{{Short description|Greek footballer (born 1981)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Loukas Vyntra | image = 20130814 AT-GR Loukas Vyntra 2630.jpg | caption = Vyntra with Greece in 2013 | fullname = Loukas Vyntra<ref>{{cite web |url=http://actas.rfef.es/actas/RFEF_CmpActa1?cod_primaria=1000144&CodActa=25975 |title=Acta del Partido celebrado el 01 de febrero de 2015, en Valencia |trans-title=Minutes of the Match held on 1 February 2015, in Valencia |publisher=Royal Spanish Football Federation |access-date=25 January 2020 |language=es}}</ref> | birth_name = Lukáš Vydra | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1981|02|05}} | birth_place = Město Albrechtice, Czechoslovakia | height = 1.84 m | currentclub = | clubnumber = | position = Defender | youthyears1 = 1998–1999 | youthclubs1 = Almopos | years1 = 1999–2003 | clubs1 = Paniliakos | caps1 = 67 | goals1 = 4 | years2 = 2000–2001 | clubs2 = → Veria (loan) | caps2 = 24 | goals2 = 0 | years3 = 2003–2013 | clubs3 = Panathinaikos | caps3 = 227 | goals3 = 10 | years4 = 2013–2015 | clubs4 = Levante | caps4 = 75 | goals4 = 2 | years5 = 2015–2016 | clubs5 = Hapoel Tel Aviv | caps5 = 25 | goals5 = 0 | years6 = 2016–2019 | clubs6 = Omonia | caps6 = 70 | goals6 = 4 | years7 = 2019–2022 | clubs7 = Lamia | caps7 = 52 | goals7 = 0 | totalcaps = 540 | totalgoals = 20 | nationalyears1 = 1997–2003 | nationalyears2 = 2004 | nationalyears3 = 2005–2015 | nationalteam1 = Greece U21 | nationalteam2 = Greece U23 | nationalteam3 = Greece | nationalcaps1 = 20 | nationalcaps2 = 3 | nationalcaps3 = 57 | nationalgoals1 = 3 | nationalgoals2 = 0 | nationalgoals3 = 0 | pcupdate = 25 May 2022 | ntupdate = 17 June 2015 }}
'''Loukas Vyntra''' ({{langx|el|Λουκάς Βύντρα}}, {{langx|cs|Lukáš Vydra}}; born 5 February 1981) is a Greek former professional footballer. Mainly a central defender, he could also play as a right back, left back, or a defensive midfielder.
==Early life== Vyntra was born as Lukáš Vydra in Město Albrechtice, Czechoslovakia, to a Czech father and a Greek mother. As a youngster, he moved to his mother's homeland of Greece.
==Club career==
===Paniliakos=== Vyntra signed his first professional contract in 1999 with Paniliakos. He made his senior debut on loan with third division Veroia in 2000–01. Returning to Paniliakos at the end of the season, he swiftly became established in the starting 11, helping them win promotion to the Alpha Ethniki in 2002–03. Making his debut in the Greek top-flight, Vyntra played in Paniliakos' first 15 games of the 2003–04 season.
===Panathinaikos=== Greek giants Panathinaikos was quick to notice his potential and brought Vyntra to Athens-based club in 2004. Immediately making an impact at the club, Vyntra became a legend player for Panathinaikos since his first season, wearing the green-and-white. He was a versatile member of back-line, switching between playing on the right and the centre of defence.<ref>{{cite news|title=Loukas Vyntra|url=http://www.goal.com/en/people/greece/5060/loukas-vyntra/profile|publisher=goal.com}}</ref> On 29 September 2004, he made his European competition debut in a 1–0 away loss against PSV in the UEFA Champions League.<ref>{{cite news|title=Loukas Vyntra|url=http://www.uefa.com/worldcup/season=2014/teams/player=52501/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120917052906/http://www.uefa.com/worldcup/season=2014/teams/player=52501/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 September 2012|publisher=UEFA}}</ref> He scored two memorable goals during the 2004–05 season, one against Arsenal in the Champions League and one against Sevilla in the UEFA Cup.
In the summer of 2007, German Bundesliga side Hertha BSC approached the player about a transfer, but Panathinaikos did not wish to sell him unless they found adequate cover in defence. Although he was described as a hard-working player, good in tackling and marking and picked by all his managers for the starting XI, his lack of stability made him the target of complaints and he has received the most criticism for Panathinaikos' recent inability to win titles.{{citation needed|date=January 2016}} Incoming manager Henk ten Cate, however, began using Vyntra mainly as a central defender for the 2008–09 season.
