Kostas Choumis
Encyclopedia
Kostas Choumis was a Greek
-Romanian
football player who played as a striker
. He is often regarded in Greece
and Romania
as one of the greatest strikers in the 1930s.
In 1936, Kostas moved to Romanian club Venus Bucureşti
, after scoring two goals against Romania
a year earlier. He played his first match in Divizia A against Telefoane Bucureşti.
He remains in history as the first scorer for a Romanian team in the European competitions, scoring the first goal of Venus Bucureşti
in the First Round of 1937 Mitropa Cup
, against Ujpest FC
from Hungary
. The match was lost by Venus, 4-6, with Choumis scoring also the last goal of the Romanian team.
Kostas Choumis won three times the Divizia A champion title, but din not win the Romanian Cup
. He played in the last three matches of the 1940 Romanian Cup
final, when, after two replays of the final (in the first replay, ended 4-4, Kostas Choumis scored himself a goal) Rapid Bucureşti won the third replay and the final.
He remained at Venus during the World War II and in the first season after it, but left the team in 1947 to play at Karres Mediaş, where he played a season along Ştefan Dobay
. He played for the Mediaş-based team until 1950, and, after a short spell at IT Arad, he retired from the playing career.
in December 1934, in a Balkan Cup match against Yugoslavia
. A few days later, in a match against Romania
, Kostas scored his first international goal.
In May 1935, in another Balkan Cup
match against Romania
, Choumis scored two goals and caught the eye of the Romanian club Venus Bucureşti
. In his last match for Greece
, he scored the only goal for his team in Cairo
, but the Greeks lost the game against Egypt.
In 1941, after five years of living in Romania, Kostas made his debut for Romania
, in a match against Slovakia
. He scored the first goal for The Tricolours, and Romania won 3-2.
His last international match came in June 1943, playing another match against Slovakia
. The match ended as a draw, 2-2.
National League Topscorer (once) : 1935-1936 (12 goals)
Champion of Romania (three times) : 1936-1937
, 1938-1939
, 1939-1940
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
-Romanian
Romanians
The Romanians are an ethnic group native to Romania, who speak Romanian; they are the majority inhabitants of Romania....
football player who played as a striker
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
. He is often regarded in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
and Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
as one of the greatest strikers in the 1930s.
Club career
Kostas Choumis made his senior debut in 1933, playing for Ethnikos Piraeus, a team from his hometown. Shortly after his debut, he became a certainty for the starting lineup. He won the South Division championship with Ethnikos Piraeus in 1934-1935 season, scoring 15 goals in 10 matches. The National championship was not held in 1934-1935 season, but the next year it was played and Choumis became the top scorer of the league, with 12 goals scored in 14 matches.In 1936, Kostas moved to Romanian club Venus Bucureşti
Venus Bucuresti
Venus București was a Romanian football club based in Bucharest, nicknamed Negrii due to their all black shirts. Before being dissolved by the Communist authorities, Venus was the most successful football club in Romania, winning eight Liga I championships.The club's colours were black and white,...
, after scoring two goals against Romania
Romania national football team
The Romania national football team is the national football team of Romania and is controlled by the Romanian Football Federation.Romania is one of only four national teams, the other three being Brazil, France, and Belgium, that took part in the first three World Cups.However, after that...
a year earlier. He played his first match in Divizia A against Telefoane Bucureşti.
He remains in history as the first scorer for a Romanian team in the European competitions, scoring the first goal of Venus Bucureşti
Venus Bucuresti
Venus București was a Romanian football club based in Bucharest, nicknamed Negrii due to their all black shirts. Before being dissolved by the Communist authorities, Venus was the most successful football club in Romania, winning eight Liga I championships.The club's colours were black and white,...
in the First Round of 1937 Mitropa Cup
Mitropa Cup
The Mitropa Cup, officially called the La Coupe de l'Europe Centrale was one of the first really international major European football cups for club sides...
, against Ujpest FC
Újpest FC
Újpest Football Club , earlier known as Újpesti TE and Újpesti Dózsa, is a Hungarian football club, based in Újpest, Budapest. The club's colours are purple and white...
from Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
. The match was lost by Venus, 4-6, with Choumis scoring also the last goal of the Romanian team.
