Greek football mourns: the great Mimis Papaioannou has passed away

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Greek football and her family mourn AEK. One of the greatest footballers ever, the best of the 20th century according to the World Football History and Statistics Service, the great Mimi Papaioannouis no longer with us.

After a long battle with serious health problems, the legendary Mimis he passed away at the age of 81. He was born in Nea Nikomedia, Imathia, and from Veria he moved to AEK in 1959. He played with the yellow and black for 20 years, winning 5 championships and 3 Cups. At the same time, he reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League in 1969 and the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup in 1977. He was the all-time top scorer for AEK, with 289 goals in 566 appearances. 236 in 481 appearances in the A’ National Team. He was also the top scorer in the league, in 1964 and 1966. In the National team he played 61 times with 21 goals.

After the end of his career he also dealt with his other love, folk singing. In fact, he also sang the anthem of AEK. Through him, but also from his form that adorns one of the four corners in the stands of the Opap Arena, he will live forever in the new stadium of “Enos”.

AEK’s announcement:

The AEK family mourns the loss of the great Mimi Papaioannou who passed away this morning at the age of 81. The greatest football player in the history of our team has passed into eternity having struggled for years with serious health problems.

The leading Greek footballer of the 20th century, as named by the International Football Statistics Service (IFFHS) in 2000, was born on August 23, 1942 in Nea Nikomedia, Imathia. There he played football for the first time, before Veria acquired him in 1959. With the record amount, for the time, of 175 thousand drachmas, AEK managed to acquire him in 1962. It was supposed to be one of the most important transfers in history of AEK, which he served until 1979, winning 5 Championships and 3 Cups.

Together with Kostas Nestoridis and the other great aces of the time, they led “Enos” to win the title in 1963. After the 1963 title, he starred in the championships of 1968, 1971, 1978 and 1979, in the Cups of 1964, 1966 and 1978, in the participation in the quarter-finals of the Champions League in 1968-69 and in the UEFA semi-finals in 1977. He even sealed the last qualification, this one in the quarter-finals against Queens Park Rangers, scoring with an inconceivable header (with the well-known his ability to stand in the air) the third goal that sent the match to extra time and then to penalties, where AEK advanced.

Mimis Papaioannou was the all-time top scorer for AEK, with 289 goals in 566 appearances. 236 in 481 appearances in the A’ National Team. He was also the top scorer in the league, in 1964 and 1966. In the National team he played 61 times with 21 goals.

Check out this Instagram post.

The post was shared by AEK ATHENS FC (@aekfc_official)

Source: Sport Fm

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