PAOK Thessaloniki’s towering veteran goalkeeper started his career back in the early 1990s.
Learning his trade at the Panathinaikos academy, Chalkias spent two seasons on loan at Apollon Athens. On his return to Pana he had to battle for a starting place with Polish legend Jozef Wandzik and, not for the last time in his career, the emerging Antonis Nikopolidis. After several seasons as the club’s third-choice custodian, he was shipped out to Iraklis, where his fine performances led to the Athens giants recalling him once more. More frustration ensued, however, with Nikopolidis barring his path to the first team.
Nikopolidis’s move to Olympiakos finally opened the door for Chalkias, who nevertheless chose to move abroad. After failing to impress at Portsmouth in England, he fared little better with Spain’s Real Murcia.
Brought back home by Aris Saloniki, he regained his form and was subsequently called up to the Greece squad for their victorious UEFA EURO 2004 campaign. Aside from being a European champion, he has also won Greek league and cup winners’ medals with Panathinaikos, and helped Aris reach the Greek Cup final in 2008 and PAOK to second place in the league in 2009.
Chalkias had to wait patiently for his first international call-up, which finally came in 2001. Once again he found himself deputising for undisputed first-choice Nikopolidis, whose recent retirement gave the PAOK gloveman the chance to shine for his country at last, though he now faces facing stiff competition from Alexandros Tzorvas for the No1 slot at the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™.
