Kleanthis Vikelidis facts for kids
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Kleanthis Vikelides | ||
| Date of birth | 23 October 1916 | ||
| Place of birth | Thessaloniki, Greece | ||
| Date of death | 4 November 1988 (aged 72) | ||
| Place of death | Thessaloniki, Greece | ||
| Playing position | Forward | ||
| Number | 8 | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1933–1949 | Aris | 131 | (72) |
| National team | |||
| 1936–1948 | Greece | 7 | (5) |
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Kleanthis Vikelides (Greek: Κλεάνθης Βικελίδης; born October 23, 1916 – died November 4, 1988) was a famous Greek football player. He played as a forward for the team Aris Thessaloniki and also for the Greece national football team. After he stopped playing, he became a football manager for several teams, including Aris.
Kleanthis Vikelides: The "Macedonian Tank"
Kleanthis Vikelides was born in 1916 in the city of Thessaloniki, Greece. He was the youngest of three brothers who all played football for Aris F.C.. Kleanthis was a very important player for Aris. He helped them win the Greek Championship in 1932 and again in 1946. Because of his strong and powerful playing style, people gave him the nickname 'Macedonian Tank'.
Playing for Greece
Kleanthis Vikelides also played for his country, the Greek National Football Team. He played in 7 international matches and scored 4 goals for Greece. His goals included two against Mandatory Palestine in a 1938 FIFA World Cup qualification match. He also scored against Bulgaria and Turkey in other international games.
After Playing: Coaching and Legacy
After his successful career as a player, Kleanthis Vikelides became a football manager. He coached Aris Thessaloniki twice, in 1954 and 1959. He also managed other teams like PAOK in 1957 and Apollon Kalamaria in 1961.
To honor his great contributions to football, especially to Aris F.C., the stadium in Charilaou, Thessaloniki, was named the Kleanthis Vikelidis Stadium. This shows how important he was to the club and to Greek football history.