Kostas Choumis won three times the Divizia A champion title, but din not win the Romanian Cup
Romanian Cup
The Cupa României is a football competition which was held annually since 1933-34, except during the World War II. It is the country's main cup competition, and it is open to all clubs affiliated with FRF and the county football associations regardless of the league they belong to...
. He played in the last three matches of the 1940 Romanian Cup
Romanian Cup
The Cupa României is a football competition which was held annually since 1933-34, except during the World War II. It is the country's main cup competition, and it is open to all clubs affiliated with FRF and the county football associations regardless of the league they belong to...
final, when, after two replays of the final (in the first replay, ended 4-4, Kostas Choumis scored himself a goal) Rapid Bucureşti won the third replay and the final.
He remained at Venus during the World War II and in the first season after it, but left the team in 1947 to play at Karres Mediaş, where he played a season along Ştefan Dobay
Stefan Dobay
Ștefan Dobay , native name István Dobay, was a Austrian-Hungarian native Romanian footballer.He played for Ripensia Timișoara and the Romania national football team for whom he got 41 caps, scored 20 goals and he appeared at the 1934 and 1938 World Cups as a forward and scoring a goal in each...
. He played for the Mediaş-based team until 1950, and, after a short spell at IT Arad, he retired from the playing career.
International career
Kostas Choumis made his debut for the Greece national football teamGreece national football team
The Greece national football team represents Greece in association football and is controlled by the Hellenic Football Federation, the governing body for football in Greece. Greece's home ground is Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus and their head coach is Fernando Santos...
in December 1934, in a Balkan Cup match against Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia national football team
The Yugoslavia national football team represented the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in association football. It enjoyed a modicum of success in international competition. In 1992, during the Yugoslav wars, the team was suspended from international...
. A few days later, in a match against Romania
Romania national football team
The Romania national football team is the national football team of Romania and is controlled by the Romanian Football Federation.Romania is one of only four national teams, the other three being Brazil, France, and Belgium, that took part in the first three World Cups.However, after that...
, Kostas scored his first international goal.
In May 1935, in another Balkan Cup
Balkan Cup
The Balkan Cup was an international football tournament played on and off between 1929 and 1980 between countries from the Balkan region. The first tournament was played between Romania, Greece, Yugoslavia and Bulgaria over 3 years from 1929 to 1931....
match against Romania
Romania national football team
The Romania national football team is the national football team of Romania and is controlled by the Romanian Football Federation.Romania is one of only four national teams, the other three being Brazil, France, and Belgium, that took part in the first three World Cups.However, after that...
, Choumis scored two goals and caught the eye of the Romanian club Venus Bucureşti
Venus Bucuresti
Venus București was a Romanian football club based in Bucharest, nicknamed Negrii due to their all black shirts. Before being dissolved by the Communist authorities, Venus was the most successful football club in Romania, winning eight Liga I championships.The club's colours were black and white,...
. In his last match for Greece
Greece national football team
The Greece national football team represents Greece in association football and is controlled by the Hellenic Football Federation, the governing body for football in Greece. Greece's home ground is Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus and their head coach is Fernando Santos...
, he scored the only goal for his team in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, but the Greeks lost the game against Egypt.
In 1941, after five years of living in Romania, Kostas made his debut for Romania
Romania national football team
The Romania national football team is the national football team of Romania and is controlled by the Romanian Football Federation.Romania is one of only four national teams, the other three being Brazil, France, and Belgium, that took part in the first three World Cups.However, after that...
, in a match against Slovakia
Slovakia national football team
The Slovakia national football team represents Slovakia in association football and is controlled by the Slovak Football Association , the governing body for football in Slovakia. Slovakia's home stadium is Štadión Pasienky and their head coach is Vladimír Weiss...
. He scored the first goal for The Tricolours, and Romania won 3-2.
His last international match came in June 1943, playing another match against Slovakia
Slovakia national football team
The Slovakia national football team represents Slovakia in association football and is controlled by the Slovak Football Association , the governing body for football in Slovakia. Slovakia's home stadium is Štadión Pasienky and their head coach is Vladimír Weiss...
