Nikos Pentzaropoulos facts for kids
Nikos Pentzaropoulos (left) and Alfredo Foni with the uniform of Internazionale
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Nikolaos Pentzaropoulos | ||
| Date of birth | 17 January 1927 | ||
| Place of birth | Kallithea, Athens Greece | ||
| Date of death | 29 March 1979 (aged 52) | ||
| Place of death | Athens, Greece | ||
| Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1940–1943 | Keravnos Kallitheas | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1943–1952 | Panionios | ||
| 1952–1953 | Internazionale | 0 | (0) |
| 1953–1957 | Panionios | ||
| International career | |||
| 1948–1952 | Greece | 11 | (0) |
| 1952 | Greece Olympic | 1 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1957 | Panionios | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Nikos Pentzaropoulos (Greek: Νίκος Πετζαρόπουλος; born January 17, 1927 – died March 29, 1979) was a Greek football player. He was a talented goalkeeper who mostly played for Panionios. People called him "the Hero of Tampere" after his amazing performance at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Finland.
Contents
Playing for Clubs
Starting His Football Journey
Nikos Pentzaropoulos started playing football in 1940. He joined a local team called Keravnos Kallitheas. In 1943, when he was just 16, a coach from Panionios noticed his talent. This coach, Giorgos Roussopoulos, quickly brought Nikos to Panionios.
Nikos became a key player for Panionios very quickly. By 1948, he was even playing for the Greek national team. He was known for his incredible reflexes and how well he could save the ball. He was also great at stopping penalty kicks.
An Amazing Save
Once, during a game against Olympiacos, Nikos made a truly unforgettable save. He kicked the ball from his goal, but a strong wind blew it back towards the middle of the field. An Olympiacos player, Andreas Mouratis, known for his powerful shots, took a strong shot towards Panionios's goal.
As the ball flew over Nikos, he jumped high in the air. He turned his body completely around and stretched out. He punched the ball away, keeping his team safe! The crowd cheered loudly for his incredible save. Even Mouratis ran over, helped Nikos up, and gave him a hug.
Playing for Internazionale
Nikos's great skills were noticed during the 1952 Olympics. The coach of Internazionale, Alfredo Foni, saw him play. He was so impressed that he asked Nikos to join the Italian club.
At that time, football in Greece was amateur. Players didn't earn much money. So, the chance to play professionally in Italy with a good salary was a big deal for Nikos. He wasn't from a rich family. He went to Milan in August 1952, hoping to make his dream come true.
He signed a contract and started training with Inter. But Panionios, his Greek club, was not happy about him leaving. They didn't agree to the transfer, even though Inter offered money. So, even after staying in Italy for almost a year, the transfer didn't happen.
Nikos still played well in friendly matches for Inter. An Italian newspaper even called him "The flying goalkeeper" with a picture of him jumping high to block a ball. The caption said, "Pentzaropoulos can fly..."
Back to Panionios
Nikos returned to Greece in 1953, feeling disappointed. He started playing for Panionios again. However, his performances were not as amazing as before. He retired from football when he was only 28 years old.
Playing for Greece
Nikos Pentzaropoulos played 11 games for the Greek national team. He also played in some friendly matches. His first game for Greece was on November 28, 1948, against Turkey.
The Hero of Tampere
His most famous game was on July 15, 1952, at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Tampere, Finland. He was playing for the Greek Olympic team against Denmark. About 7,000 people watched the game.
Nikos played the best game of his career that day. He made many incredible saves against the strong shots from the Danish players. Even though Greece lost 1–2 and was out of the tournament, the crowd cheered for Nikos.
Greek journalists called him the "Hero of Tampere" and wrote many positive articles about him. International newspapers also praised him. Many European papers wrote, "The New Zamora was born," comparing him to one of the greatest goalkeepers of that time. His last game for Greece was on July 25, 1952, against the United Kingdom, which Greece won 4–2.
Coaching Career
Later in his life, Nikos Pentzaropoulos became a coach. He coached the youth team at Panionios. He also dreamed of starting a special school for goalkeepers.
Before he passed away, Nikos taught his goalkeeping secrets to a young player named Antonis Manikas. A few years later, Antonis became famous for saving 15 penalties in three years. He even played for the national team, and he always gave credit to Nikos, his teacher.
His Passing
Nikos Pentzaropoulos passed away on March 29, 1979, at the age of 52. He died from cancer. He didn't get to see Panionios win the Greek Cup a few months later. News of his death spread across Greece, and sports newspapers wrote many stories about him.
