Grigoris Georgatos facts for kids

Grigoris Georgatos (born 31 October 1972) is a former professional footballer from Greece. He played as a left-back, which is a defensive position on the left side of the field. People called him the "Greek Roberto Carlos" because he played with a lot of energy. He was also known as "the crazy bald" due to his shaved head and strong playing style.

Club Career Highlights

Starting His Football Journey

Grigoris Georgatos began his professional career in 1991. He joined Panachaiki, where his football skills quickly became clear. He played for Panachaiki for four and a half seasons.

In December 1995, he moved to Olympiacos. When he first arrived, he played as an attacking midfielder. However, his coach, Dušan Bajević, moved him to left-back. This change helped him fit into the team alongside another great player, Predrag Đorđević.

Success with Olympiacos

Georgatos quickly became a key player for Olympiacos. He helped the team win three championships in a row. These wins were from 1996 to 1999. In one season, he even scored the most goals for his team. This was impressive for a player in a defensive role.

Playing in Italy: Inter Milan

In the 1998–1999 season, Georgatos played in a UEFA Champions League match. He caught the attention of the Italian club Inter Milan. They signed him in 1999 for €7 million. He settled well in Serie A, Italy's top league. He played 28 matches and scored 2 goals for Inter.

However, he missed his family and Athens. So, the next season, he returned to Olympiacos on a loan. After his loan ended, he went back to Inter Milan. But he got an injury that kept him out of many games. He only played 10 matches and scored 1 goal that season. His second time in Italy was not as successful.

Coming Back to Greece

After his time in Italy, Georgatos wanted to return to Olympiacos. But they had already signed another player for his position. So, he joined AEK Athens for €3 million. He worked with his former coach, Dušan Bajević, again.

At AEK, he played as a left midfielder. In the 2002–03 season, he played 23 games. AEK finished third in the league that year. He also played in four UEFA Champions League matches for the club. Fans loved his performances, even though he had played for their rival team before.

In the next season, he scored six goals in six games. But he was not happy at AEK. In January 2004, he made his third move back to Olympiacos. He helped them finish second in the league. In 2006, Georgatos decided to finish his career at Olympiacos. He signed a one-year contract until July 2007. He retired from football at the end of that season.

International Career

Grigoris Georgatos first played for the Greek national team in September 1995. This was during a qualifying match for the Euro 1996 tournament. He stopped playing for the national team in September 2001. This happened after a disagreement with the coach, Otto Rehhagel. In total, Georgatos played 35 times for Greece and scored 3 goals.

After Football

After retiring from playing, Georgatos stayed involved in football. He worked in the management of Panachaiki for a while. From 2013, he helped lead the youth academies at Olympiacos. From 2015 to 2016, he was the sports director for Olympiacos. In this role, he was in charge of the first team's competitive side.

Style of Play

Georgatos was known as an attacking left-back. This means he was good at both defending and helping his team score goals. He had an excellent ability to cross the ball into the penalty area. His strong and energetic playing style earned him the nickname "the Greek Roberto Carlos."

Career Statistics

Club

International

Honours

Olympiacos

• Super League Greece: 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99, 2000–01, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07
• Greek Cup: 1998–99, 2004–05, 2005–06

Individual

• Greek Footballer of the Year: 1998–99
• Olympiacos Golden Eleven

See also

In Spanish: Grigoris Georgatos para niños