Panathinaikos All-Time Greatest Team

This blogger Artur Yanturin of Russia copied many of my blog teams.  This blog was one of them.  It was my Russia All-Time Team here.  His team was written in 2020, but mine was uploaded in 2014.   His Spartak Moscow All-Time team entry of was published in October 2020, but mine was uploaded in 2017.  His entry of the Dutch-German rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona was written in 2020, but mine was uploaded in 2014.  He also copied many many of my blog entries.

His Facebook and Instagram

Please also see my All-Time World Cup Team Index.

The rest of Southeast Euorpe(Greece, Turkey and Albania)

Greece All-Time Team

Olympiacos

AEK Athens

PAOK

This is my selection of a 25 member all-time team for Panathinaikos F.C. (Παναθηναϊκός Αθλητικός Όμιλος.  The number 25 was chosen because it is the official squad size for the Champions' League.

Created in 1908 as "Podosfairikos Omilos Athinon" (Football Club of Athens) by Georgios Kalafatis,[2][3] they play in the Super League Greece, being one of the most successful clubs in Greek football and one of three clubs which have never been relegated from the top division.

Panathinaikos is the most successful Greek club in terms of achievements in the European competitions. It is the only Greek team that has reached the European Cup (later renamed UEFA Champions League) final in 1971 (which they lost to Ajax Amsterdam 2–0), and also the semi-finals twice, in 1985 and 1996. It is also the only Greek team that has played for the Intercontinental Cup (1971). Furthermore, they have reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League on another two occasions (in 1992 and 2002), as well as the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup twice (1988 and 2003). They have also won the Balkans Cup in 1978. Panathinaikos is a member of the European Club Association.

Balkan Cup winner 1978

Team

GK: Józef Wandzik (Poland)

On Poland, Wandzik played for Rodlo Gorniki, Ruch Chorzów and Górnik Zabrze. He moved to Panathinaikos in 1990. In Greece, he earned the nickname of "Vouno" (translation "mountain"). 

After almost a decade at Panathinaikos, he played with Apollon Smyrnis and Athinaikos. He has been considered by many as the greatest foreign goalkeeper of all times in Greece. He had 52 caps.  He went to the 1986 World Cup Finals.

GK: Takis Ikonomopoulos (Greece)
Known as the Bird, he played for Panathinaikos at the 1971 European Cup Final.  Their European Cup run is considered to be Greece's first successes in the sport. While playing for Panathinaikos, he managed to not concede a single goal for 1,088 minutes (in a span of 13 consecutive games - a record for Greece which remains unbroken). The record spanned from 17 January 1965 until 9 May 1965.  He was capped 25 times.

GK: Nikos Sarganis (Greece)
In 1980, Nikos Sarganis shocked Greek football by leading Kastoria to victory in the Greek Cup.  He joined Olympiakos in 1980 and he left them for rival Panathinaikos in 1985.  In 1988, he helped them to win the Greek Cup by saving two penalties and scroing one himself against his old club Olymoakos during the penalty shootout. He was capped 48 times at the international level.

DM/RB: Stratos Apostolakis  (Greece)

In 1990, Stratos Apostolakis caused controversy in Greece by transferring from Olympiakos to Panathinaikos.  He was one of the key players behind Panathinaikos' European runs in 1992 and 1996. He was one of the best defenders his country has ever seen. He could also play as a defensive midfielder. He had 96 caps, at one point a record for Greece.  He played in USA 1994.

Stratos Apostolakis

CB/RB: Giourkas Seitaridis  (Greece)

Giourkas Seitaridis was part of their team which won the European Championship in 2004, for which he was voted into the Team of the Tournament.  He was capped 72 times.  He also went to the World Cup Finals in 2010 and the European Championship in 2008. He moved to Porto during the tournament. He last played in 2013 for Greek Superleague side Panathinaikos, having played previously at PAS Giannina, Porto, Dynamo Moscow and Atlético Madrid. 

SW/CB: Ioannis Kalitzakis (Greece)
Ioannis Kalitzakis started his career in Panelefsiniakos F.C., where he played three and a half season before eventually joining Panathinaikos FC. Panathinaikos's fans nicknamed him "ninja".  In 1997, he joined AEK Athens FC.  Kalitzakis had 71 caps in total between 1987 and 1998, including three appearances at the 1994 World Cup.

CB: Giannis Goumas (Greece)

Giannis Goumas is one of the many players to emerge from Panathinaikos F.C.'s youth academy and served the club for 15 years, debuting for the first team in 1994 and retired in 2008.  He was a one club player.  He won Super League: 1995, 1996, 2004.  From 1997 to 2008, he played 45 times for Greece.  He was part of the Greek squad that won the UEFA Euro 2004.

