In profile: Babis Kostoulas

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Greek football expert Kostas Lianos on what to expect from our new signing.

2025-06-17T06:00+01:00

Babis Kostoulas helped Olympiacos win the UEFA under-19 title. 📷 Tim Dudding.

If there is one word to describe Brighton’s new signing Charalambos – or Babis for short – Kostoulas to fans, it’s this one: gutsy.

Kostoulas has only just turned 18, but he’s not your average youngster. The versatile forward is not coming to the Premier League to watch in awe as he shares the pitch with the likes of Mohamed Salah, Erling Haaland and Alexander Isak like a kid waiting for an autograph outside the Amex. Albion fans will soon understand they have a player who is not looking to swap shirts with the best, but to beat the greatest.

Two years ago we started hearing about a promising 16-year-old boy with a name very familiar to Olympiacos fans. It was quickly worked out that this kid is the son of Thanassis Kostoulas – the former Greece centre-back who won seven league titles and two Greek Cups during an eight-year stint at Olympiacos, which also saw him making 15 Champions League appearances against the likes of Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus.

And only one year later this charismatic teenager made history at the tender age of 17 as part of the first Greek club to win a European title. Babis led Olympiacos’ under-19s to the UEFA Youth League, the Champions League equivalent at youth level, with five goals and two assists in nine matches.

His triumph acted as an unexpected inspiration for Olympiacos’ seniors who won the Europa Conference League soon after. It was a new era in Piraeus, and its first chapter would begin with the club’s first wonderkid in years getting called up by manager Jose Luis Mendilibar – a daunting task for any teenager, especially one fans deemed to be the next big thing.

But it all came naturally for Kostoulas and his mature mentality. He quickly became a focal point of the first team and, just like a few months earlier, made history by becoming the club’s youngest ever league scorer at the age of 17 years, five months and 11 days in a derby against PAOK at the intimidating Toumba Stadium.

Babis Kostoulas catches up with compatriot Stefanos Tzimas after siging for Albion last week. 📷 Tim Dudding.

And the forward, who can cover all positions either as a centre-forward, winger or attacking midfielder, was among the main protagonists that led Olympiacos to their first domestic double in three years during their 100th anniversary.

But just like his father’s former star teammate Yaya Toure, fans only got one year to enjoy this rare gem. Kostoulas’ first full season saw him contribute seven goals and two assists in 35 appearances. These numbers may leave something to be desired but they look different when considering they belong to a 17-year-old.

And now Kostoulas is going down the road everyone in Greece knew was inevitable – the Premier League. The Greece under-21 international opted for the same path as other hidden gems before him such as Moises Caicedo, Yves Bissouma, Kaoru Mitoma and Alexis Mac Allister.

So who are Albion getting? I can tell you they now have a promising up and comer with a killer instinct in front of goal, bolting speed, slick dribbling skills and undeniable confidence – all of which led to comparisons to the great Gabriel Batistuta and the nickname ‘Babistuta.’ If he gets the support and patience he deserves then Albion may have found their next star.

Kostoulas understands this is the biggest challenge of his career but he is determined to help his new club continue their rise to global prominence under manager Fabian Hurzeler. Babis’s goal is simple: to be the best on the pitch.