View source for Michalis Kapsis

{{short description|Greek footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name           = Michalis Kapsis
| image          = 
| fullname       = Michail Kapsis
| birth_date     = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1973|10|18}}
| birth_place    = [[Piraeus]], Greece
| height         = 1.82 m
| position       = [[Centre-back]]
| currentclub    = 
| youthyears1    = 1989–1990
| youthclubs1    = Orfeas Rodos
| years1         = 1990–1991
| clubs1         = Aris Nikeas
| caps1          = 21
| goals1         = 0
| years2         = 1991–1992
| clubs2         = AO Neapolis
| caps2          = 24
| goals2         = 0
| years3         = 1992–1993
| clubs3         = [[Anagennisi Arta F.C.|Anagennisi Arta]]
| caps3          = 18
| goals3         = 1
| years4         = 1993–1999
| clubs4         = [[Ethnikos Piraeus F.C.|Ethnikos Piraeus]]
| caps4          = 123
| goals4         = 2
| years5         = 1999–2004
| clubs5         = [[AEK Athens F.C.|AEK Athens]]
| caps5          = 111
| goals5         = 3
| years6         = 2004–2005
| clubs6         = [[FC Girondins de Bordeaux|Bordeaux]]
| caps6          = 30
| goals6         = 0
| years7         = 2005–2007
| clubs7         = [[Olympiacos F.C.|Olympiacos]]
| caps7          = 10
| goals7         = 1
| years8         = 2007–2008
| clubs8         = [[APOEL FC|APOEL]]
| caps8          = 15
| goals8         = 0
| years9         = 2008–2010
| clubs9         = [[Levadiakos F.C.|Levadiakos]]
| caps9          = 27
| goals9         = 0
| years10        = 2010–2011
| clubs10        = [[Ethnikos Piraeus F.C.|Ethnikos Piraeus]]
| caps10         = 12
| goals10        = 0
| totalcaps      = 391
| totalgoals     = 7
| nationalyears1 = 2003–2007
| nationalteam1  = [[Greece national football team|Greece]]
| nationalcaps1  = 36
| nationalgoals1 = 1
| medaltemplates =
{{Medal|Sport|Men's [[Association football|football]]}}
{{MedalCountry|{{fb|GRE}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[UEFA European Championship]]}}
{{medal|W|[[UEFA Euro 2004|2004]]|}}
}}

'''Michalis Kapsis''' ({{langx|el|Μιχάλης Καψής}}, born 18 October 1973) is a Greek former professional [[Association football|footballer]] who played as a [[centre-back]]. He was an integral part of [[Greece national football team|Greece]]'s [[UEFA Euro 2004]] winning squad.

==Club career==

===Aris Nikeas===
Kapsis started his football career in 1990 at Aris Nikeas, where he turned in a number of impressive performances in 21 games.

===AO Neapolis===
In the summer 1991, he joined AO Neapolis having an impressive performances for the club playing in 24 games.

===Anagennisi Arta===
In the following season, Kapsis signed for the [[Gamma Ethniki|Greek Third Division]] side, [[Anagennisi Arta F.C.|Anagennisi Arta]]. There, Kapsis played for 1 season having played 18 matches, scoring once.

===Ethnikos Piraeus===
In 1993 he was transferred to [[Ethnikos Piraeus F.C.|Ethnikos Piraeus]] where he established himself at the club as a center-back. In his first season, Kapsis helped the team to win the [[Super League Greece 2|second division championship]] in 1994 and to get promoted to the first division. He was a key player for the club in the following years, playing to both first and second division winning another second division championship in 1998.