SW: René Henriksen (Denmark)

From 1988 to 1999, Henriksen played for Akademisk Boldklub.  He won the "Danish Cup Fighter" award when AB triumphed in the 1999 Danish Cup, as the club won its first trophy in 32 years.  From 1999 to 2005, he played for Panathinaikos, where he was a star player.  With Denmark, he played 66 times between 1998 and 2004.  He went to the 1998 and 2002 World Cup Finals, and 2000 and 2004 European Championship.  He was Denmark Player of the Year in 2000.

René Henriksen

SW: Anthimos Kapsis (Greece)

Born in Astypalaia, Kapsis' family moved to Keratsini when he was young. Kapsis played for the Panathinaikos F.C. from 1969 until 1984 and was a member of that team when it played in the 1971 European Cup Final. Kapsis was capped 36 times by the Greece national team and was a member of the team that competed in Euro 1980.  His son Michalis Kapsis was a meber of the national team that won Euro 2004.

LB: Takis Fyssas (Greece)

Takis Fyssas started his career with Panionios.  He played for Panathinaikos between 1998 and 2003.  He played a season and half for Benfica before joining Hearts in 2005.  Fyssas played 60 matches for Greece national team and he scored four goals. He was one of the key players for team that won the Euro 2004 championship in Portugal

LB: Markus Münch (Germany)

From 1990 to 1994, Markus Münch played for Bayern Munich.  Then, he spent two seasons with Bayer Leverkusen.  He later played for Koln, Genoa and Beşiktaş.  From 2003 to 2005, he played for Panathinaikos in Greece.  In his first season, Panathinaikos won the League and Cup, played in the group stage of the UEFA Cup and qualified for the UEFA Champions League.  He also won the Super League Greece Best Foreign Player in 2004.  

DM: Velimir Zajec  (Yugoslavia/Croatia)

Zajec began his career at Dinamo Zagreb in 1974. During 10 years at the club, they won their first title honour in 24 years. In 1979 and 1984, he was named the Yugoslav Footballer of the Year. He then transferred to Greek club Panathinaikos, where he was also one of the best players at the time.  Zajec won 36 international caps for Yugoslavia,[and captained them at both the 1982 World Cup and the 1984 European Championship.

Velimir Zajec 

DM: Gilberto Silva (Brazil)
Gilberto Silva started his career with Atlético Mineiro.  He was best remembered for his 6 seasons with Arsenal, where he joined after the 2002 World Cup Finals.  He played 93 times for Brazil.  He was a key player at the 2002 World Cup finals in Japan/Korea after Emerson was injured before the tournament.  He also went to the World Cup Finals in 2006 and 2010. He captained the national team at the 2007 Copa America, where Brazil won its 8th title.

RB/DM: Aristidis Kamaras (Greece)

Aristidis Kamaras  started his career at Apollon Athens in 1954. Panathinaikos signed him up in the Summer of 1961. Kamaras played for PAO for 12 years. He won 6 league titles with the "Greens" and was one of the key men that took PAO to the 1971 European Cup Final  against Ajax Amsterdam.  Between 1960 and 1971, Kamaras was capped 30 times for Greece.

RM/CM:  Giorgos Karagounis (Greece)
Giorgos Karagounis was a member of the UEFA Euro 2004-winning squad, and also represented Greece at Euro 2008, the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Euro 2012 and the 2014 World Cup. With 139 appearances, he is the most capped player in the history of the Greece national team. He served as the captain. He played for Panathinaikos, Apollon Smyrni, Inter Milan, Benfica and Fulham. He retired after the World Cup Finals in 2014.

Giorgos Karagounis

AM/CM: Takis Loukanidis (Greece)

Loukanidis' father was killed by Bulgarian armed forces and soon after he was placed in an orphanage at age 10. He joined the senior team of Doxa Drama F.C. in 1955. Loukanidis made his debut with Panathinaikos in 1962. He ended his career at Aris Thessaloniki, where he won the Greek Cup in 1970. Loukanidis made 23 appearances and scored three goals for Greece from 1958 to 1967. 

AM/CM: Juan Ramón Rocha (Argentina)

Rocha began his career at Newell's Old Boys in 1972. He was part of their Metropolitano winning team in 1974. He moved to Boca Juniors in 1979.  In 1980, he was transferred to Panathinaikos. Rocha was first signed for Panathinaikos under the name Boublis, which brought legal issue to his name.  For Argentina, he was capped 3 times between 1973 and 1977.

AM: Mimis Domazos  (Greece)
Mimis Domazos is considered to be one of the greatest Greek footballers. He helped Panathinaikos FC to reach the 1971 European Cup Final before losing to Ajax.  It was a break through for Greek club football. He also played for AEK Athens. When he retired from playing in 1980, Domazos was declared the longest-active footballer in the history of Greek club football, having played for more than 21 years. 

