# José Holebas
**José Holebas** (born 1984 in Aschaffenburg, Germany) is a Greek retired footballer who played as a left-back, most prominently for Olympiacos, AS Roma, and Watford, and represented Greece at [UEFA Euro 2012](https://www.edgepedia.org/uefa-euro-2012) and the 2014 World Cup.[1](https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/people/jose-holebas/) • [2](https://www.skysports.com/football/player/9272/jose-holebas) Of Greek origin but raised in Germany, he began his senior career with [TSV 1860 Munich](https://www.edgepedia.org/tsv-1860-munich) before moving to Greece.[3](https://www.ilromanista.eu/romantica/163043/accadde-oggi-27-giugno-1984-nasce-jose-holebas-una-stagione-in-giallorosso)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1984, Aschaffenburg, Germany; height 184 cm[1](https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/people/jose-holebas/) |
| Position | Left-back (defender)[1](https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/people/jose-holebas/) |
| Club career | 1860 Munich 2007–2010; Olympiacos 2010–2014; Roma 2014–2015; Watford 2015–2020; Olympiacos 2020–2021[1](https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/people/jose-holebas/) |
| League record | 116 league appearances and 9 goals for Olympiacos; 114 league appearances and 6 goals for Watford[4](https://fbref.com/en/players/12aa7661/) |
| International career | Greece, 2011–2016; thirty-eight caps; debut 11 November 2011, Greece–Russia 1–1[5](https://www.epo.gr/el/arthra/hose-holempas) • [1](https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/people/jose-holebas/) |
| Tournaments | Euro 2012 (3 appearances); 2014 World Cup (4 matches as defender)[5](https://www.epo.gr/el/arthra/hose-holempas) • [6](https://www.thesoccerworldcups.com/players/jose_holebas.php) |
| Notable 2018/19 season | 4 assists and 17 chances created, the most by any Premier League full-back that campaign[7](https://www.premierleague.com/en/news/878187) |
## Early life and 1860 Munich
Holebas was born in Aschaffenburg, Bavaria, and began his career in Germany with TSV 1860 Munich.[8](https://www.uefa.com/newsfiles/UCL/2013/2009547_SPS.pdf) He played senior football for the Munich club from 2007 to 2010.[1](https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/people/jose-holebas/)
## Olympiacos
Holebas joined Olympiakos from 1860 Munich on 1 July 2011 for an undisclosed fee.[2](https://www.skysports.com/football/player/9272/jose-holebas) Across five seasons in the Greek league he made 116 league appearances, scoring 9 goals.[4](https://fbref.com/en/players/12aa7661/) In the 2013–14 season he played 2,481 minutes for the club, with 19 league matches, 3 cup matches, and 7 Champions League matches, scoring 2 goals.[5](https://www.epo.gr/el/arthra/hose-holempas)
## Roma
In the summer of 2014 Roma's sporting director Walter Sabatini signed Holebas from Piraeus, together with [Kostas Manolas](https://www.edgepedia.org/kostas-manolas), to strengthen the left side of the defense.[3](https://www.ilromanista.eu/romantica/163043/accadde-oggi-27-giugno-1984-nasce-jose-holebas-una-stagione-in-giallorosso) The transfer to Roma was completed on 30 August 2014, again for an undisclosed fee.[2](https://www.skysports.com/football/player/9272/jose-holebas) In his single season in Italy, under [Rudi Garcia](https://www.edgepedia.org/rudi-garcia), he made 35 appearances and contributed to Roma's second-place league finish; he also scored a goal after a solo run in the 4–2 win over Inter on 30 November 2014.[3](https://www.ilromanista.eu/romantica/163043/accadde-oggi-27-giugno-1984-nasce-jose-holebas-una-stagione-in-giallorosso) In Roma's decisive Champions League group match against Manchester City in December 2014, Roma's best chance fell to Holebas, unmarked at the far post from a [Francesco Totti](https://www.edgepedia.org/francesco-totti) diagonal pass, but his effort was saved by Joe Hart.[9](https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2014/dec/10/manchester-city-roma-champions-league-tactical-analysis)
## Watford
Holebas moved to Watford on 20 July 2015 for £1.8 million.[2](https://www.skysports.com/football/player/9272/jose-holebas) He spent five seasons at the club, making 114 league appearances with 6 goals,[4](https://fbref.com/en/players/12aa7661/) and in January 2018 signed a new contract committing him to Watford until the summer of 2020.[2](https://www.skysports.com/football/player/9272/jose-holebas)
