Kleanthis Maropoulos
Kleanthis Maropoulos (Greek: Κλεάνθης Μαρόπουλος; 1919–1991) was a Greek former footballer. A star footballer for AEK Athens and Greece during the 1930s and 1940s. Arguably the finest Greek football player of his period, he was affectionately known as the "Ξανθός Αετός της ΑΕΚ, Blonde Eagle of AEK".
 Kleanthis Maropoulos | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Kleanthis Maropoulos | ||
| Date of birth | 1919 | ||
| Place of birth | Constantinople, Ottoman Empire | ||
| Date of death | 3 January 1991 (aged 72) | ||
| Place of death | Athens, Greece | ||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1931–1933 | Prasina Poulia | ||
| 1933–1934 | Ethikos Kalogreza | ||
| 1934 | AEK Athens | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1934–1952 | AEK Athens | 53 | (31) |
| Total | 53 | (31) | |
| National team‡ | |||
| 1938–1950 | Greece | 10 | (1) |
|
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 12 June 2007 ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 18 June 2006 | |||
Career
Born in 1919 to Greek parents in Tuzla, near Constantinople, Maropoulos came to Greece with his family at age 3 during the population exchanges after the Greco-Turkish War in 1922. Having settled in Kalamata, at age 12 he joined the local football club Prasina Poulia, the Green Birds. When his parents moved to Kalogreza in the Athens area, he signed for Ethnikos Kalogreza. In 1934, he and Tryfon Tzanetis were spotted by AEK Athens who placed them in their youth team. In 1936, he was promoted to the first team. He played in AEK's attack and he was the fear and terror of the opposing goalkeepers with his terrible shot. The slogan "Maropoulos, you cannot!" (Greek: "Δεν μπορείς Μαρόπουλε!") was originally chanted by the opponent's fans, but later on came to be a chant of the fans shouted at him to make him bitter or stubborn to make him tear the opponent nets. Led by Maropoulos, alongside players like his fellow, Tryfon Tzanetis and Kostas Negrepontis, AEK won their first two Greek Championships in 1939 and 1940 - the first domestic double by a Greek club. Unfortunately, the glory years of AEK and Maropoulos were interrupted by World War II. During Τhe Occupation, he actively participated in the Union of Greek Athletes. The objectives of the UGA were to maintain athletic activity (albeit substandard) and to support athletes in difficulty due to illness or hunger. Maropoulos did continue his career after the war, playing until the early 1950s.[1] Overall, he played in 144 matches and scored a total of 89 goals.
He was 10 times international (6 times as captain) with the Greek national team, from 1938 to 1950, with which he had scored 1 goal.[2] He made his debut on 22 January 1938 in a 3-1 victory over Palestine in Tel Aviv in the 1938 World Cup qualifiers.[3] His only "international" goal came in the largest victory of the team with 8-0 over Syria in a friendly match on 25 November 1949. His last international match was on February 17, 1950 in Cairo against Egypt, for the Mediterranean Cup.
Maropoulos last played for AEK in 1952 after 18 years of active service. He may have continued for a while, but he fell seriously ill and was bedridden for many months. After leaving the field, he was for many years an agent of AEK and a selector for the Greek national football team. He worked for AEK and HFF as a member of administration, all while being one of the pioneers of the movement for professional football in Greece. Maropoulos was also elected municipal councilor of Nea Ionia. He and his teammate Tryfon Tzanetis had a strong friendship and they collaborated professionally, maintaining a joint sporting goods store in the center of Athens.[4] The "Blonde Eagle" died in January 1991 at the age of 72.
Honours
AEK Athens
- Greek Championship: 1939, 1940
- Greek Cup: 1939, 1949, 1950
- Athens F.C.A. League: 1940, 1946, 1947, 1950
Individual