Mimis Domazos 

RW: Georgios Georgiadis (Greece)

Georgiadis started with Doxa Drama. He played for Panathinaikos from 1994 to 1998, where he was Greek Footballer of the Year in 1995.  After a year with Newcastle United, he returned to Greece to play for PAOK FC from 2000 until 2003 before transferring to Olympiacos. Georgiadis was also a member of the Greece squad that won the UEFA Euro 2004.  He was capped 61 times.

 

LW: Sebastián Leto (Argentina)

Leto began his career with Lanús in 2005. He was with Liverpool for two seasons, but he had work permit issue. After a brief loan deal with Olympiacos, he joined Panathinaikos in 2009.  He later played for Catania and returned to PAO for a second stint before playing for Emirates Club in UAE.

FW: Dimitris Saravakos  (Greece)
Dimitris Saravakos started with Panionios in 1977. In 1984,  he moved to Panathinaikos FC, where he became a star.  He is the leading scorer in history with 16 goals in the Derby of the eternal enemies against Olympiacos. He also had a highly successful stints with AEK Athens between his two spells with Panathinaikos FC. Saravakos had 78 caps at the international level.  He is the fourth leading all-time scorer with 22 goals for the Greek national team.  In 1994, he captained Greece to its first World Cup Finals in its history.

Dimitris Saravakos

ST: Angelos Messaris (Greece)

Born in South Africa, Angelos Messari is widely regarded as the best Greek player of the pre-war era. This is probably also due to the myth that for decades followed his sudden and mysterious early leaving from football. He made his last appearance in the football field on 23 April 1931 at the age of 21, in a match against AEK Athens.   He spent three seasons with Goudi before playing for Panathinaikos between 1927 and 1931.  He played 4 times for Greece.

ST: Djibril Cissé (France)

After playing for Auxerre for six seasons, scoring 90 goals in 166 appearances, Djibril Cissé moved to Liverpool in 2004, where he was a star.  An injury derailed his career until he joined Panathinaikos in 2009, where he regained his form.  He also played for Marseille, QPR, Lazio, Bastia, etc. From 2002 to 2011, Djibril Cissé played 41 times for France.  He went to 2002 and 2010 World Cup Finals.  

ST: Antonis Antoniadis (Greece)

Antoniadis scored 187 goals in 242 matches in the Greek Championship, and was top scorer 5 times: 1970, 1972 (39 –second in Europe and Greek record), 1973, 1974  and 1975. In 1971 when Panathinaikos reached the European Cup Final against Ajax, he was the leading scorer in the tournament with 10 goals.  He also played for Olympiacos, Aspida Xanthi and Atromitos Athens.  From 1970 to 1977, he was capped 21 times.

ST: Krzysztof Warzycha (Poland)

Krzysztof Warzycha started with Ruch Chorzów.  He joined Panathinaikos in 1989, and won five Greek championships, five Greek cups, two Greek super cups while he was the highest scorer of the Greek championship 3 times. He is Panathinaikos' all-time leading goalscorer and an idol for the club. Warzycha is considered by many to be one of the best foreign players who have played in Greece.  He played 50 times for Poland.

Krzysztof Warzycha

Honorable Mention

Antonios Nikopolidis (Greece), Vasilis Konstantinou (Greece), Marinos Ouzounidis (Greece), Frangiskos Sourpis (Greece), Kostas Linoxilakis (Greece), Markus Berg (Sweden), Juan Ramón Verón (Argentina), Oscar Alvarez (Argentina), Angelos Basinas (Greece), Spyros Livathinos (Greece), Angelos Messaris (Greece), Nikos Liberopoulos (Greece), Giorgos Kalafatis (Greece), Kostas Chalkias (Greece), Mathios Vitalis (Greece), Dimitris Demertzis (Greece), Nikos Charalambidis (Greece), Spiros Sklavounos (Greece), Dimitris Salpingidis (Greece), Juan José Borrelli (Argentina).

Squad Explanation

-- Mimis Domazos and Krzysztof Warzycha were probably their greatest ever players.  Several articles I found also considered  Takis Loukanidis, Dimitris Saravakos and Giorgos Karagounis among their greatest.

-- Real Madrid legend Ferenc Puskas took Panathinaikos to the Final of the 1971 European Cup against Ajax.  Until 2004, it was Greece's greatest moment football.  From that team, I took Takis Ikonomopoulos, Aristidis Kamaras, Mimis Domazos, Anthimos Kapsis and Antonis Antoniadis.  Antonis Antoniadis was the top scorer of the tournament as well as finishing second in the European Golden Boot.  Mimis Domazos was responsible for many of Antoniadis' goals. Goalkeeper Takis Ikonomopoulos was decisive in the game against Everton.

