Antonios Nikopolidis
Antonios Nikopolidis was born in Arta, Epirus Region, Greece on January 14th, 1971 and is the Soccer Player. At the age of 53, Antonios Nikopolidis biography, profession, age, height, weight, eye color, hair color, build, measurements, education, career, dating/affair, family, news updates, and networth are available.
At 53 years old, Antonios Nikopolidis has this physical status:
Antonis Nikopolidis (born 14 January 1971) is a Greek former footballer who competed as both a goalkeeper and the former head coach of Greece's national under-21 football team. He is one of the best Greek goalkeepers of all time, having been given the most caps in the national team and being integral part of the UEFA Euro 2004 triumph.
Club career
In the summer of 1989, Nikopolidis made his first steps at his hometown team, Anagennisi Arta, from which he was transferred to Panathinaikos.
In a match against his future club, Olympiacos, he made his debut during the 1990-1991 season. He was a back-up for Józef Wandzik in his first years as a Panathinaikos player. He appeared in 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. He helped the team reach the quarter-finals in the 2002 Champions League, but he dropped out of the 2003–04 season after his employment talks ended.
Panathinaikos paid him €400 million per year, a salary increase, but he felt was not in accordance with his contributions to the team over the past 15 years nor with the team's current market value. The president was suspicious about the fact that he did not immediately accept the bid and decided to relegate him to the bench for the remainder of the 2003–04 season. At first, the Greek sports media and Panathinaikos supporters took his side in the conflict and slammed President Vardinogiannis.
News of Nikopolidis having been approached by Olympiacos well before UEFA Euro 2004 were widely distributed. Later, it was discovered that he had signed an agreement right before the tournament began bringing him €600K per year for three years. Following the team's 2003-2004 season double, the fans' indignation of the team was demonstrated during the celebrations after the team's 2003–04 season double, when the majority of the audience booed him.
After being instrumental in UEFA Euro 2004 helping Greece lift the trophy, Nikopolidis joined Olympiacos, making an immediate impact on his once-rival team. He won two doubles in a row against his old club, keeping a clean sheet. He became the first Greek player to win three consecutive doubles with two different clubs.
Nikopolidis also earned a reputation for making game-winning saves in the most important games with his current team. Nikopolidis saved three penalty kicks against Roma, Real Madrid, and Rosenborg BK, leaving him undefeated from the penalty spot in UEFA Champions League football in the Olympiacos shirt. He also tied for the most penalty kicks saved in one season in the 2007-08 season, which included saves against PAOK and former Panathinaikos. At the end of the 2009–2010 season, Nikopolidis revealed that he expects to retire.
However, after Sokratis Kokkalis' persistence, he decided not to continue his education. The veteran goalkeeper said he'll postpone his retirement for one year to emerge as the champion. On June 16, he signed a contract that will keep him at Olympiacos for the 2010-11 season.
On December 14, 2010, he appeared in "8th Match Against Poverty" in Karaiskakis Stadium, Greece, as the UNDP team's goalkeeper.
IFFHS unveiled a list of the best goalkeepers of the first decade in January 2011, and Nikopolidis was included in the list. He was also voted one of the best goalkeepers of the years 1987 to 2011.
Olympiacos won the championship by 6–0 victory over rivals AEK Athens F.C. in Karaiskakis Stadium on March 20, 2011.
In a home 6–0 victory over Larissa F.C. on April 17, he made his final appearance on April 17th. C. In Karaiskakis Stadium. As a final curtain call, he was joined by Balázs Megyeri in the last minutes, so he could say good bye to the Olympiacos fans.
After the game, he was the Olympiacos captain, and he was the first to receive the championship trophy.
International career
Nikopolidis made his Greece national football team debut against El Salvador on August 18, 1999.
He competed in the qualifying rounds of the 2002 FIFA World Cup and Euro 2004, where he excelled as Greece qualified for the finals. Nikopolidis was one of the Greek victory in Portugal, where he kept three clean sheets in the knockout stages. He was also voted goalkeeper of the Euro 2004 All Star team.
After Euro 2008, Nikopolidis announced his retirement from international football, claiming that he took this decision before the tournament began, but also that the Greek national team's national team needs to change dramatically.
Managerial career
In 2012, Nikopolidis became Olympiacos' assistant manager after retirement.
Following Leonardo Jardim's dismissal, he was promoted to boss in January 2013 on an interim basis. He remained in the team as his assistant until Mchel's arrival.
After the 2012-2013 season, Nikopolidis left Olympiacos in order to start his work as a head coach.
On October 1, 2015, he was appointed as the head of Greece's national under-21 football team.