During the subsequent 2009–10 campaign, he was one of the side's key players, enjoying a particularly memorable season and helping Panathinaikos to the domestic double, reaching 50 games in European competition. He also ended the year by appearing in all three matches for Greece at the 2010 World Cup.<ref>{{cite news|title=Loukas Vyntra|url=http://www.uefa.com/news/newsid=238690.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140502000906/http://www.uefa.com/news/newsid=238690.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2 May 2014|publisher=UEFA|date=17 January 2012}}</ref> He scored two important goals in the Super League derby against rivals PAOK on 8 February 2009.<ref>{{cite news|script-title=el:Παναθηναϊκος-ΠΑΟΚ 3-0|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVB_U7isuKo |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/vVB_U7isuKo |archive-date=2021-12-19 |url-status=live|date= 8 February 2009|language=el}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
After Henk ten Cate's resignation as Panathinaikos manager on 8 December 2009, Ten Cate gave an interview to a Greek sports website where he was asked the question, "If you get hired by a big European club, which player from Panathinaikos F.C. would you recommend to your new club?" He responded, "Only one: Vyntra. He can play either as a defensive midfielder and right or left back, he can also play as a centre back, he is quick, he has good aerial abilities, with a good technique for a defender, he is good in tactics. What else can a manager ask from him? He has a tough mind because he plays many years under continuous, unfair criticism."<ref>{{cite news|last=Kontos|first=Christos|script-title=el:Κεραυνοί Τεν Κάτε σε συνέντευξη στην "Κ"|url=http://www.kathimerini.com.cy/index.php?pageaction=kat&modid=1&artid=20320|access-date=26 January 2014|newspaper=Kathimerini|date=30 May 2010|language=el}}</ref>
On 16 October 2010, Vyntra scored the winning goal against PAOK.
===Levante=== At the beginning of the 2013 calendar year, facing criticism from fans and in-and-out of the starting lineup, Vyntra asked his manager to make some contacts with foreign teams and Belgian club Anderlecht arranged immediately a scout to assess him.<ref>{{cite news|title=Ενδιαφέρον της Άντερλεχτ για Βύντρα|url=http://ysterografa.gr/sport/%CE%B5%CE%BD%CE%B4%CE%B9%CE%B1%CF%86%CE%AD%CF%81%CE%BF%CE%BD-%CF%84%CE%B7%CF%82-%CE%AC%CE%BD%CF%84%CE%B5%CF%81%CE%BB%CE%B5%CF%87%CF%84-%CE%B3%CE%B9%CE%B1-%CE%B2%CF%8D%CE%BD%CF%84%CF%81%CE%B1|publisher=ysterografa.gr|date=2013-01-20|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714223200/http://ysterografa.gr/sport/%CE%B5%CE%BD%CE%B4%CE%B9%CE%B1%CF%86%CE%AD%CF%81%CE%BF%CE%BD-%CF%84%CE%B7%CF%82-%CE%AC%CE%BD%CF%84%CE%B5%CF%81%CE%BB%CE%B5%CF%87%CF%84-%CE%B3%CE%B9%CE%B1-%CE%B2%CF%8D%CE%BD%CF%84%CF%81%CE%B1|archive-date=14 July 2014}}</ref> During the 2012–13 season, however, he ultimately signed a half-year contract with Spanish La Liga side Levante, later extending it at the conclusion of the year with an annual salary of €450,000.<ref>{{cite news|title=Loukas Vyntra signs contract extension at Levante|url=http://www.footballhellas.com/2013/07/11/loukas-vyntra-signs-contract-extension-at-levante/|publisher=footballhellas.com|date=11 July 2013|access-date=1 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140502002615/http://www.footballhellas.com/2013/07/11/loukas-vyntra-signs-contract-extension-at-levante/|archive-date=2 May 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>
