Mimis Papaioannou
Encyclopedia
Dimitris "Mimis" Papaioannou was one of the star football players of AEK Athens FC
. He was born in 1942 and began his career at Nea Genea in the town of Nea Nikomedia (now a part of Veria
), Imathia Prefecture
. He joined AEK in time for the 1963 season for the paltry sum of 140,000 drachmas. Papaioannou proved an instant success helping AEK win their first post-World War II title, scoring twice in the final playoff game of the season against Panathinaikos FC
.
The following year he was crowned top scorer of Greece replacing teammate Kostas Nestoridis
who had, up until that year, won the title five consecutive times. Papaioannou would help AEK win championships again in 1968, 1971, 1978 and 1979. In 1980, Papaioannou left Greece
to continue his career at N.Y. Pancyprian-Freedoms, as a player-coach. He led the club to win both the Cosmopolitan Soccer League
and the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
and attracted the attention of NASL
scouts when he was almost 40 years old.
When his playing career was finally over, Papaioannou tried his hand at coaching (Kerkyra FC
, etc.) without much success. He scored a record 234 goals in 481 games in the Greek A League which was to be surpassed by his teammate Thomas Mavros
. He was given the award of statistically the Best Greek Football Player ever to play the game. Papaioannou was capped 61 times by the Greek National Football Team
scoring 21 goals. During his career many teams sought his services, most notably Real Madrid
during the mid-1960s.
New York Pancyprian-Freedoms
Individual
AEK Athens FC
AEK Athens F.C. , the Athletic Union of Constantinople, is a Greek association football club based in the city of Athens, Greece. Outside Greece, the club is also known as AEK Athens, however, the word Athens is not part of the club's official title.Established in Athens in 1924 by Greek refugees...
. He was born in 1942 and began his career at Nea Genea in the town of Nea Nikomedia (now a part of Veria
Veria
Veria is a city built at the foot of Vermion Mountains in Greece. It is a commercial center of Macedonia, the capital of the prefecture of Imathia, the province of Imathia and the seat of a bishop of the Greek Orthodox Church...
), Imathia Prefecture
Imathia Prefecture
Imathia is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of Central Macedonia. The capital of Imathia is the city of Veroia.-Administration:The regional unit Imathia is subdivided into 3 municipalities...
. He joined AEK in time for the 1963 season for the paltry sum of 140,000 drachmas. Papaioannou proved an instant success helping AEK win their first post-World War II title, scoring twice in the final playoff game of the season against Panathinaikos FC
Panathinaikos FC
Panathinaikos Football Club is a Greek professional football club based in Athens. Founded in 1908, they play in the Super League Greece and are one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Greek football history. They have won 20 Greek Championships and 17 Greek Cups.Panathinaikos is the most...
.
The following year he was crowned top scorer of Greece replacing teammate Kostas Nestoridis
Kostas Nestoridis
Kostas Nestoridis , is a Greek former footballer. He debuted for the Greek National Football Team in 1951 and won 17 caps for his country, scoring 3 goals. Born in Athens of Pontian Greek heritage in 1930, his football career started at Panionios where he played until 1955...
who had, up until that year, won the title five consecutive times. Papaioannou would help AEK win championships again in 1968, 1971, 1978 and 1979. In 1980, Papaioannou left Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
to continue his career at N.Y. Pancyprian-Freedoms, as a player-coach. He led the club to win both the Cosmopolitan Soccer League
Cosmopolitan Soccer League
The Cosmopolitan Soccer League is an amateur soccer league consisting of clubs based in and around New York City. Established in 1923, it is one of the oldest soccer leagues in the United States and has contributed greatly to the nation's soccer history...
and the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is a knockout tournament in American soccer. The tournament is the oldest ongoing American soccer competition and is presently open to all United States Soccer Federation affiliated teams, from amateur adult club teams to the professional clubs of Major League...
and attracted the attention of NASL
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
scouts when he was almost 40 years old.
When his playing career was finally over, Papaioannou tried his hand at coaching (Kerkyra FC
Kerkyra FC
Kerkyra FC, also known as AO Kerkyra , the Athletic Club Kerkyra, is a Greek association football club based on the island of Kerkyra , Greece.-History:...
, etc.) without much success. He scored a record 234 goals in 481 games in the Greek A League which was to be surpassed by his teammate Thomas Mavros
Thomas Mavros
Thomas Mavros is a retired Greek international football player who played as a striker. He is regarded as one of the best players to play club football in Greece having scored a record number of goals there....
. He was given the award of statistically the Best Greek Football Player ever to play the game. Papaioannou was capped 61 times by the Greek National Football Team
Greece national football team
The Greece national football team represents Greece in association football and is controlled by the Hellenic Football Federation, the governing body for football in Greece. Greece's home ground is Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus and their head coach is Fernando Santos...
scoring 21 goals. During his career many teams sought his services, most notably Real Madrid
Real Madrid
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
during the mid-1960s.
Honours
AEK Athens- Greek ChampionshipSuper League GreeceThe Superleague Greece is the highest professional football league in Greece. It was formed on July 16, 2006 and replaced Alpha Ethniki at the top of the Greek football league system. The league consists of 16 teams and runs from August to May, with teams playing 30 games each...
: 1963, 1968, 1971, 1978, 1979 - Greek CupGreek football CupThe Greek Football Cup , commonly known as the Greek Cup or for sponsorship reasons the Football Cup OPAP, is a Greek football competition, run by the Hellenic Football Federation....
: 1964, 1966, 1978
New York Pancyprian-Freedoms
New York Pancyprian-Freedoms
New York Pancyprian-Freedoms is an American amateur soccer team based in Jamaica, New York, United States. Founded in 1974, the team plays in Region I of the United States Adult Soccer Association, a network of amateur leagues at the fifth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid.The team plays its home...
- Cosmopolitan Soccer LeagueCosmopolitan Soccer LeagueThe Cosmopolitan Soccer League is an amateur soccer league consisting of clubs based in and around New York City. Established in 1923, it is one of the oldest soccer leagues in the United States and has contributed greatly to the nation's soccer history...
: 1980 - Lamar Hunt U.S. Open CupLamar Hunt U.S. Open CupThe Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is a knockout tournament in American soccer. The tournament is the oldest ongoing American soccer competition and is presently open to all United States Soccer Federation affiliated teams, from amateur adult club teams to the professional clubs of Major League...
: 1980
Individual
- Greek Championship Top Goalscorer: 1964, 1966
- Greek football player of the century