-- Panathinaikos won the league with an undefeated record in the 1963-64 season.  Takis Loukanidis, Aristidis Kamaras, and Mimis Domazos were their key players.

-- Giorgos Kalafatis was their founder.  I put him on honorable mention.

-- Takis Ikonomopoulos, Nikos Sarganis, Stratos Apostolakis, Ioannis Kalitzakis, Giorgos Karagounis, Mimis Domazos, Dimitris Saravakos are on my Greece All-Time Team.  Angelos Basinas did not make this team, but he was on the other team.  I used different criteria for different teams.

-- According to an online poll, Józef Wandzik was the number one goalkeeper for Panathinaikos.  I went with Takis Ikonomopoulos who was also often listed as their number one.  He helped the club to reach the European Cup Final.  Antonios Nikopolidis spent 15 seasons here, but he moved to rival Olympiacos, which did not sit with the fans here.  Nikos Sarganis on the other had went the other way around.  Vasilis Konstantinou spent 19 seasons with the club.  He played at the same time as Ikonomopoulos. I also came upon Kostas Chalkias, Mathios Vitalis, Dimitris Demertzis, Nikos Charalambidis and Spiros Sklavounos.  I knew nothing about them, In the end, I went with Nikos Sarganis who was the most famous of the remaining candidates.

-- Sweeper René Henriksen helped Panathinaikos to reach the quarterfinal of the 2002-2003 Champions League as well as winning the Double in 2004.  I also came across Ioannis Kalitzakis' name all the time. Giannis Goumas was a one club man who spent 15 seasons with the club.  But the last central defender was difficult to select.

-- The official website of the club called Kostas Linoxilakis the greatest "Greek defender of all-time", but I used google translate and it might have lost in translation.  He was associated with many Greek actresses of his time.  He was probably an icon.  Marinos Ouzounidis' name was also mentioned. In the end, I chose between teammate Frangiskos Sourpis and Anthimos Kapsis of 1971 European Cup finalist.  Kapsis was more famous it seemed.

-- Takis Fyssas and Markus Münch edged out Nikos Karoulias for the leftback position. For the right side, I took Giourkas Seitaridis and Stratos Apostolakis. Both were on my Greece all-time team. 

-- Giorgos Karagounis is the most capped player in the history of the Greek national team.  He also captained the team in two World Cup Finals.  He is probably one of the best players ever for PAO.  Gilberto Silva and Velimir Zajec were mentioned as their greatest defensive midfielders.  Then, I added Aristidis Kamaras of the 1971 European Cup as my third defensive midfield.  He was also a rightback.

--  So I took Sebastián Leto (Argentina) because I needed a left wing. He played 98 games scoring  35 goals.  I took him over the more important Argentine Juan José Borrelli (eventually selected).  Mimis Pierrakos was a warhero, but I am not sure about him as a player.  I put him on honorable mention.  Juan Ramón Verón was also a left winger.  Of all the left wingers mentioned, he was the most famous, but I don't know about him over here.

-- Mimis Domazos is considered by many to be one of the best footballers that Greece has ever produced.  He was Panathinaikos F.C. team captain for over 15 years.  Takis Loukanidis was also listed among the greatest ever.  I have to choose between Juan José Borrelli and Juan Ramón Rocha because I might not need more than three attack midfielders .  Borelli led the club to the semifinals of the Champions League, but struggled early in his career.  Rocha spent 10 seasons with the club.  He was also the manager of Panathinaikos when Borelli starred.  Juan Ramón Verón also played here. I have no more space for Kostas Antoniou, Kostas Eleftherakis and Kostas Frantzeskos.

-- Dimitris Saravakos was idol of the 1980's.  he led the club to the semifinal of the European Cup in the 1984-1985 season.

-- Djibril Cissé was a fan favorite.  He was seriously injured in 2006 and his career was in serious decline after that, but he rejuvenated his career.  The more contemporary fans mentioned him as one of the greatest ever for this club.  Of course,  I had striker Antonis Antoniadis who was the most important player in the club's most important moments.

Djibril Cissé 

-- Krzysztof Warzycha is the second highest scorer in Greek league's history.  He spent 15 seasons with Panathinaikos and retired at the age of 40.  Alongside Mimis Domazos, he is probably the greatest player ever played for the club.

-- Angelos Messaris was known as one of their greatest, but he left football at the age of 21 in 1931.  I was reluctant to select him at first.

-- Juan José Borrelli, Angelos Basinas and Kostas Linoxilakis were considered for the 25th spot. I almost selected Borrelli.  However, the team needed a right winger.  So I took Georgios Georgiadis who was the Greek Footballer of the Year while at the club.

Formation