A strong, resilient left-back, Nikos Spyropoulos has featured regularly in European club competition for Panathinaikos FC over the past four years and looks set for a third successive major tournament appearance for Greece, having represented his country at UEFA EURO 2008 and the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

• Started his career with PAS Giannina FC, winning promotion to the Greek Super League in his first season before suffering two successive relegations with the club.

• Moved to Panionios GSS in 2004 and appeared five times in the UEFA Cup, making his European debut in a 3-1 home win against Udinese Calcio.

• Scored his first league goal for Panionios against PAOK FC on 22 April 2007; it proved to be his only one as he left for Panathinaikos the following January and helped his new club to a 2008/09 UEFA Champions League place after winning the Super League's post-season play-off competition.

• Made his debut for Greece just before leaving Panionios − in the team's penultimate UEFA EURO 2008 qualifier, a 5-0 defeat of Malta − and had one outing at the finals, a 2-1 defeat by Spain; it was a similar story two years later in South Africa, his one appearance coming as a half-time substitute in Greece's final match, a 2-0 loss to Argentina.

• Won the Greek double with Panathinaikos in 2009/10, his first club honours, and enjoyed another new experience in Greece's opening UEFA EURO 2012 qualifier when he scored his first international goal to salvage a 1-1 home draw with Georgia.