===AEK Athens===
In January 1999, [[Dimitris Melisanidis]] brought Kapsis to [[AEK Athens F.C.|AEK Athens]]. He quickly became a regular and he was paired in defence alongside players such as [[Nikos Kostenoglou]], [[Carlos Gamarra]], [[Mauricio Wright]], [[Vangelis Moras]] and [[Traianos Dellas]], with whom they also formed the national team's defensive duo. In 2001, where he was fined for his involvement in a training ground incident with [[Ilias Atmatsidis]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sdna.gr/podosfairo/802008_heimarros-atmatsidis-epaixa-xylo-me-mitropoylo-kai-kapsi-st-apodytiria-elegan|title=Χείμαρρος Ατματσίδης: "Έπαιξα ξύλο με Μητρόπουλο και Καψή - Στ' αποδυτήρια έλεγαν καρκίνο τον Ντέμη!" (vid)|date=22 January 2021|website=SDNA}}</ref> as AEK surrendered the championship to [[Olympiacos F.C.|Olympiacos]] in the final matchdays of the season. In 2002, he played in AEK's six draws in the [[UEFA Champions League]] group stage. The following season, Kapsis was his usual consistent self, despite the disappointing season for AEK, who finished fifth. During his spell at the club he won 2 [[Greek Football Cup|Greek Cups]] in 2000 and 2002. In the summer of 2004, AEK faced administrative and financial issues and as a result Kapsis was among the footballers that left the club.

===Bordeaux===
After the EURO 2004, was transferred to [[FC Girondins de Bordeaux|Bordeaux]] for €500,000.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.in.gr/2004/07/26/sports/dietes-symbolaio-me-tin-mpornto-ypegrapse-o-mixalis-kapsis/|title=Διετές συμβόλαιο με την Μπορντό υπέγραψε ο Μιχάλης Καψής|website=in.gr|date=July 26, 2004|language=el}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/euro_2008/greece/7426854.stm|title=What happened to Greece's 2004 heroes?|date=5 June 2008}}</ref> He played 29 [[Ligue 1|league]] matches in France,.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/01e1-0e73a5b1c6e0-7b36f36a0c1f-1000--olympiacos-wary-of-in-form-bordeaux/|title = Olympiacos wary of in-form Bordeaux|date = 10 January 2010}}</ref> After this performance many club made an offer to Kapsis for a possible new contract.

===Olympiacos===
In the summer 2005 he signed two-year deal with the then champions, Olympiacos. He failed to settle at the club of [[Piraeus]]. His frequent injuries and the lack of confidence from successive coaches, deprived him of a first-team slot. There was often speculation about his future at the club, and he was allegedly offered as an exchange in a failed transfer bid for [[PAOK FC|PAOK]]'s [[Dimitris Salpingidis]]. At end of the season he won his first Championship and with the conquest of the Cup, he also won the domestic double. [[Trond Sollied]] announced on 31 August 2006 that Kapsis would not be included in the team eligible to participate in the [[2006–07 UEFA Champions League|Champions League]].

===APOEL===
In February 2007 Kapsis moved to [[Cyprus]] to play for [[APOEL FC|APOEL]] in [[Nicosia]], and helped the club win the champion title race in [[2006–07 Cypriot First Division|2007]]. The agreement was for that season only with the option to renew for the next one. Kapsis renewed, extremely pleased with the club. In August 2007 PAOK chairman and former teammate in Greece, [[Theodoros Zagorakis]] was interested in bringing him to PAOK. Kapsis stated that was flattered of PAOK's interest, but was also under a contract at APOEL. At the end of the season he also won the [[2007–08 Cypriot Cup|2008 Cypriot Cup]].

===Levadiakos===
In July 2008 he returned to [[Greece]] to sign a 2-year contract with [[Levadiakos F.C.|Levadiakos]]. Kapsis made his debut for Levadiakos in the Super League on 31 August 2008 against [[Aris Thessaloniki F.C.|Aris]] at the [[Kleanthis Vikelidis Stadium]]. He helped the team during the season to stay in the category, being one of the most important and experienced players for his club. The following season he played his first match against [[Kavala F.C.|Kavala]], where he faced his former teammates in the national team, [[Fanis Katergiannakis]] and [[Vasilios Lakis]].

===Ethinikos Piraeus===
In February 2010 Kapsis returned to Ethnikos Piraeus, as he desire to play for the team where he debuted as a professional player before retiring.