**Standout 2018/19 season.** Under manager [Javi Gracia](https://www.edgepedia.org/javi-gracia), Holebas started every Premier League match up to mid-October 2018, and his four assists and 17 chances created were the most by any Premier League full-back that season.[7](https://www.premierleague.com/en/news/878187) His delivery from set pieces was the defining feature: 14 of his 17 chances created came from set plays, he ranked joint first in the division with 11 successful corners and 5 successful free-kick crosses, and Christian Kabasele, Roberto Pereyra, Craig Cathcart, and [Troy Deeney](https://www.edgepedia.org/troy-deeney) all scored or connected from his dead-ball crosses.[7](https://www.premierleague.com/en/news/878187) Defensively he ranked second at Watford, behind Etienne Capoue, for regaining possession in the defensive third.[7](https://www.premierleague.com/en/news/878187) [Discipline](https://www.edgepedia.org/discipline) was a recurring weakness: five yellow cards by October 2018 earned him a suspension for the match at Wolverhampton.[7](https://www.premierleague.com/en/news/878187)
**2019 FA Cup final.** Holebas was sent off in a defeat to West Ham shortly before the 2019 [FA Cup](https://www.edgepedia.org/fa-cup) final, but the red card was overturned on appeal and he was cleared to play in the final against Manchester City at Wembley.[1](https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/people/jose-holebas/)
## International career with Greece
Holebas won his first Greece cap on 11 November 2011 in a 1–1 friendly draw against Russia, wearing shirt number 20, and his last international match came on 7 October 2016 against Cyprus, for a total of 20 caps.[5](https://www.epo.gr/el/arthra/hose-holempas) • [10](https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/45605/Jose_Holebas.html) At Euro 2012 he made 3 appearances, including one as a substitute in [Group A](https://www.edgepedia.org/group-a).[5](https://www.epo.gr/el/arthra/hose-holempas) • [10](https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/45605/Jose_Holebas.html) At the 2014 World Cup he played 4 matches as Greece reached the round of 16.[6](https://www.thesoccerworldcups.com/players/jose_holebas.php)
## Return to Olympiacos and later career
After leaving Watford at the end of the 2019–20 season, Holebas returned to Olympiacos for the 2020–21 season before retiring.[1](https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/people/jose-holebas/)
## Playing style
Holebas was a left-footed full-back whose game combined attacking delivery with defensive work. In his 2018/19 assessment, Premier League analyst Adrian Clarke highlighted the pace and accuracy of his set-piece deliveries, his effectiveness in aerial duels when tucking inside to keep a narrow shape, and his use of a powerful physique, while noting his difficulty staying out of the referee's notebook.[7](https://www.premierleague.com/en/news/878187) In Roma's 2014 Champions League match against Manchester City, his defensive positioning was criticized even as he created Roma's best chance and sprinted past [Jesús Navas](https://www.edgepedia.org/jesus-navas) into attacking space.[9](https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2014/dec/10/manchester-city-roma-champions-league-tactical-analysis)
## References
1. [Jose Holebas profile, Sports Mole](https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/people/jose-holebas/)
2. [José Holebas player profile and transfer history, Sky Sports](https://www.skysports.com/football/player/9272/jose-holebas)
3. [Accadde Oggi – 27 giugno 1984: nasce José Holebas, una stagione in giallorosso, Il Romanista](https://www.ilromanista.eu/romantica/163043/accadde-oggi-27-giugno-1984-nasce-jose-holebas-una-stagione-in-giallorosso)
4. [José Holebas Stats, FBref](https://fbref.com/en/players/12aa7661/)
5. [Χοσέ Χολέμπας, Ελληνική Ομοσπονδία Ποδοσφαίρου (EPO)](https://www.epo.gr/el/arthra/hose-holempas)
6. [José Holebas in the World Cups, The Soccer World Cups](https://www.thesoccerworldcups.com/players/jose_holebas.php)
7. [Standout players of 2018/19: Jose Holebas, Premier League (Adrian Clarke)](https://www.premierleague.com/en/news/878187)
8. [Player Summary Statistics, UEFA Champions League 2012/13](https://www.uefa.com/newsfiles/UCL/2013/2009547_SPS.pdf)
9. [Manchester City almost undone by Jesús Navas's defensive indiscipline, The Guardian (Michael Cox)](https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2014/dec/10/manchester-city-roma-champions-league-tactical-analysis)
10. [José Holebas, National Football Teams](https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/45605/Jose_Holebas.html)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football people and teams › People › Men's footballers of continental Europe › Greek footballers*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license