Giannis Kanakis


Giannis Kanakis (Greek: Γιάννης Κανάκης; 27 August 1927 — 24 March 2016) was a Greek former professional footballer who played as a wide midfielder.

Giannis Kanakis
Personal information
Full name Ioannis Kanakis
Date of birth (1927-08-27)27 August 1927
Place of birth Kavala, Greece
Date of death 24 March 2016(2016-03-24) (aged 88)
Place of death Athens, Greece
Position(s) Wide midfielder, full back
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Elpida Kavalas
–1949 AE Kavalas
1949–1960 AEK Athens 51 (16)
Total 51 (16)
International career‡
1951 Greece 1 (0)
1952 Greece military (10)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 8 April 2018
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 20 November 2002

Club career

Early years

Kanakis started football at Elpida Kavalas and continued at AE Kavalas, competing in the defensive line.[1] In 1949 he was transferred to AEK Athens following the suggestion of Kostas Negrepontis.

AEK Athens

At AEK, he was relocated in the position of the wide midfielder. A strong, spirited, passionate, but also skilled football player, with a great shot, he wrote his own history in AEK and in Greek football and was loved very much by the fans of the yellowblacks. In 1952, after Kleanthis Maropoulos retired, he became the team's captain. He was one of the team's leading players in the first half of the 1950's and with the arrival of the legendary striker, Kostas Nestoridis in 1955, they formed an amazing competitive partnership. On 24 June 1956, he won the Cup with AEK, scoring the winner with a power shot in the final 2–1 against Olympiacos.[2] On 25 October 1959, he scored in the 3rd minute in the away match against Ethnikos Piraeus and became the first player in the history of Greek football who scored in the newly formed first national division.[3][4][5] He managed to compete in 6 times in that season's championship scoring 2 goals.[6] In the second round match against Ethnikos Piraeus at the Nea Filadelfeia Stadium, he was honored for his presence,[7] before retiring as a footballer, passing on the captainancy of the team to Andreas Stamatiadis. With AEK he won 2 Cups and a Athens FCA League in 1950.[8][9]

International career

Kanakis played for Greece once, in the away friendly 1–0 defeat against France B in Marseille on 14 October 1951.[10]

He was also anointed an international with the Military team, scoring 10 goals, winning the World Military Cup in 1952 and scoring the winner against Belgium.[11][12][13]

Personal life

Kanakis he worked at the PPC alongside his football career.[9] After his retirement as a footballer he remained close to his beloved AEK and even served for a number of years as director of their football department.[14] He died on 24 March 2016 at the age of 88.[15][16][17][18]

Honours

AEK Athens

Greece military

References
  1. "ΓΙΑΝΝΗΣ ΚΑΝΑΚΗΣ: Ένας μεγάλος κανονιέρης από την Καβάλα στην ΑΕΚ". koinoniki.gr.
  2. Γκόγκουλης, Ευάνθης. "OLD FOOTBALL - Κυπελλούχος με γκολάρα του Κανάκη". oldfootball.gr.
  3. "ΑΕΚ: Σαν σήμερα ο Γιάννης Κανάκης πέτυχε το πρώτο γκολ στην Α' Εθνική". pontosnews.gr. 25 October 2022.
  4. Καζαντζόγλου, Σταύρος (25 October 2020). "Ο μεγάλος Γιάννης Κανάκης της ΑΕΚ πέτυχε το πρώτο γκολ στην ιστορία της Α' Εθνικής". enwsi.gr.
  5. "Το ιστορικό γκολ του Γιάννη Κανάκη - 25/10 08:34". aek365.org.
  6. "Ο Γιάννης Κανάκης ο θρύλος του ποδοσφαίρου :: Eykalipsis". eykalipsis.com. 4 December 2020.
  7. "Ποιος ήταν ο Γιάννης Κανάκης". aek-live.gr. 24 March 2016.
  8. "Το αφιέρωμα που έκανε τον ίδιο τον Γιάννη Κανάκη να κλάψει... (vid)". 24 March 2016.
  9. "Γιάννης Κανάκης". kitrinomavro.gr.
  10. "Greece matches 1951–1955" (PDF). epo.gr.
  11. "newsp. Athletic Echo, 8/3/1952". athlitikihxo.gr.
  12. "newsp. Athletic Echo, 26/3/1952". athlitikihxo.gr.
  13. "World Military Championship". RSSSF.
  14. "Έφυγε ο Γιάννης Κανάκης!". aekfc.gr.
  15. "Παλαίμαχος της ΑΕΚ έσβησε από ιατρική αμέλεια". zougla.gr.
  16. newsroom, sport-fm. "Έφυγε από τη ζωή ο Γιάννης Κανάκης". sport-fm.gr.
  17. "Ο Γιάννης Κανάκης «έσβησε» από ιατρική αμέλεια!". sdna.gr. 25 March 2016.
  18. "Εφυγε ο μεγάλος αρχηγός της ΑΕΚ Γιάννης Κανάκης". efsyn.gr.
  • "History of AEK", collective work, Publications G.Ch. Alexandris, Athens 1996
  • "Greece, March Through Time", V. Melecoglou-Agg. Mendrinos-Th. Davelos, "Papazisis Publications", Athens 2001
  • Giannis Kanakis at aekfc.gr
  • Giannis Kanakis at WorldFootball.net
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