Kostas Eleftherakis

Kostas Eleftherakis
Personal information
Full name Kostantinos Eleftherakis
Date of birth (1950-07-18) 18 July 1950
Place of birth Tavros, Athens, Kingdom of Greece
Height 1.69 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position Midfielder
Youth career
1962–1968 Fostiras
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1968–1980 Panathinaikos 308 (85)
1980–1981 AEK Athens 23 (5)
1981–1982 Fostiras 25 (5)
Total 356 (95)
International career
1964 Greece U19
1969–1977 Greece 34 (5)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Kostas Eleftherakis (Greek: Κώστας Ελευθεράκης; born 18 July 1950) is a Greek former international football player who played as a midfielder. His nickname was "the Deer" (Greek: "το Ελάφι").[1]

Early life

Eleftherakis was born in Tavros. He came from a working-class family. His parents were named Giorgos and Pinelopi, and his father worked at the Athens Gas Company. He also had another brother, Nikolas, who was killed at a young age. He began his football career at his local club, Fostiras, for which he signed a contract at the age of 12. The fee for his signature was a bottle of milk and a piece of baklava.[2]

Club career

In 1964, Eleftherakis made his professional debut in the second division, where he scored a brace over Atromitos.[3] He initially played as a right winger, but was later established as a midfielder. His performances attracted the interest of the major Greek clubs.[2]

In 1968 he was transferred to Panathinaikos. At age 21 he was a key part of the squad that reached 1971 European Cup final in Wembley Stadium against Ajax. He scored a goal in both legs of the first round against Jeunesse Esch.[4][5] After the final, Real Madrid and Everton expressed interest in acquiring him. Real Madrid offered an inconceivable for the time fee of 35 million drachmas for Eleftherakis. However, the Secretary General of Athletics, appointed by the regime of the time, Costas Aslanidis stood in the way. The same happened when Everton made an offer through Billy Bingham who coached Greece in the early 1970s. During his spell at Panathinaikos was called to play for the World XI. An injury he sustained in May 1977 in a match against Ethnikos Piraeus left him out of football for six months. He never regained his form completely after that. In 1980 he came in a dispute with the managerement of the club, which resulted in his departure.[2]

On 12 July 1980 he signed for AEK Athens.[6] He played there for a season, not managing to established himself in the roster.[2]

On 17 August 1981 he returned to Fostiras,[7] where retired as a footballer.[8]

International career

Shortly afterwards, he was called up to Greece U19 by the manager Lakis Petropoulos.

Eleftherakis made 34 appearances for the Greece national football team from 1969 to 1977.[9]

Honours

Panathinaikos

References

  1. ↑ "Kostas Eleftherakis" (in Greek). pao.gr. Archived from the original on 14 June 2012. Retrieved 18 May 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Κώστας Ελευθεράκης". aekpedia.com.
  3. ↑ Fount. (22 November 1965). "Atromitos - Fostiras 1–3, match report". Athlitiki Echo (in Greek).
  4. ↑ "History: Jeunesse Esch 1-2 Panathinaikos: UEFA Champions League 1970/71 R1". UEFA.
  5. ↑ "History: Panathinaikos 5-0 Jeunesse Esch: UEFA Champions League 1970/71 R1". UEFA.
  6. ↑ Στράτος Σεφτελής (12 July 1980). "Ο Ελευθεράκης από χθες ανήκει στην ΑΕΚ". Athletic Echo (in Greek). pp. 1, 5.
  7. ↑ "Ο Ελευθεράκης ξαναγύρισε στο Φωστήρα!". Athletic Echo (in Greek). 18 August 1981. p. 3.
  8. ↑ Pagiotelis, Giorgos (14 February 1982). "Το στατιστικό περισκόπιο (The statistical periscope)". Athlitiki Echo (in Greek).
  9. ↑ "Greece – Record International Players". RSSSF. Retrieved 13 April 2009.
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