The lofty Nurnberg striker will forever be remembered as the man who scored Greece's winning goal in the final victory over Portugal at Euro 2004.
When asked about the achievement Charisteas told Dutch football magazine Voetbal International: "We wrote history and my life changed completely at that point."
And his ability to score when it counts assures the 28-year-old of a place in Greece's squad, but it is unlikely he will be able to force a place in the first XI.
Viewed as the new Zlatan Ibrahimovic at former club Ajax, Charisteas never quite lived up to those standards.
But following a solid first season with Nurnberg after a summer move via Feyenoord, Charisteas will be a dangerous element of Greece's armoury.

Greece