Former Hibs ace makes shock international allegiance switch and could face Scotland this month
The former Hibernian and Sunderland man featured for Australia at youth level.
As Steve Clarke prepares his side for two mammoth fixtures against Greece and Denmark, Scotland will be coming up against a familiar face.
With two games to go, Clarke’s men must get at least a point in Athens if they have ambitions of qualifying for USA, Mexico and Canada without a play-off. If they manage that, the Scots will set up a Hampden decider against Denmark, where a win would see them qualify automatically for the 2026 World Cup.
Steve Clarke announced his squad for the upcoming games on Monday, which included Hibs defender, Grant Hanley and former Easter Road fullback, Josh Doig. However, there was no place in the squad this time around for Kieron Bowie, who has been dropped for Lawrence Shankland.
The Greece fixture will bring a challenge to Steve Clarke’s side that they are not accustomed to, as Ivan Jovanovic’s side can no longer qualify for the tournament after defeats to both Scotland and Denmark last month. In a somewhat new look Greek squad, former Hibs man Nectarios Triantis has been called up for the first time.
Former Hibs star switches allegiance to spoil Scotland’s party
When playing in Leith, he was known as ‘the Aussie Rodri’ during his 18-month loan spell, however that nickname no longer makes any sense, as Triantis has now switched Sydney for Santorini. The 22-year old was born in New South Wales but is eligible for the Greeks through his parents, who were both born in Kalamata.
The Minnesota United midfielder was called up to The Socceroos National Team in March, however did not feature in either World Cup qualifier against Indonesia or China. His decision to switch allegiance from Australia to Greece was approved by FIFA earlier this year.
Triantis will now be part of a Greece team looking for revenge against Scotland after their 3-1 defeat at Hampden. In a match the Greeks dominated for the most part, Kostas Tsimikas put them a goal to the good, however the Scots somehow ended up securing three points through goals from Ryan Christie, Lewis Ferguson and Lyndon Dykes.
Triantis’ Greek ‘connection is unbreakable’
The switch from Australia to Greece appears to be more of an emotional choice for the former Leith star, rather than a ‘football decision’. Triantis said: “Greece is in my blood. My parents were born there, I grew up speaking Greek at home, eating Greek food, going to Greek church — it’s who I am.
“Representing the national team isn’t just a football decision, it’s a family decision, a cultural decision. It’s about honouring where I come from. The first time I stepped foot in Kalamata, I didn’t feel like a visitor. I felt like I was coming home.
“I love Australia - it’s my home, where I was born and raised. But when I think about pulling on that blue and white (Greece) jersey, it feels like I’m carrying my grandparents, my parents, my whole family with me. That connection is unbreakable.”