Takis Fyssas facts for kids
Fyssas as a member of the Greek staff at Euro 2012
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Panagiotis Fyssas | |||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 12 June 1973 | |||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Athens, Greece | |||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | |||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Left back | |||||||||||||||
| Team information | ||||||||||||||||
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Current team
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Panathinaikos (Strategy consultant & ambassador) | |||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||
| Panionios | ||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||
| 1990–1998 | Panionios | 150 | (9) | |||||||||||||
| 1998–2003 | Panathinaikos | 123 | (6) | |||||||||||||
| 2003–2005 | Benfica | 30 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| 2005–2007 | Hearts | 53 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| 2007–2008 | Panathinaikos | 7 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| Total | 363 | (16) | ||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||
| 1999–2007 | Greece | 60 | (4) | |||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||
Takis Fyssas (born on June 12, 1973) is a famous Greek former footballer. He played as a left back, which is a defensive position on the left side of the field. After he stopped playing, he worked as a sporting director for the Greek national team.
Takis Fyssas played 60 games for the Greek national team between 1999 and 2007. He was a key part of the team that won the Euro 2004 championship. This was a huge surprise in the football world!
Contents
Playing for Clubs
Starting at Panionios
Takis Fyssas began his football journey in the youth team of Panionios. He made his first professional appearance in the 1990–91 season. He played for Panionios for eight seasons. During this time, his team won the Greek Cup, which is a big achievement.
Moving to Panathinaikos
In 1998, Fyssas joined Panathinaikos, a well-known club in Athens. Playing for a bigger team meant more people saw him play. This helped him get noticed by the Greek national team. He played his first game for Greece against Finland in 1999. While at Panathinaikos, he also played in the UEFA Champions League for the first time in the 2000–01 season.
Playing in Portugal with Benfica
In December 2003, Takis Fyssas moved to Lisbon, Portugal, to play for Benfica. He stayed there for about a year and a half. During his time with Benfica, he helped them win the Portuguese Cup in 2004. They also won the Primeira Liga, which is the top football league in Portugal, in 2005. He even scored a goal in the Portuguese Cup final that helped his team win!
Adventures in Scotland with Hearts
After leaving Benfica in 2005, Fyssas made a surprising choice. He decided to move to Scotland to play for Hearts. Many other teams in England and Germany were interested in him. In his first season with Hearts, he won his fourth career medal. This happened when Hearts beat Gretna in the 2006 Scottish Cup final. He scored his only goal for Hearts in a league game in December 2006. Fans loved him, and he is remembered for his exciting celebrations. He left the club in 2007 to return to Panathinaikos.
Back to Panathinaikos
Takis Fyssas returned to Panathinaikos for a second time. However, he only played a few games during this period. After a short time, he quietly decided to retire from playing professional football.
International Success with Greece
Takis Fyssas played 60 matches for the Greek national team and scored four goals. He was a very important player when Greece won the Euro 2004 championship in Portugal. This victory was a huge shock to the football world. Before the tournament, many people thought Greece had almost no chance to win. They were considered 100-to-1 outsiders! After their amazing win, Fyssas was chosen to be part of the "Team of the Tournament."
Life After Playing Football
After retiring as a player, Takis Fyssas continued to work in football. He joined the staff of the Panathinaikos Youth Departments as a technical director. This meant he helped guide young players.
Later, he started working with the Greek national team. He helped coaches like Otto Rehhagel for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He also assisted the new coach, Fernando Santos, after Rehhagel retired in 2010. Fyssas served as the sporting director for the Greek national team until 2024.
In May 2019, Fyssas was a candidate in the Greek legislative election. He ran for the New Democracy Party, but he was not elected.
Trophies and Awards
Takis Fyssas won several important trophies during his career:
Panionios
- Greek Cup: 1997–98
Panathinaikos
- Greek Cup: runners–up 1998–99
Benfica
- Primeira Liga: 2004–05
- Taça de Portugal: 2003–04
- Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: runner-up 2004
Hearts
- Scottish Cup: 2006
Greece
See also
In Spanish: Takis Fyssas para niños
