling (September 15, 2016). "Devonport head west for Perth challenge". National Premier Leagues. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
  10. Camron Slessor (November 16, 2016). "Devonport Strikers goalkeeper Niko Giantsopoulos makes move to Broadmeadow Magic". The Advocate. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
  11. Andrew Mathieson (July 13, 2018). "Launceston City goalkeeper Niko Giantsopoulos has big goals for his adopted NPL club". The Examiner. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
  12. Andrew Mathieson (September 12, 2018). "Launceston City, Northern Rangers feature in NPL Tasmania team of the year". The Examiner. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  13. Football Tasmania (August 18, 2018). "Giant Sized Mind Games". Facebook. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
  14. Scott Strasser (January 27, 2019). "The local connections keep coming as Cavalry FC continues to build its inaugural roster". AFTN. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  15. Scott Strasser (May 16, 2019). "Cavalry's cup run off to ideal start with two-goal cushion over Pacific FC". AFTN. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  16. John Jacques (December 5, 2019). "Cavalry FC Re-Signs Three More Players". Northern Tribune. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  17. Jarryd McGuane (September 12, 2018). "Strikers Fill Team of the Year". The Advocate. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
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