==International career==
Kapsis with his great performances at a club level, earned a call-up in 2003, to play for [[Greece national football team|Greece]] in the critical [[2004 European Football Championship (qualifying)|UEFA EURO 2004 qualifying matches]] against [[Spain national football team|Spain]] and [[Ukraine national football team|Ukraine]]. In those matches he marked [[Raúl González]] and [[Andriy Shevchenko]] superbly, where Greece won in both games. Afterwards, he was naturally included in the squad of [[UEFA Euro 2004]]<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/euro_2004/3844467.stm|title = Greece 1-0 Czech Rep|date = July 2004}}</ref> that ended up winning the tournament and in particular Kapsis achieved a great performance. Kapsis was included in the Greek squad for the [[2005 FIFA Confederations Cup]] in Germany. [[Otto Rehhagel]] also included him in the squad for the [[UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying|qualifying rounds]] to the [[UEFA Euro 2008]] in [[Switzerland]] and [[Austria]]. Kapsis made 34 appearances in total and even scored once against [[Georgia national football team|Georgia]] for the [[2006 FIFA World Cup qualification (UEFA)|FIFA World Cup qualification 2006]] on 26 March 2005 in [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]], where Greece won by 1–3.

==Personal life==
His father, [[Anthimos Kapsis|Anthimos]], was also a footballer, who played as a defender for [[Panathinaikos F.C.|Panathinaikos]], where he was a key player in their course to the [[1970–71 European Cup|1971 European Cup final]]. In 2002 when Kapsis debuted in the Champions League, became the first player in Greek football that was featured alongside his father, in a Champions League match. The two were followed some years later by [[Georgios Samaras]], son of [[Ioannis Samaras|Ioannis]].

==After football==
After the end of his career, Kapsis was not involved with football and stayed away from the publicity "lights". Today he is a Fire captain in the [[Hellenic Fire Service]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.kitrinomavro.gr/aekpedia/2015/05/27/%ce%bc%ce%b9%cf%87%ce%ac%ce%bb%ce%b7%cf%82-%ce%ba%ce%b1%cf%88%ce%ae%cf%82/|title=Μιχάλης Καψής|website=kitrinomavro.gr}}</ref>

==Honours==

;Ethnikos Piraeus
*[[Super League Greece 2|Beta Ethniki]]: [[1993–94 Beta Ethniki|1993–94]], [[1997–98 Beta Ethniki|1997–98]]

;AEK Athens
*[[Greek Football Cup|Greek Cup]]: [[1999–2000 Greek Football Cup|1999–2000]], [[2001–02 Greek Football Cup|2001–02]]

;Olympiacos
*[[Super League Greece|Alpha Ethniki]]: [[2005–06 Alpha Ethniki|2005–06]]
*Greek Cup: [[2005–06 Greek Football Cup|2005–06]]

;APOEL
*[[Cypriot First Division]]: [[2006–07 Cypriot First Division|2006–07]]
*[[Cypriot Cup]]: [[2007–08 Cypriot Cup|2007–08]]

;Greece
*[[UEFA European Championship]]: [[UEFA Euro 2004|2004]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Navboxes
|title=Greece squads
|bg=#0000cd
|fg=#FFFFFF
|list1=
{{Greece Squad 2004 European Championship}}
{{Greece Squad 2005 Confederations Cup}} }}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kapsis, Michalis}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1973 births]]
[[Category:Footballers from Piraeus]]
[[Category:Men's association football central defenders]]
[[Category:Greece men's international footballers]]
[[Category:UEFA European Championship–winning players]]
[[Category:UEFA Euro 2004 players]]
[[Category:European champions for Greece]]
[[Category:2005 FIFA Confederations Cup players]]
[[Category:Super League Greece players]]
[[Category:Cypriot First Division players]]
[[Category:Ligue 1 players]]
[[Category:Anagennisi Arta F.C. players]]
[[Category:Ethnikos Piraeus F.C. players]]
[[Category:AEK Athens F.C. players]]
[[Category:FC Girondins de Bordeaux players]]
[[Category:Olympiacos F.C. players]]
[[Category:APOEL FC players]]
[[Category:Levadiakos F.C. players]]
[[Category:Greek expatriate men's footballers]]
[[Category:Greek expatriate sportspeople in Cyprus]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Cyprus]]
[[Category:Greek expatriate sportspeople in France]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in France]]
[[Category:Greek men's footballers]]