Pantelis Kafes

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Pantelis Kafes (born on June 24, 1978 in Veria, Greece) is a Greek football player who plays for AEK Athens FC. Being a talented defensive midfield player, Pantelis Kafes has won acclaim for his creative abilities and excellent passing skills. He is, however, a pretty inconsistent performer which keeps him from breaking into the National squad.

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 FC 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 Greek Cup triumph in 2001. Again one of PAOK's outstanding performers in 2002/03, Kafes helped the club to a fourth-placed finish and also took his tally of UEFA Cup appearances to 21. Yet his spell in Thessaloniki ended acrimoniously as he was released from his contract after a dispute over unpaid wages. Olympiacos CFP 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.

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 tieing goals from the edge of the box for Olympiacos in the UEFA Champions League- however they both earned no points for his team, as both games ended 2-1.

Kafes was released from Olympiacos during 2006-07 season. A few days later he signed a 2year contract with AEK, Olympiakos' basic rival for the Greek championship.

Kafes has been a standard call-up in the Greek national side in recent times. He made his debut against Croatia in April 2001 and scored his first goal against Austria in Vienna in March 2003, following it up with another in an August victory against Sweden. Made two appearances in UEFA EURO 2004 qualifying, and was in the finals squad - but did not play - as Greece claimed the championship. He has remained a squad regular since. On the 12/01/08 Kafes scored his first goal for AEK against Veria Kafes, he scored the seconed goal in the 13' minute, the score ended 5 - 1 to AEK. On the 30/02/08 Kafes scored against his former club and put AEK 4 - 0 in front, also the following week he got MVP against Ergotelis, Kafes scored in the 39' minute in that match, the scored ended 3 - 1 to AEK.

There is speculation that Cypriot Champions Anorthosis Famagusta is interested in signing him up for the new season.

He is also noted for wearing the Number 1 jersey, a jersey number usually worn by goalkeepers.

[edit] Honours

PAOK

• Greek Cup: 2001, 2003

Olympiacos

• Super League Greece: 2005, 2006, 2007
• Greek Cup: 2005, 2006

Greece

• European Championship: 2004

v • d • e Greece squad - UEFA Euro 2004 Winners (1st Title) 1 Nikopolidis • 2 Seitaridis • 3 Venetidis • 4 Dabizas • 5 Dellas • 6 Basinas • 7 Zagorakis • 8 Giannakopoulos • 9 Charisteas • 10 Tsiartas • 11 Nikolaidis • 12 Chalkias • 13 Katergiannakis • 14 Fyssas • 15 Vryzas • 16 Kafes • 17 Georgiadis • 18 Goumas • 19 Kapsis • 20 Karagounis • 21 Katsouranis • 22 Papadopoulos • 23 Lakis • Coach: Rehhagel