We never got to see Vassilis Hatzipanagis, who was called “football’s Nureyev” by his beloved Iraklis fans. He retired in 1990 at the age of 37 years but this video clip will convince many that he was truly Greece’s Maradona.
He was born in the Ukraine and represented the USSR’s U-21 but returned to his land of origin in 1975.
At FC Iraklis he became a legend known for his amazing dribbling skills and vision when it came to passing. With his short, stocky build, and curly hair the comparisons to Maradona are obvious.
” Hatzipanagis who was later voted the best football player in Greek history with his unique style attracted huge audiences to Iraklis games. He had an immediate impact upon his arrival as he was involved in all 4 goals of Iraklis in Greek Cup final of 1976, a 6-5 penalty win (4-4 in regular time) against Olympiakos, either by creating goals or scoring them. ”
He never made the move away from Iraklis despite interest from many of the big European clubs because the club board feared that fans would riot. On the international arena, he represented Greece only once in a friendly against Poland because FIFA ruled thereafter that participation in the USSR junior teams rendered him ineligible.
Hatzipanagis was nominated by the Hellenic Football Association as the greatest Greek footballer for the in UEFA’s 50th anniversary.
We now discover him after two decades. From the Guardian’s TheSportBlog >>