Giorgos Karafeskos

Giorgos Karafeskos (Greek: Γιώργος Καραφέσκος; born 8 December 1946) is a former Greek international footballer who played as a midfielder, mostly for AEK Athens.

Club career[]

Karafeskos started football from an early age, playing in the fields of his neighborhood like most children of that time. At the age of 13, in 1959 Karafeskos went with a friend to the AEK Athens' stadium in Nea Filadelfeia to participate in the trials for the club's academies. His friend was chosen immediately, in contrast to young Karafeskos who was rejected. The trials were also watched by the then coach of the first team, Harry Aurednik, who, watching the little one disappointed, called him next to him and asked him to do various exercises with the ball. Aurednik recognized his talent and urged him to go to the club's office and sign a sports card. Thus, Karafeskos joined the infrastructure departments of AEK in 1959. Two years later Karafeskos was already a member of the teen national team and the youth national team. In 1965, at the age of 18.5, he made his debut in the men's team of the AEK under the coach Tryfon Tzanetis. He started playing in the position of right winger, but then established himself as a central midfielder while he played several times as a defensive midfielder. Karafeskos young presence in AEK from the infrastructure departments gave him the nickname "Baby" that followed him throughout his football career.^[1] Regardless of the position he covered, Karafeskos showed great ease in scoring as he did not leave much room for reaction to the opposing goalkeepers with the "deadly" shots he attempted. Strong personality and unruly character, he adapted his game to the requirements of each match. The coaches of the other teams "sacrificed" two or three players to mark him, but he masterfully opened spaces to his teammates, and helped organize the attack. It was not uncommon for him to start a campaign from the center of the field, reaching the opponent's area. His comfort to maneuver with the ball, his beautiful dribbles, but also the pressing defense he could play, were great elements for the midfield of AEK. In his career at AEK, he completed 255 appearances with 30 goals in all competitions and won 2 Greek championships and a Greek Cup, while he was a member of the team that played in the European Cup Quarterfinals in 1969.^[2] He parted ways with AEK in 1974, after a "misunderstanding", due to a publication that wanted him "released" and despite the assurance of Loukas Barlos that such a reason did not occur. His idiosyncratic and developed selfishness led him to the mistake – as he publicly admits – of leaving AEK and the transfer to Kastoria with which he played until 1978. The last stop of his career was Kallithea until 1980 when he retired, at the age of 33.^[3]

International career[]

Karafeskos also played in all divisions of the national teams, had 8 appearances with the Men's national team^[4] and was a member of the military national team that in 1967 won the World Military Cup in Baghdad. Decisive role in his establishment as a midfielder was a match of the youth national team against Yugoslavia in which, while Greece was behind the score with 0–1, he was ordered to mark the opponent's attacking midfielder. Karafeskos "locked" his opponent and contributed the most to the comeback of Greece with 2–1. In 12 October 1968 he debuted with Greece at an away match against Switzerland for the 1970 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.^[5]

Coaching career[]

Since retirement, he has been involved in coaching, obtaining the diploma of the Beta Ethniki. He worked in many amateur clubs in Athens. In the period 1993–1994 he worked in Crete and specifically in Poseidon Heraklion, which he led to the Gamma Ethniki. Immediately after, he returned to AEK as a coach in the reserve team and remained there for 12 years doing a fine job under adverse conditions, alongside Andreas Stamatiadis.

Personal life[]

He is particularly active with the events of the AEK Veterans Association. His beloved partner, Irene has passed away. He has a daughter, Melina, who is a pilot and lives permanently in New York with her husband and their two children.

In 29 Sempember 2020 Karafeskos donated part of his personal collection to the under-construction AEK Athens History museum in the Agia Sophia Stadium. He chose the specific date on purpose as it is a 49 anniversary of AEK's 3–2 victory against Inter Milan in 1971–72 European Cup.^[6][7]

Honours[]

AEK Athens

• Greek Championship: 1967–68, 1970–71
• Greek Cup: 1965–66

References[]