Dimitris Saravakos facts for kids
Dimitris Saravakos in 2009
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Dimitrios Saravakos | ||
| Date of birth | 26 July 1961 | ||
| Place of birth | Athens, Greece | ||
| Height | 1.72 m (5 ft 7+1⁄2 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Winger, attacking midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
|
Current team
|
Panathinaikos (Strategic Advisor) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1976–1977 | Panionios | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1977–1984 | Panionios | 132 | (35) |
| 1984–1994 | Panathinaikos | 252 | (125) |
| 1994–1996 | AEK Athens | 47 | (21) |
| 1997–1998 | Panathinaikos | 2 | (0) |
| Total | 433 | (181) | |
| International career | |||
| 1982–1994 | Greece | 78 | (22) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Dimitris Saravakos (Greek: Δημήτρης Σαραβάκος; born 26 July 1961) is a former Greek professional footballer. He played as a forward and was known by his nickname, "the Kid" (Greek: "ο Μικρός"). Many people consider Saravakos to be one of the greatest Greek footballers ever. He is also a true Panathinaikos legend. In 2021, the IFFHS (International Federation of Football History & Statistics) picked him for the best Greek football team of all time.
Contents
Club Career Highlights
Starting at Panionios
Dimitris Saravakos began his professional football journey at Panionios. He was only 16 years old when he played his first game on December 26, 1977. This match was in the top Greek league against Egaleo.
In his second season with Panionios, he helped the team win the Greek Cup in 1979. They beat the champions, AEK Athens, with a score of 3–1. The 1981–82 season was his best at the club, as he scored 13 goals in the league. His great playing also earned him a spot on the national team.
In his last year at Panionios, he scored 10 goals in 28 games. On May 19, 1984, Panionios played a special playoff match to stay in the top division. Saravakos scored in extra time, helping Panionios win 2–0. Overall, he played for Panionios for seven years, appearing in 132 league games and scoring 35 goals.
Becoming a Panathinaikos Legend
On June 22, 1984, Saravakos moved to Panathinaikos for a large transfer fee. His arrival, along with other talented players, made Panathinaikos's midfield very strong. This allowed Saravakos to use his attacking skills fully.
In his first year at Panathinaikos, he was the second-highest scorer in the league. He scored his first goal for the club on September 23, 1984, against OFI. He also scored in important derby matches against AEK and Olympiacos.
Saravakos played a key role in Panathinaikos reaching the semi-finals of the European Cup in 1984–85. He scored crucial goals against Linfield and Göteborg, helping his team advance.
In the next season, Panathinaikos won both the league and the Greek Cup. Saravakos scored two goals in the Cup final, leading to a big 4–0 win over Olympiacos. This was the largest victory in a final between these two rival teams.
He continued to score important goals in European competitions, including against Juventus. After these games, Juventus, a big Italian team, even showed interest in signing him. In another exciting European match, Panathinaikos was losing 5–0 to Honvéd. Saravakos scored two goals to make it 5–2, and in the second game, Panathinaikos won 5–1 to qualify!
In June 1988, the president of Olympiacos offered Saravakos a huge amount of money to join their team. However, Saravakos chose to stay with Panathinaikos. He helped them win the Super Cup in 1988 and another Greek Cup in 1989.
In 1989, Panathinaikos signed striker Krzysztof Warzycha. Saravakos and Warzycha formed a fantastic partnership, leading the club to win the league championship in 1990. Saravakos was the captain when Panathinaikos beat Olympiacos 4–3 in a thrilling match in 1990.
The 1990–91 season was amazing for Saravakos, as he became the league's top scorer with 23 goals. Panathinaikos won another league and cup double that year. He scored 10 goals in the Cup competition alone.
In the 1991–92 season, Saravakos scored 24 goals in the league, his highest ever. He scored in big wins against Olympiacos and AEK. He also helped Panathinaikos reach the group stage of the first-ever UEFA Champions League. He scored three goals in the qualifying matches against Göteborg, securing their spot. In 1992, Saravakos was chosen to play for a World XI team in a special protest match.
He won the Greek Cup again in the 1992–93 season and the Super Cup in 1993. In the 1993–94 season, he won his sixth Greek Cup. His last European game for Panathinaikos was an away win against Bayer Leverkusen in November 1993, where he scored the first goal.
Time at AEK Athens
In the summer of 1994, at 33 years old, Saravakos left Panathinaikos and joined AEK Athens. His first official game for AEK was a memorable one against Rangers. He scored two goals, helping AEK qualify for the Champions League group stage for the first time.
He continued to play well in the league, scoring 21 goals and becoming the second-highest scorer for AEK. In 1995, he scored his last goal in a derby against Olympiacos. AEK lost the Greek Cup final to Panathinaikos that year, and Saravakos missed a crucial penalty.
In the next season, he won another Super Cup with AEK, beating his former club. However, due to his age and injuries, he couldn't play as much. AEK won the Greek Cup but finished second in the league. At the end of the season, AEK and Saravakos agreed to end his contract.
Retirement from Football
After a year away from football, Saravakos returned to Panathinaikos in the summer of 1997 to finish his career at his beloved club. He played in only two league games before officially retiring in the summer of 1998.
Saravakos holds the record as the leading scorer in the Derby of the eternal enemies (Panathinaikos vs. Olympiacos) with 16 goals. He was also the top Greek scorer in UEFA competitions with 25 goals, a record later broken by Demis Nikolaidis.
International Career
Saravakos was a very important player for the Greek national team from 1982 to 1994. He is the fourth-highest scorer in the team's history, with 22 goals in 78 games. He helped Greece qualify for the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the United States, which was a big achievement for the country.
He also played for the Mediterranean team in the 1983 Mediterranean Games in Casablanca, Morocco. In 1983, he played four matches for the Greek Olympic team.
Playing Style
Dimitris Saravakos was one of the most popular and talented players in Greek football. He was very skilled with the ball and understood the game well. He was excellent at finishing chances, helping build up attacks, and scoring goals. He was also known for being very good at taking free kicks and penalty kicks.
After Football
Since 2013, Dimitris Saravakos has worked as a Strategic Advisor for Panathinaikos. This special role was created just for him.
Personal Life
Dimitris's father, Thanasis, was also a professional footballer for Panionios and played for the national team.
Honours and Trophies
Panionios
- Greek Cup: 1978–79
Panathinaikos
- Greek Championship: 1985–86, 1989–90, 1990–91
- Greek Cup: 1985–86, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1990–91, 1992–93, 1993–94
- Greek Super Cup: 1988, 1993
AEK Athens
- Greek Cup: 1995–96
Images for kids
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Dimitris Saravakos in 2009
See also
In Spanish: Dimitris Saravakos para niños