On 19 January 2014, Vyntra scored his first goal with Levante, in a 1–1 draw against Barcelona, heading-home a low goal past goalkeeper Víctor Valdés from an Andreas Ivanschitz cross after ten minutes.<ref>{{cite news|title=Barcelona held by battling Levante|url=http://sports.ndtv.com/football/news/219741-barcelona-held-by-battling-levante|publisher=sports.ndtv.com|date=2014-01-20|access-date=1 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304024718/http://sports.ndtv.com/football/news/219741-barcelona-held-by-battling-levante|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Dogged Levante hold Barca|url=http://www.football-espana.net/39502/dogged-levante-hold-barca|publisher=football-espana.net|date=20 January 2014}}</ref> On 25 January 2014, Levante pulled off an unlikely 3–2 victory over a strong Sevilla side in an enthralling game at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán. After just three minutes going behind, Vyntra headed-in a corner swung in by Andreas Ivanschitz.<ref>{{cite news|title=Sevilla FC 2-3 Levante|url=http://www.espnfc.com/en/report/373013/sevilla-fc-2-3-levante|publisher=espnfc.com|date=2014-01-26}}</ref> Ten days later, in the second leg of the Copa del Rey quarter-final, Levante stunned Barcelona by taking an early lead, as Vyntra rose inside the box to thump-in his header into the bottom corner. Barça, however, levelled just before the 30-minute mark and eventually triumphed 5–1 and 9–2 on aggregate.<ref>{{cite news|title=Barcelona 5-1 (9-2) Levante - as it happened|url=http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/barcelona/copa-del-rey/live-commentary/live-commentary-barcelona-vs-levante_133786.html|publisher=sportsmole.co.uk|date=2014-01-29}}</ref>
On 4 May 2014, a couple of days after Atlético Madrid succeeded to reach the 2014 UEFA Champions League Final, Levante took advantage of a worn-down Atlético side by pulling off an impressive 2–0 victory over the league leaders. Atlético had two close calls as they chased the equalizer. One of them, in the 63rd minute came from Filipe Luís, whose shot from just inside the box was blocked on the six-yard line by Vyntra. The Greek defender was among the key performers in the victory.<ref>{{cite news|title=Levante vs. Atletico Madrid: Final score 2-0, Les Granotes knock off the league leaders|url=https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2014/5/4/5680364/levante-vs-atletico-madrid-2014-la-liga-final-score-result|publisher=sbnation.com|date=2014-05-04}}</ref>
The 2014–15 began poorly for Levante, and head coach Lucas Alcaraz did not hesitate to pull Vyntra out of the lineup along with David Barral, defensive pillars for the club just one season prior. The team's unsuccessful results against Elche, Villarreal and Athletic Bilbao had Vyntra on the substitute's bench, kept out of the starting XI in favour of central defenders David Navarro and Iván Ramis.<ref>{{cite news|title= Vyntra aguarda a su reválida|url=http://valencia.eldesmarque.com/levante-ud/noticias/2567-vyntra-aguarda-a-su-revalida.html|publisher=valencia.eldesmarque.com|date=27 February 2015}}</ref> Vyntra eventually returned to the starting lineup on 4 April 2015, in a 4–1 away win over Almería.
Without reaching the 30-appearance mark that was the target for the 2014–15 season, Vyntra was touted for a return to Greece for the subsequent season, as it was believed Levante would not renew his contract.<ref>{{cite news|title=Ψάχνει ομάδα ο Βύντρα|url=http://www.newspao.gr/2015/06/blog-post_701.html|publisher=newspao.gr|date=5 June 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150609011452/http://www.newspao.gr/2015/06/blog-post_701.html|archive-date=9 June 2015}}</ref> According to sources from Israel, Hapoel Tel Aviv was interested in signing Vyntra.<ref>{{cite news|title= Hapoel Tel Aviv wants Vyntra|url=http://www.sdna.gr/gr/news-in-english/arthro-news-in-english/53671/hapoel-tel-aviv-wants-vyntra/|publisher=sdna.gr|date=19 July 2015}}</ref>
===Hapoel Tel Aviv=== On 27 July 2015, Hapoel Tel Aviv reached an agreement with Levante and Vyntra for his signature; he ultimately signed a two-year contract with an annual salary of €250,000 after passing his medical.<ref>{{cite news|title= Ανακοίνωσε Βύντρα η Χάποελ Τελ Αβίβ!|url=http://www.sdna.gr/gr/podosfairo/ellines-sto-exoteriko/arthro/55687/anakoinose-vudra-i-hapoel-tel-aviv/|publisher=sdna.gr|date=27 July 2015}}</ref> In August 2016, he solved his contract with the club.
