Mimis Domazos

At 82 years old, Mimis Domazos has this physical status:

Dimitrios "Mimis" Domazos (born 22 January 1942) is a retired Greek footballer who competed as a central attacking midfielder.

"The General" was his name. Mimis Domazos is widely regarded as one of Greece's finest footballers ever produced.

He was known for his superb dribbling skills, his inventive passes, particularly long stretches of pinpoint accuracy, and his leadership.

For more than 15 years, he was the captain of Panathinaikos FC.

Domazos was named the longest-active footballer in Greek football in 1980, having played for more than 21 years, when he retired from playing.

Personal life

Domazos was married to late Vicky Moscholiou, a well-known singer from 1967 to 1978. The couple had two children. Since retiring, he has been a businessman and frequently writes opinion columns for Greek sports journals. He owns a chain of five-a-side football stadiums. Christos Domazos, his nephew, plays for Rethymno football club. Domazos was one of the last torchbearers for the 2004 Athens Olympic Games' opening Ceremony.

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Club career

Domazos was born in Ampelokipoi on January 22, 1942, and grew up next to the Leoforos Alexandras Stadium. His father, a health worker from Samos, was a nurse of Asia Minor origins, and his mother, a nurse from Samos, was a nurse of Asia Minor origins. He played in the fields of the area as a youth and took out a sport's card for the Amyna Ampelokipoi in 1953, revealing a false age in order to participate. His fame soon grew, and Panathinaikos' fascination was piqued. Svetislav Gliovi, the then coach of the "greens," saw him play and be inspired by his moves on the pitch, and recommended his purchase.

Domazos made his Panathinaikos debut in a friendly match against AEK Athens, which resulted in a 2–0 loss. He played as a right winger and wowed fans and experts of the game with his football abilities. He first joined Panathinaikos in 1959 "for a suit and an orange juice," as he had said. Despite his modest stature, Domazos began to impose himself on the young players of the day. His extraordinary service, as well as the admiration of the fans, earned him the respect of colleagues and adversaries. The bulk of the team's attacks were motivated by his feet. He orchestrated an entire team, like a "maestro" with his tacticious play. "The General" appeared in Panathinaikos' nickname soon, and he continued to follow him throughout his football career. He won the same number of titles in his first three seasons. In a 3–3 draw against Panionios on June 4, he scored in the game that brought the last one in 4 June 1961. Mimis Domazos scored 4 goals in a 5–2 away win over Proodeftiki on Friday, becoming the first player of the club to score a four goals in a official match on Friday. For almost 15 years, he was the captain of the "greens"; he was the captain of the "greens." Antonis Antoniadis, his colleague and best friend, formed a formidable attacking pair. He scored a free kick against Olympiacos in 1969, and after the 1–1 draw, he picked correctly and his team was awarded the victory. Panathinaikos, under Ferenc Puskás, advanced to the Final of the European Cup at Wembley Stadium against Ajax on June 2, 1971, where they lost 2–0. He also competed in the Intercontinental Cup's 2-legged final against Nacional in December, where they lost 32-0 on aggregate. In 1969 and 1971, he was Ballon d'Or nominee. Despite that he did not participate in the double final against Slavia Sofia, Panathinaikos won the Balkans Cup in 1977, another remarkable moment of his career. Domazos scored a spectacular bicycle kick and tied in the final 1–1 on March 17 1974, in a decisive derby against Olympiacos. Domazos won Panathinaikos with nine titles, three cups, and 1 Balkan Cup, as well as two domestic doubles in 1969 and 1977. As in 1978, when Antonis Mantzavelakis was a player with a strong personality both on and off the field, he did not hesitate to clash with anyone within the team. So after 498 games in Panathinaikos, 134 goals, and 19 years with the team, he departed with the "greens" after being branded a "finished player."

AEK Athens, Loukas Barlos' owner, did not miss the golden opportunity and landed in Domazos straight away. Barlos called Mimis Papaioannou, the Greek football captain and captain of the team, to his office before signing him, in order to obtain the necessary "appro" for the massive transfer. Papaioannou said he didn't think twice about it and agreed. To orchestrate the Bajevi-Mavros attack, the club was missing the Domazos. With all the players in the team's roster, the team had a blast, though Puskás was also able to work under his former coach, Puskás. He had a superb first season with 29 appearances and 5 goals, but was not finished when he was referred to as "finished" in the United Kingdom, as a model of professionalism. In a brace against PAOK on September 10, 1978, he scored his first goals. He faced his former club in 1–0 victory on April 8, 1979, and before the first half, a fierce clash ensued between the players, including a shaming of Panathinakos and the former teammate, lvarez, came out against Domazos, who accused him of spitting him while threatening, and the "general" replied the next day. Despite his advanced age, he captured his second league title and was able to extend his contract for another year at AEK. He requested an audition from Barlos in January of the following season, as he realised the adoration of his body and after the phone call of the new Panathinaikos' president Yiorgos Vardinogiannis. Domazos told him he wanted to return to his beloved Panathinakos to finish his career, and Barlos immediately accepted, respecting his wishes.

Domazos returned to the team he adored in green for the second time. He may not have scored in the 12 matches he played in, but he showed that despite how many years had passed, he still had a lot of mental and physical endurance, leading up to the winning derby against Olympiacos at home on January 13, 1980. e began his glorious career in 1980 with a total appearance total of 536 goals and 139 goals.

International career

Domazos made his Greek debut against Denmark on December 2nd, 1959, defeating Leoforos 3–1. His last match was played on November 11, 1980, at the same stadium in a friendly match against Australia in a 3–3 draw in which he was praised for his contributions to the national team and Greek football in general. He scored his last goal, making him the oldest player to ever score for Greece, considering that he would have turned 39 in fewer than three months. During those years, he served as the National team captain. He was capped 50 times and scored four goals in total.

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