Recent from talks
Theodoros Zagorakis
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Theodoros Zagorakis
Theodoros Zagorakis (Greek: Θεόδωρος Ζαγοράκης [θeˈoðoɾos zaɣoˈɾacis]; born 27 October 1971) is a Greek politician and former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He was the captain of the Greece team that won UEFA Euro 2004, and was also captain and later president of PAOK. He was named the Greek Male Athlete of the Year in 2004.
He was elected as a Greek MEP at the May 2014 and May 2019 European Parliament Elections. He was also the president of the Hellenic Football Federation from March to September 2021.
Zagorakis was a central midfielder who could also play on the right side of midfield. He started his career with Kavala in 1988, the club that also produced Zisis Vryzas, with whom he became close friends. He was an important part of helping the team get into the Beta Ethniki.
In the 1992–93 season, Zagorakis left Kavala as a winter transfer to join PAOK, part of a string of star transfers made that season. He played for PAOK until December 1997, and also captained the squad in his last two seasons. He rarely missed a league derby and scored important goals, particularly in 1994–95 when he struck four, his best-ever tally.
Zagorakis left for English club Leicester City the following winter and signed for Martin O'Neill's side in 1998. While in England, he took part in two consecutive League Cup finals at Wembley Stadium, losing the first against Tottenham Hotspur in 1999 and defeating Tranmere Rovers in the second, though he was an unused substitute in the latter. Zagorakis will always be fondly known by Leicester fans for his sheer determination in midfield and also his goalkeeping cameo against Crystal Palace, in a 3–3 draw, where he went in goal after Pegguy Arphexad and then Tim Flowers went off injured.
Zagorakis was disappointed with Leicester manager Martin O'Neill's reluctance to use him regularly and decided to return to Greece in 2000. He moved to AEK Athens, and played alongside fellow countrymen such as Michalis Kapsis, Vasilios Lakis, Demis Nikolaidis and Vasilios Tsiartas. He formed an excellent duo in midfield with both Akis Zikos and Kostas Katsouranis, helping with his game in the defensive part and also in the organization of the offense, where he also competed at times as a captain. A goal with AEK was against Inter Milan at Giuseppe Meazza with a great shot for the round of 16 of the UEFA Cup. With AEK, Zagorakis won the Greek Cup in 2002 against rivals Olympiacos.
Zagorakis, during his last season in AEK, has accepted a reduced pay-off which is reported to be £220,000."He showed he genuinely has the club's best interests at heart and is free to take up any of the great offers from teams abroad," said a club statement.
In the summer of 2004, having the best moment of his career at the Euro in Portugal and with AEK in a difficult administrative situation, he left the team.
Hub AI
Theodoros Zagorakis AI simulator
(@Theodoros Zagorakis_simulator)
Theodoros Zagorakis
Theodoros Zagorakis (Greek: Θεόδωρος Ζαγοράκης [θeˈoðoɾos zaɣoˈɾacis]; born 27 October 1971) is a Greek politician and former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He was the captain of the Greece team that won UEFA Euro 2004, and was also captain and later president of PAOK. He was named the Greek Male Athlete of the Year in 2004.
He was elected as a Greek MEP at the May 2014 and May 2019 European Parliament Elections. He was also the president of the Hellenic Football Federation from March to September 2021.
Zagorakis was a central midfielder who could also play on the right side of midfield. He started his career with Kavala in 1988, the club that also produced Zisis Vryzas, with whom he became close friends. He was an important part of helping the team get into the Beta Ethniki.
In the 1992–93 season, Zagorakis left Kavala as a winter transfer to join PAOK, part of a string of star transfers made that season. He played for PAOK until December 1997, and also captained the squad in his last two seasons. He rarely missed a league derby and scored important goals, particularly in 1994–95 when he struck four, his best-ever tally.
Zagorakis left for English club Leicester City the following winter and signed for Martin O'Neill's side in 1998. While in England, he took part in two consecutive League Cup finals at Wembley Stadium, losing the first against Tottenham Hotspur in 1999 and defeating Tranmere Rovers in the second, though he was an unused substitute in the latter. Zagorakis will always be fondly known by Leicester fans for his sheer determination in midfield and also his goalkeeping cameo against Crystal Palace, in a 3–3 draw, where he went in goal after Pegguy Arphexad and then Tim Flowers went off injured.
Zagorakis was disappointed with Leicester manager Martin O'Neill's reluctance to use him regularly and decided to return to Greece in 2000. He moved to AEK Athens, and played alongside fellow countrymen such as Michalis Kapsis, Vasilios Lakis, Demis Nikolaidis and Vasilios Tsiartas. He formed an excellent duo in midfield with both Akis Zikos and Kostas Katsouranis, helping with his game in the defensive part and also in the organization of the offense, where he also competed at times as a captain. A goal with AEK was against Inter Milan at Giuseppe Meazza with a great shot for the round of 16 of the UEFA Cup. With AEK, Zagorakis won the Greek Cup in 2002 against rivals Olympiacos.
Zagorakis, during his last season in AEK, has accepted a reduced pay-off which is reported to be £220,000."He showed he genuinely has the club's best interests at heart and is free to take up any of the great offers from teams abroad," said a club statement.
In the summer of 2004, having the best moment of his career at the Euro in Portugal and with AEK in a difficult administrative situation, he left the team.
Recent media