===AC Omonia=== On 29 August 2016, Vyntra signed a contract with Cypriot club Omonia for an undisclosed fee.<ref>{{cite news|title= Συμφώνησε με την Ομόνοια ο Βύντρα |url=http://www.sport24.gr/football/Cyprus/symfwnhse-me-thn-omonoia-o-vuntra.4236051.html|publisher=sport24.gr|date=29 August 2016}}</ref> On 10 September 2016, he made his debut with the club in a 1–1 home draw against Doxa Katokopias. On 5 February 2017, he scored his first goal with the club, in a 4–2 away win against Aris Limassol. Having fallen surplus to requirements ahead of the 2017–18 season, the club attempted to find a solution with regards to the player's contract termination; the fact that no agreement was reached as of the summer transfer window's end created turbulence amongst Omonia's ultras, indirectly accusing the player of being professionally idle whilst being paid out of his contract's earnings.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://balla.com.cy/2017/09/01/prasines-apiles-gia-vyntra-stin-ellada/|title=Οι "πράσινες" απειλές για Βύντρα στην… Ελλάδα|date=2017-09-01|website=Balla.com.cy|access-date=2017-09-01|archive-date=1 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170901163907/http://balla.com.cy/2017/09/01/prasines-apiles-gia-vyntra-stin-ellada/|url-status=dead}}</ref> However, on 28 December 2017, the club's new manager Ivaylo Petev decided to reinstate Vyntra into the first-team roster, overturning the previous decision made by former manager Pambos Christodoulou.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://politis.com.cy/article/omonia-pezi-xana-sta-37-o-vintra-xana-me-ta-prasina|title=Παίζει ξανά στα... 37 ο Βύντρα, υλοποιήθηκε η επιθυμία του Πέτεφ!|last=Sports|first=Πολίτης|website=Παίζει ξανά στα... 37 ο Βύντρα, υλοποιήθηκε η επιθυμία του Πέτεφ!|access-date=2018-01-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180104073057/http://politis.com.cy/article/omonia-pezi-xana-sta-37-o-vintra-xana-me-ta-prasina|archive-date=4 January 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>
===Lamia=== On 17 July 2019, Lamia reached an agreement with Vyntra for his signature; he ultimately signed a year contract with an undisclosed fee after passing his medical.<ref>{{cite news|title= Επίσημο: Στη Λαμία ο Βύντρα|url=https://www.sport24.gr/football/omades/Lamia/epishmo-sth-lamia-o-vuntra.5561452.html |publisher=sport24.gr|date=17 July 2019}}</ref> On 6 August 2020, he renew for another year.
==International career== Vyntra represents Greece instead of his birth country, the Czech Republic; he has gone on to feature for the national team on several levels. He represented Greece at the 2004 Summer Olympics, held on home soil in Athens.
Vyntra's debut with the Greek senior team came on 8 June 2005, in a 1–0 home defeat against Ukraine in a 2006 World Cup qualifying match. He was included in the final squad for the 2005 Confederations Cup in Germany.<ref>{{cite news|title=Loukas Vyntra|url=http://www.uefa.com/news/newsid=238690.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140502000906/http://www.uefa.com/news/newsid=238690.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2 May 2014|publisher=UEFA|date=17 January 2012}}</ref>
Generally for Greece, Vyntra has been used in his more natural right-back position, but his playing-time has benefited through injuries to regular starters. With his occasional gaffes, he faces the same scrutiny that surrounded him at Panathinaikos.<ref>{{cite news|title=Loukas Vyntra|url=http://www.goal.com/en/people/greece/5060/loukas-vyntra/profile|publisher=goal.com}}</ref> Vyntra was called by manager Fernando Santos to both the 30-man provisional 2014 World Cup squad and the final 23-man squad.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/greece/10810255/Greece-World-Cup-2014-squad.html|work=telegraph|title=Greece World Cup 2014 squad|date=19 May 2014}}</ref>
