Father Vaios reveals why his son thanked Dortmund for the ‘ten’

Father Vaios gave a detailed account of how his 18‑year‑old son Kos Karetsas secured a top‑flight transfer to Borussia Dortmund and why his son thanked the club for the number ten. The interview also touched on the family’s feelings about the move and the strategic choices made during negotiations.

Borussia Dortmund announced Karetsas’s arrival with a flood of posts on X and Instagram, followed by a special event held in a Greek snackbar. The club spared no expense to introduce the youngster to its fanbase.

The launch video featured former Dortmund player Kevin Großkreutz and Ruhr‑area influencer Ryko, who played small roles. In the clip Karetsas, unable to understand Greek, orders “einmal die neunzehn bitte”, a nod to the shirt number he will wear at the German side.

Vaios explained that the coveted number ten was deliberately left vacant at Dortmund. His son, still only eighteen, felt it was too early and said, “I’m only eighteen, the ten will come someday.” Consequently, Karetsas chose number nineteen, which he already wears for the national team, after the number twenty at Genk was already taken.

Dortmund had been tracking Karetsas for three years, possessing scouting reports from 2023 and attracting interest from several of Europe’s biggest clubs. The German side met all the family’s conditions, emphasizing that the player fits the club’s system and philosophy, while deliberately steering clear of the English market despite interest from multiple English clubs.

On Monday 27 July, Racing Genk and Borussia Dortmund reached an agreement on a transfer fee of €30 million, and Karetsas signed a five‑year contract with the German club.

Vaios praised Dortmund’s sporting plan, noting the club’s belief in the youngster and its intention to give him time to adapt while expecting him to become a key player soon. He also thanked Racing Genk and highlighted the smooth communication with the player’s agent, Stijn Francis of Stirr Associates.

Physically, the Bundesliga demands more than the Belgian Pro League, and Karetsas used a previous ankle injury to build upper‑body strength, adding muscle mass while keeping a low body‑fat percentage. He also received German lessons from the club, complementing the basic German he learned at school.

The 18‑year‑old will live alone in Germany, about 180 km from Genk, currently staying in a hotel while his mother Irena looks for a home in Dortmund. He has already met his new teammates and is set for an unofficial debut against the Arsenal side of national‑team colleague Christos Tzolis, with upcoming training sessions against Roma and a match against Bayern in the weeks ahead.