Top 5 Legends of Greek Football
Football is the most popular sport in Greece, and for good reason. The country is home to some of the best footballers of all time. In honor of these legends, we wanted to remember those who have used their skills and talents to bring glory to their national team. So with no further ado, here are, in no particular order, the 10 best Greek footballers of all time. If you’re trying to learn more about international footballers to get on top of your football bets, you can do that by checking TPP for looking up safe football betting sites UK, for example.
Georgios Karagounis
Giorgos Karagounis was a midfield maestro and a pillar of the Greek national team. He gained fame during Greece’s memorable Euro 2004 win, where he scored a long-range strike against Portugal. He is known for his exceptional vision, tireless work ethic, and affinity for leadership. Karagounis is the most capped player ever and is hailed as one of Greece's finest players.
Angelos Basinas
After debuting in 1999, central midfielder Basinas was also an integral part of Greece's historic Euro 2004 winning squad thanks to the penalty he scored against Portugal. He was also part of the Panathinaikos club when they won two Superleague Greece titles.
Theodoros Zagorakis
Zagorakis was the captain of Greece's Euro 2004 winning side (it seems a pattern is emerging here). His impressive versatility and exceptional defensive skills were what made him a key part of the team. Zagorakis played a crucial role in leading Greece to triumph. He may well be the most passionate player on this list and was, therefore, the perfect choice to captain Greece in the Euro 2004, where he was named Player of the Tournament by UEFA.
Vasilis Hatzipanagis
Hatzipanagis is a legendary figure in Greek football, renowned for his sublime dribbling skills and exquisite ball control. Many believe he could have reached the levels of the like of Pele had it not been for the obstacles he had to overcome. His family fled to Tashkent together to escape the Greek civil war of 1949, where he then had to wait to become a citizen of the Soviet Union so he could play in the top division. When he finally came back to Greece, he was nicknamed “The Greek Maradona” and joined Iraklis, where he was welcomed warmly by fans. Despite these challenges, his mesmerizing performances for Iraklis and the national team in the 1970s earned him immense respect and adoration from fans, and in 2003 he was named Greece’s Golden Player of the past 50 years by UEFA.
Angelos Charisteas
In his prolific club career, Charisteas played as a forward for Aris Thessaloniki, Werder Bremen, Ajax, Feyenoord, Bayer Leverkusen, Schalke 04, Arles-Avignon, and Al-Nassr. He was also part of the Euro 2004 winning team, where he scored three goals against Portugal. He also was capped 88 times by Greece.
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