On 23 March 2015, an injury of Roma's defender José Holebas led to Vyntra's participation in a crucial match against Hungary national football team for qualification to UEFA Euro 2016.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.eleftheriaonline.gr/notosport/football/item/7032-nok-aout-o-xolempas-stin-ethniki-kalese-vyntra-o-markarian|publisher=eleftheriaonline.gr|title=Νοκ άουτ ο Χολέμπας στην Εθνική, κάλεσε Βύντρα ο Μαρκαριάν|date=23 March 2015|access-date=19 April 2015|archive-url=https://archive.today/20150419170545/http://www.eleftheriaonline.gr/notosport/football/item/7032-nok-aout-o-xolempas-stin-ethniki-kalese-vyntra-o-markarian|archive-date=19 April 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Career statistics==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition |- !rowspan="2"|Club !rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|Cup !colspan="2"|Europe !colspan="2"|Total |- !Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals |- |rowspan="5"|Paniliakos |1999–00 |Alpha Ethniki |4||0||0||0||0||0||4||0 |- |2001–02 |Beta Ethniki |26||2||1||0||0||0||27||2 |- |2002–03 |Beta Ethniki |29||2||1||0||0||0||30||2 |- |2003–04 |Alpha Ethniki |8||0||1||0||0||0||9||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !67!!4!!3!!0!!0!!0!!70!!4 |- |Veria (loan) |2000–01 |Beta Ethniki |24||0||0||0||0||0||24||0 |- |rowspan="11"|Panathinaikos |2003–04 |Alpha Ethniki |5||0||3||0||0||0||8||0 |- |2004–05 |Alpha Ethniki |27||0||3||0||7||1||37||1 |- |2005–06 |Alpha Ethniki |23||0||1||0||6||0||30||0 |- |2006–07 |Super League Greece |26||0||6||0||8||0||40||0 |- |2007–08 |Super League Greece |23||0||1||0||7||0||31||0 |- |2008–09 |Super League Greece |30||2||3||0||12||0||45||2 |- |2009–10 |Super League Greece |24||4||5||0||13||1||42||5 |- |2010–11 |Super League Greece |31||2||3||2||6||0||40||4 |- |2011–12 |Super League Greece |24||0||2||1||4||0||30||1 |- |2012–13 |Super League Greece |14||2||1||0||9||0||24||2 |- !colspan="2"|Total !227!!10!!28!!3!!72!!2!!327!!15 |- |rowspan="4"|Levante |2012–13 |La Liga |15||0||0||0||0||0||15||0 |- |2013–14 |La Liga |33||2||5||1||0||0||38||3 |- |2014–15 |La Liga |27||0||0||0||0||0||27||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !75!!2!!5!!1!!0!!0!!80!!3 |- |Hapoel Tel Aviv |2015–16 |Israeli Premier League |25||0||4||0||0||0||29||0 |- |rowspan="4"|Omonia |2016–17 |Cypriot First Division |28||2||4||0||0||0||32||2 |- |2017–18 |Cypriot First Division |15||1||1||0||0||0||16||1 |- |2018–19 |Cypriot First Division |27||1||1||0||0||0||28||1 |- !colspan="2"|Total !70!!4!!6!!0!!0!!0!!76!!4 |- |rowspan="4"|Lamia |2019–20 |Super League Greece |29||0||4||0||0||0||33||0 |- |2020–21 |Super League Greece |12||0||2||0||0||0||14||0 |- |2021–22 |Super League Greece |11||0||1||0||0||0||12||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !52!!0!!7!!0!!0!!0!!59!!0 |- !colspan="3"|Career total !540!!20!!53!!4!!75!!2!!668!!26 |- |}
== Honours == '''Panathinaikos''' *Super League Greece: 2003–04, 2009–10 *Greek Football Cup: 2003–04, 2009–10
==References== {{reflist}}
== External links == {{Commons category}} * {{sports links}}
{{Navboxes | title = Greece squads | bg = #0D5EAF | fg= white | bordercolor = #004C98 | list1 = {{Greece Squad 2004 Summer Olympics}} {{Greece Squad 2005 Confederations Cup}} {{Greece Squad 2008 Euro Cup}} {{Greece Squad 2010 World Cup}} {{Greece squad 2014 FIFA World Cup}} }}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vyntra, Loukas}} Category:1981 births Category:Living people Category:People from Město Albrechtice Category:Greek men's footballers Category:Greece men's international footballers Category:Greece men's under-21 international footballers Category:Olympic footballers for Greece Category:Czech men's footballers Category:Greek people of Czech descent Category:Czech people of Greek descent Category:Footballers at the 2004 Summer Olympics Category:2005 FIFA Confederations Cup players Category:UEFA Euro 2008 players Category:Super League Greece players Category:2010 FIFA World Cup players Category:2014 FIFA World Cup players Category:Paniliakos F.C. players Category:Veria F.C. players Category:Panathinaikos F.C. players Category:Greek expatriate men's footballers Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Spain Category:Greek expatriate sportspeople in Spain Category:La Liga players Category:Levante UD footballers Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Israel Category:Greek expatriate sportspeople in Israel Category:Israeli Premier League players Category:Hapoel Tel Aviv F.C. players Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Cyprus Category:Greek expatriate sportspeople in Cyprus Category:Cypriot First Division players Category:AC Omonia players Category:PAS Lamia 1964 players Category:Men's association football defenders Category:21st-century Greek sportsmen Category:21st-century Czech sportsmen