Greek soccer legend and former South Melbourne star Kostas Nestoridis dies

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The Greek soccer legend Kostas Nestoridis has died at the age of 93.

Well known as one of the best strikers at AEK Athens and in Greek football, Nestoridis died in Athens on Tuesday, December 12.

Born in Drama, Northern Greece on March 15, 1930, Nestoridis was the youngest of three children who came from a Pontian background.

In 1955, he played for Panionios FC. Although he had been offered a contract with two major Greek football teams, Olympiacos and Panathinaikos, he rejected their offers to play for AEK, which links back to his refugee origins.

He signed the contract with AEK in 1957, where he played eight seasons with them. In his career, he achieved winning a Greek Championship playing for Greece’s national team, and winning the Greek Cup in 1964 for AEK.

Just over 10 years later, in 1966, Nestoridis moved to Australia in search for a better life and a more complete professional rehabilitation. He then signed a contract as a player-coach for South Melbourne Hellas.

Nestoridis was a key player in the South Melbourne team that won the league in 1966 and is still regarded by many as one of the best players to wear the Hellas shirt.

Source: Ekathimerini.

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