. The match ended as a draw, 2-2.
International Goals
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 27 December 1934 | Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium Apostolos Nikolaidis stadium Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium is a football stadium in Athens, Greece. The stadium, has been the home of Panathinaikos FC and has played for most of the years of its existence, since its foundation back in 1908.... , Athens Athens Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state... , Greece Greece Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe.... |
2-2 | 2-2 | Balkan Cup Balkan Cup The Balkan Cup was an international football tournament played on and off between 1929 and 1980 between countries from the Balkan region. The first tournament was played between Romania, Greece, Yugoslavia and Bulgaria over 3 years from 1929 to 1931.... |
|
| 2 | 16 June 1935 | Unak Stadium, Sofia Sofia Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated... , Bulgaria Bulgaria Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east... |
1-0 | 2-5 | Balkan Cup Balkan Cup The Balkan Cup was an international football tournament played on and off between 1929 and 1980 between countries from the Balkan region. The first tournament was played between Romania, Greece, Yugoslavia and Bulgaria over 3 years from 1929 to 1931.... |
|
| 3 | 16 June 1935 | Unak Stadium, Sofia Sofia Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated... , Bulgaria Bulgaria Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east... |
2-5 | 2-5 | Balkan Cup Balkan Cup The Balkan Cup was an international football tournament played on and off between 1929 and 1980 between countries from the Balkan region. The first tournament was played between Romania, Greece, Yugoslavia and Bulgaria over 3 years from 1929 to 1931.... |
|
| 4 | 24 June 1935 | Levski Stadium, Sofia Sofia Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated... , Bulgaria Bulgaria Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east... |
1-0 | 2-2 | Balkan Cup Balkan Cup The Balkan Cup was an international football tournament played on and off between 1929 and 1980 between countries from the Balkan region. The first tournament was played between Romania, Greece, Yugoslavia and Bulgaria over 3 years from 1929 to 1931.... |
|
| 5 | 24 June 1935 | Levski Stadium, Sofia Sofia Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated... , Bulgaria Bulgaria Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east... |
2-0 | 2-2 | Balkan Cup Balkan Cup The Balkan Cup was an international football tournament played on and off between 1929 and 1980 between countries from the Balkan region. The first tournament was played between Romania, Greece, Yugoslavia and Bulgaria over 3 years from 1929 to 1931.... |
|
| 6 | 21 May 1936 | ONEF Stadium Stadionul Republicii Stadionul Republicii, was a multi-use stadium in Bucharest, Romania. It was used mostly for football matches. The stadium was able to hold 28,026 spectators at its height and originally opened in 1948... , Bucharest Bucharest Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River.... , Romania Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea... |
2-3 | 4-5 | Balkan Cup Balkan Cup The Balkan Cup was an international football tournament played on and off between 1929 and 1980 between countries from the Balkan region. The first tournament was played between Romania, Greece, Yugoslavia and Bulgaria over 3 years from 1929 to 1931.... |
|
| 7 | 19 June 1936 | Muhammad Ali Stadium, Cairo Cairo Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life... , Egypt Egypt Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world... |
1-1 | 1-3 | Friendly |
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 October 1941 | ANEF Stadium Stadionul Republicii Stadionul Republicii, was a multi-use stadium in Bucharest, Romania. It was used mostly for football matches. The stadium was able to hold 28,026 spectators at its height and originally opened in 1948... , Bucharest Bucharest Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River.... , Romania Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea... |
1-1 | 3-2 | Friendly |
Honours
Greek South Division Championship (once) : 1934-1935National League Topscorer (once) : 1935-1936 (12 goals)
Champion of Romania (three times) : 1936-1937
Divizia A 1936-37
-Final classification:-Top scorers:*Stefan Dobay - Ripensia Timişoara - 23 goals*Traian Iordache - Unirea Tricolor Bucureşti - 23 goals...
, 1938-1939
Divizia A 1938-39
-Final classification:-Top scorers:*Adalbert Marksteiner - Ripensia Timişoara - 19 goals...
, 1939-1940
Divizia A 1939-40
-Final classification:-Top scorers:*Stefan Auer - Rapid Bucuresti - 21 goals...