Mimis Domazos facts for kids
Domazos with Panathinaikos
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 22 January 1942 | ||
| Place of birth | Ampelokipoi, Athens, German-occupied Greece | ||
| Date of death | 24 January 2025 (aged 83) | ||
| Place of death | Athens, Greece | ||
| Height | 1.68 m | ||
| Playing position | Attacking midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1953–1959 | Amyna Ambelokipoi | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1959–1978 | Panathinaikos | 490 | (134) |
| 1978–1980 | AEK Athens | 34 | (5) |
| 1980 | Panathinaikos | 12 | (0) |
| Total | 536 | (139) | |
| National team | |||
| 1959–1980 | Greece | 50 | (4) |
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Dimitris "Mimis" Domazos (Greek: Δημήτρης "Μίμης" Δομάζος; 22 January 1942 – 24 January 2025) was a famous Greek football player. People called him "The General" (Greek: "Ο Στρατηγός") because of his leadership on the field. He played as an attacking midfielder.
Many people think Domazos was one of the best Greek footballers ever. He was known for his amazing dribbling skills. He also had a very creative way of playing, especially with his super accurate passes. Domazos was the captain of Panathinaikos for more than 15 years. In 2021, the IFFHS (a group that keeps football records) named him in the best Greek football team of all time.
Contents
Mimis Domazos: A Football Legend
Starting His Football Journey
Mimis Domazos was born on January 22, 1942, in Ampelokipoi, Greece. He grew up very close to the Leoforos Alexandras Stadium, a famous football ground. From a young age, he loved playing football in the local fields.
When he was 13, he joined a team called Amyna Ampelokipoi in 1953. He even said he was older than he was to be able to play! Soon, people started talking about his amazing skills. Panathinaikos, a big club, became interested in him. In 1958, their coach, Svetislav Glišović, saw him play. He was so impressed that he suggested Panathinaikos sign him.
Becoming a Star at Panathinaikos
Domazos played his first unofficial game for Panathinaikos on December 26, 1958. It was a friendly match against AEK Athens. He played as a right winger and showed off his great skills. In the summer of 1959, at just 17 years old, he officially joined Panathinaikos. He once joked he joined "for a suit and an orange juice."
Even though he wasn't very tall, Domazos quickly became a key player. His amazing passes, incredible assists, and strong leadership earned him respect. Both his teammates and opponents admired him. Most of the team's attacks started with him. He was like a "maestro," guiding the whole team with his smart play. Soon, Panathinaikos fans gave him the nickname "The General." This name stayed with him throughout his career.
In his first three seasons, Panathinaikos won three championships. He scored a goal on June 4, 1961, that helped secure the last one. On November 26, 1961, Domazos scored four goals in one game! This was a 5–2 win against Proodeftiki. He was the first Panathinaikos player to score four goals in an official match.
He became the captain of Panathinaikos for almost 15 years. He formed a fantastic attacking pair with his good friend, Antonis Antoniadis. In the Cup final in 1969, he scored a free kick against Olympiacos. The game ended 1–1 after extra time. The winner was decided by a coin toss, and Domazos correctly chose the winning side for his team!
Domazos led Panathinaikos to the final of the European Cup in 1971. This was a huge achievement for a Greek team. They played against Ajax at Wembley Stadium but lost 2–0. Later that year, he also played in the final of the Intercontinental Cup against Nacional.
He was even nominated for the Ballon d'Or award in 1969 and 1971. In 1977, Panathinaikos won the Balkans Cup. Domazos won nine championships, three Greek Cups, and one Balkans Cup with Panathinaikos. This included winning both the league and cup in 1969 and 1977.
After 19 years and 498 games with Panathinaikos, Domazos left the club in 1978. Some people thought he was "finished" as a player.
Playing for AEK Athens
The owner of AEK Athens, Loukas Barlos, quickly signed Domazos. He even asked the club's captain, Mimis Papaioannou, for his approval first. Papaioannou agreed right away. Domazos was exactly what AEK needed to help their attack. He also got to work with his old coach, Ferenc Puskás, again.
Domazos had a great first season with AEK, playing 29 games and scoring 5 goals. He proved everyone wrong who thought he was "finished." He was a true professional. He scored his first two goals for AEK against PAOK on September 10, 1978.
On April 8, 1979, he played against his old club, Panathinaikos. AEK won 1–0. During the game, there was a big fight between players. Domazos won another league title with AEK. Even though he was older, he agreed to play for another year.
In January of the next season, Domazos felt it was time to return to Panathinaikos. He asked AEK's owner, Loukas Barlos, for permission. Barlos respected his wish and let him go back to his beloved Panathinaikos.
