Pantelis Kafes
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Pantelis Kafes | ||
| Date of birth | 24 June 1978 | ||
| Place of birth | Veria, Greece | ||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||
| Playing position | Midfieder, Forward | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1995–1997 | Pontioi Veria | 51 | (7) |
| 1997–2003 | PAOK | 146 | (29) |
| 2003–2006 | Olympiacos | 81 | (8) |
| 2006–2012 | AEK Athens | 138 | (16) |
| 2012–2013 | Veria | 14 | (1) |
| Total | 430 | (61) | |
| National team‡ | |||
| 1994–2001 | Greece U-21 | 17 | (3) |
| 2001–2011 | Greece | 41 | (3) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 26 March 2013. ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 26 March 2013 |
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Pantelis Kafes (Greek: Παντελής Καφές; born 24 June 1978 in Veria) is a retired Greek footballer who lastly was on trial with Philadelphia Union in the MLS, who last recently played as a defensive or central midfielder. He was known for being one of very few outfield players to have worn the number 1 jersey and has won acclaim for his creative abilities and passing skills.
He started playing professional football in January 1995 at the age of 17 for Pontioi Verias. The club were relegated to the third division that summer and the following May were demoted again. The one shining light was Kafes, who joined PAOK in January 1997.
Kafes burst on to the Alpha Ethniki scene in 1998–99, scoring seven times. He continued to impress and was instrumental in PAOK's 2000–01 and 2002–03 Greek Cup triumphs. Yet his spell in Thessaloniki ended acrimoniously as he was released from his contract after a dispute over unpaid wages. Olympiacos stepped in with a three-year contract.
He was ever-present in his first season at Olympiacos as they finished second in the Alpha Ethniki in 2003, and made his first UEFA Champions League appearances, five in all. Kafes played in the majority of Olympiacos' league matches on their way to the domestic double, and only a mid-season injury preventing him from matching his record in Europe, where he took part in all of the club's Champions League and UEFA Cup games. Likewise for next season, 2005–2006, where he played 22 domestic league games, earned another double and scored two truly memorable tying goals from the edge of the box for Olympiacos in the UEFA Champions League against Real Madrid at the 48 minutes drowing the goal of Raul at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu. Kafes 19 October 2005, scored also against Olympique Lyonnais in the UEFA Champions League, drowing the goal of Juninho Pernambucano. Kafes was released from Olympiacos during 2006–07 season. A few days later he signed a 2-year contract with rival side AEK Athens.
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