Footballer Mimis Domazos died on Friday morning, plunging the Panathinaikos family and the entire Greek football fandom into mourning .
Panathinaikos, the team he cherished his whole life and the one that adored him like no other, bid an emotional farewell to the legendary “general,” the greatest footballer to ever wear the “trefoil” jersey.
The Panathinaikos announcement
“The Panathinaikos family mourns today the loss of the best of the best, Mimi Domazos. It is a day of mourning for the club. Our iconic Panathinaikos “General” has passed into eternity. He will remain immortal in the memory of all of us and his achievements will remind future generations that Mimis Domazos was one and only.
The General was, is and will be the greatest footballer to have emerged from Greek football. He was the first of the first. He was the great captain and leader of the trefoil in the 20 years during which he graced the club’s jersey and was adored by the fans like no other. He was the “good number 10”! He was the one whom everyone had as a role model. He was the one everyone wanted to have as their captain. He was the one that nobody wanted as an opponent. He was the best ace of the fields this country ever produced.
He was born on 22 January 1942, and started playing football in the alpine pastures of Ampelokipi. At the age of 13 he got his first ticket with Amina Ambelokipon. His talent was unparalleled and it was clear Panathinaikos was his destiny. His unofficial debut in green as a right winger was in a friendly match against AEK Athens for the Christmas Cup, played on 26 December 1958. The then coach of the Greens, Svetislav Glisovic, recommended the acquisition of the talented young ace in 1959 and Mimis Domazos was transferred to Panathinaikos at the age of 17.
The day he officially wore the trefoil jersey, the course of the history of Greek football changed. During his days Panathinaikos was dominant: they won nine championships (1960, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1964, 1965, 1969, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1977), three Cups (1967, 1969, 1977), and one Balkan Cup (1977).
The club became well-known all over the world and Domazos was its brightest star. The highlight of Domazos’ “golden” era was the epic run of the trefoil team to the final of the Champions Cup in 1971. At the legendary Wembley, he was the first to enter the pitch as captain of the only Greek team ever to play in the final of the top European inter-club competition. Later, he also led the Greens in the historic double final of the Intercontinental Cup against Nacional Montevideo. The “General” stood tall in front with the number ten on his back and the armband on his arm showing the way and inspiring his teammates. As he always did on all the pitches.
He played continuously for Panathinaikos from the summer of 1959 until 1978. He returned in December 1979 in order to end his tremendous career with the team of his heart. He wore the green for 20 seasons, making 504 appearances with the trefoil on his chest. He is the leader in terms of appearances in Panathinaikos’ history and in Greek football as a whole (538 games, 141 goals). He played 39 times in the European Cups, while in total he played more than 600 games with the trefoil on his chest!
He was a great virtuoso of the ball but also a great performer, as the 165 goals he scored with Panathinaikos demonstrate: 136 in the league, 26 in the Cup and 3 in Europe.
A born winner, Mimis Domazos didn’t want to lose even in the Panathinaikos veterans’ friendly matches. With his own goal in 2000, the Greens beat Ajax’s veterans 1-0, getting revenge for the 1971 final loss.
Domazos remained with Panathinaikos throughout his life, serving at times as a member of the team’s administration. He never missed a match of his team, Panathinaikos. In cold and rainy weather, even in difficult times for the club, the “general” was always present in the stands. Eternally passionate about football, eternally in love with Panathinaikos.
The unsurpassed Domazos, the “general of generals”, our beloved Mimis, is no longer with us. But his star will shine forever and will be a guide for the new generations in Panathinaikos.
We express our sincere condolences to his loved ones”.