Kostas Mendrinos

2.1. Birth and Background

Konstantinos "Kostas" Mendrinos, whose full name is Κωνσταντίνος Μενδρινός_{Konstantinos Mendrinos}^{Greek, Modern}, was born on May 28, 1985, in Athens, Greece. He developed an early interest in football, which led him to join the youth ranks of one of Greece's prominent clubs.

2.2. Youth Career

Mendrinos commenced his football training and development within the youth teams of Olympiacos FC, a club renowned for its successful academy system. He remained within the Olympiacos youth setup until 2002, honing his skills as a midfielder and preparing for a professional career.

2.3. Early Professional Activities and Loans

In 2002, Kostas Mendrinos broke into the first team of Olympiacos FC. In his initial steps into professional football, he gained experience through a series of loan spells at other Greek clubs. For the 2002-2003 season, he was loaned to Atromitos FC, where he made 7 appearances and scored 1 goal. Subsequently, Mendrinos had two separate loan periods with Ionikos FC. His first stint was during the 2003-2004 season, where he appeared in 10 matches without scoring. He returned to Ionikos for a second loan in the 2005-2006 season, making 7 appearances with no goals. These early experiences provided him with valuable playing time and exposure to competitive league football.

3.1. Olympiacos FC

After his youth career and initial loan spells, Mendrinos established himself at Olympiacos FC. He was part of the first team from 2002 and remained with the club until April 27, 2009. During his tenure, he made 52 appearances for Olympiacos, scoring 4 goals. His departure from the club was a result of a disagreement regarding the renewal of his contract.

3.2. PAS Giannina FC

Following his departure from Olympiacos, Mendrinos joined PAS Giannina FC on May 27, 2009. He played for the club for one season, making 24 appearances and scoring 1 goal. His spell at PAS Giannina concluded in May 2010, shortly after the team was relegated to the Football League.

3.3. Aris Thessaloniki FC

On June 15, 2010, Mendrinos transferred to Aris Thessaloniki FC. He made 20 appearances for the club but did not score any goals. His time with the Thessaloniki-based club was cut short in late June of the following year, when he was released from his contract due to reports alleging his involvement in attempts to manipulate a UEFA Europa League match's kick-off against Manchester City.

3.4. Panachaiki

In September 2011, after his departure from Aris, Mendrinos signed with Panachaiki, a club competing in the Football League. During his brief period with the club, he played in 10 matches and scored 1 goal.

3.5. Panionios FC

On January 16, 2012, Mendrinos made a move to Superleague side Panionios FC. He remained with Panionios until the end of 2013, making 48 appearances and scoring 1 goal for the team.

3.6. FC Platanias

At the end of 2013, Mendrinos signed a 1.5-year contract with FC Platanias. His commitment to the club was further solidified on May 27, 2015, when he renewed his contract, extending his stay until the summer of 2017. During his significant years with FC Platanias, he became a key player, accumulating 83 appearances and scoring 4 goals.

3.7. Apollon Smyrnis FC

On May 23, 2017, it was announced that Mendrinos would join Apollon Smyrnis FC on a free transfer, following the expiry of his contract with Platanias. Apollon Smyrnis had recently been promoted to the Superleague. He played 21 matches for the club during the 2017-2018 season, where he did not score.

3.8. Iraklis FC

Mendrinos moved to Iraklis FC on August 7, 2018, signing a two-year contract. He made 8 appearances for Iraklis during his time with the club.

3.9. Later Club Career

Following his stint with Iraklis, Kostas Mendrinos continued his football career with several less prominent clubs. He played for Panargiakos FC from 2019 to 2020. Subsequently, he joined Vyzas FC, where he played during the 2020-2021 season. His final known club was Keratsini FC, for whom he played from 2021 to 2023.

3.10. European Competitions

Throughout his career, Kostas Mendrinos also featured in major European club competitions. Until the end of 2013, he accumulated 11 international appearances in both the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League while playing for Olympiacos and Aris.

3.11. International Career

Mendrinos represented Greece at the youth international level. He made 3 appearances for the Greece U-21 squad between 2004 and 2006, though he did not score any goals in these matches.

4.1. Playing Style and Position

Kostas Mendrinos predominantly played as a midfielder. More specifically, he was often deployed as an offensive midfielder (OMF), indicating his role in linking defense with attack and contributing to offensive plays. His dominant foot was his right foot. Physically, he stood at 70 in ^{(179 cm)} tall and weighed 163 lb ^{(74 kg)}.

5.1. Club Honours

Olympiacos

• Super League Greece: 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09
• Greek Cup: 2007-08, 2008-09
• Greek Super Cup: 2007

6.1. Match-Fixing Allegations

In late June 2011, during his tenure at Aris, Kostas Mendrinos faced reports alleging his involvement in attempting to manipulate the kick-off of a UEFA Europa League match's kick-off against Manchester City. These allegations led directly to his release from the Thessaloniki club at that time.