Retirement from Football
Domazos returned to Panathinaikos, the club where he was loved. He played 12 more matches. Even though he didn't score, he showed he still had great mental and physical strength. He played a leading role in a winning game against Olympiacos on January 13, 1980.
He ended his amazing career in the summer of 1980. He played a total of 536 official games and scored 139 goals.
Playing for Greece
Domazos first played for the Greek national team on December 2, 1959. It was a game against Denmark, which Greece lost 3–1. His last game for Greece was on November 11, 1980, against Australia. It was a friendly match that ended in a 3–3 draw. He was honored for his many years of playing for the national team.
In this last game, he scored his final goal for Greece. This made him the oldest player to ever score for the Greek national team, as he was almost 39 years old. He was also the captain of the national team for many years. In total, he played 50 games for Greece and scored four goals.
Life After Football
Mimis Domazos was married to Vicky Moscholiou, a famous singer, from 1967 to 1978. They had two daughters together. After he stopped playing football, he became a businessman. He often wrote articles for Greek sports newspapers. He also owned a group of five-a-side football stadiums. His nephew, Christos Domazos, also plays football.
Domazos was one of the people who carried the torch for the opening ceremony of the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.
On his 83rd birthday, Domazos was taken to the Red Cross Hospital in Athens because of a heart problem. He passed away two days later.
Career Statistics
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Panathinaikos | 1959–60 | Alpha Ethniki | 29 | 7 | — | — | 29 | 7 | ||||
| 1960–61 | Alpha Ethniki | 30 | 8 | 2 | 0 | — | 40 | 8 | ||||
| 1961–62 | Alpha Ethniki | 27 | 16 | 2 | 0 | — | 29 | 16 | ||||
| 1962–63 | Alpha Ethniki | 28 | 7 | 2 | 0 | — | 30 | 7 | ||||
| 1963–64 | Alpha Ethniki | 27 | 5 | — | — | 27 | 5 | |||||
| 1964–65 | Alpha Ethniki | 19 | 5 | 4 | 0 | — | 23 | 5 | ||||
| 1965–66 | Alpha Ethniki | 30 | 11 | 4 | 2 | — | 34 | 13 | ||||
| 1966–67 | Alpha Ethniki | 19 | 6 | — | — | 19 | 6 | |||||
| 1967–68 | Alpha Ethniki | 34 | 9 | 2 | 0 | — | 36 | 9 | ||||
| 1968–69 | Alpha Ethniki | 32 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 40 | 5 | |||
| 1969–70 | Alpha Ethniki | 30 | 6 | 2 | 0 | — | 32 | 6 | ||||
| 1970–71 | Alpha Ethniki | 32 | 20 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 43 | 20 | |||
| 1971–72 | Alpha Ethniki | 30 | 5 | 2 | 0 | — | 32 | 5 | ||||
| 1972–73 | Alpha Ethniki | 21 | 6 | 2 | 0 | — | 23 | 6 | ||||
| 1973–74 | Alpha Ethniki | 27 | 7 | 1 | 0 | — | 28 | 7 | ||||
| 1974–75 | Alpha Ethniki | 29 | 6 | 2 | 0 | — | 31 | 6 | ||||
| 1975–76 | Alpha Ethniki | 15 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | 16 | 3 | ||||
| 1976–77 | Alpha Ethniki | 26 | 2 | — | — | 26 | 2 | |||||
| 1977–78 | Alpha Ethniki | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 7 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 490 | 134 | 41 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 537+ | 137+ | ||||
| AEK Athens | 1978–79 | Alpha Ethniki | 29 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 35 | 5 | |
| 1979–80 | Alpha Ethniki | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 7 | 0 | ||
| Total | 34 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 42 | 5 | |||
| Panathinaikos | 1979–80 | Alpha Ethniki | 12 | 0 | — | — | 12 | 0 | ||||
| Career total | 536 | 139 | 43 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 585+ | 142+ | ||||
Trophies and Records
Panathinaikos Achievements
- Alpha Ethniki (League Champion): 1959–60, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1968–69, 1969–70, 1971–72, 1976–77 (9 times!)
- Greek Cup: 1966–67, 1968–69, 1976–77 (3 times!)
- Balkans Cup: 1977
AEK Athens Achievements
- Alpha Ethniki (League Champion): 1978–79
Amazing Records
- Most league appearances in Greece: 536 official matches (502 with Panathinaikos and 34 with AEK Athens).
- Longest time playing football in Greek history: more than 21 years (1959–1980).
- He scored 139 goals in league games (134 with Panathinaikos and 5 with AEK Athens).
- 124 goals were from shots
- 7 goals were from free kicks
- 2 goals were from headers
- 6 goals were from penalty kicks
Images for kids
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Domazos with Panathinaikos
See also
In Spanish: Dimitris Domazos para niños
