Antonios Nikopolidis

Antonios Nikopolidis

Nikopolidis playing for Olympiacos in 2008
Personal information
Full name	Antonios Nikopolidis
Date of birth	(1971-01-14) 14 January 1971 (age 46)
Place of birth	Arta, Greece
Height	1.87 m (6 ft 1 1⁄2 in)
Playing position	Goalkeeper
Club information
Current team	Greece U21
Youth career
1985–1987	Anagennisi Artas
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1987–1989	Anagennisi Artas	49	(0)
1989–2004	Panathinaikos	189	(0)
2004–2011	Olympiacos	180	(0)
Total		418	(0)
National team
1999–2008	Greece	90	(0)
Teams managed
2012–2013	Olympiacos (Assistant)
2013	Olympiacos (Caretaker)
2014–2015	Olympiacos (Assistant)
2015–	Greece U21
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 18 April 2010.

Antonios Nikopolidis (Greek: Αντώνιος Νικοπολίδης; born 14 January 1971) is a former Greek footballer that played as goalkeeper and the current football manager of the Greece national under-21 football team.

He is regarded among the best Greek goalkeepers of all time having been awarded the most caps in the national team and playing an integral part in the UEFA Euro 2004 triumph.

Nikopolidis made his first steps at his local team of Anagennisi Artas, from which he was transferred to Panathinaikos in the summer of 1989.

He made his debut during the 1990–91 season in a match against his future club, Olympiacos. In his first years as a Panathinaikos player he was a back-up for Józef Wandzik. In 1995 he played five games as Panathinaikos won the championship and three as they retained it the following year. However, it wasn't until the 1997–98 season that he established himself as a regular goalkeeper at the age of 26. In the 2002 Champions league, he helped the club reach the quarter-finals but, in the 2003–04 season, he lost his place to Konstantinos Chalkias when his contract negotiations broke down.

Panathinaikos offered him €400K per year which, although a pay-rise, he thought was not in line with his contributions to the team over the past 15 years nor with his current market value. As he did not immediately accept the offer the management became suspicious and decided to relegate him to the bench for the rest of the 2003–04 season. The Greek sports media and Panathinaikos fans at first took his side in the conflict and criticised president Vardinogiannis.