Ntinos Pontikas
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Konstantinos Pontikas | ||
| Date of birth | 27 February 1982 | ||
| Place of birth | Larissa, Greece | ||
| Height | 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||
Ntinos Pontikas (Greek: Ντίνος Ποντίκας; born 27 February 1982) is a Greek former footballer who played as a striker. He holds the record for the youngest player ever to score a hat-trick.[1][2]
Record[]
On 21 September 1996, Pontikas became the youngest player ever to score a hat-trick at 14 years and 198 days.[3] On his debut match with Haravgi he scored his team's all 3 goals, in their away 4–3 defeat to Ampelokipoi, in the fifth tier of the Greek championship. Opponents Ampelokipoi's squad in that match featured 1988 Greek champion Giorgos Kolovos,[4] 1985 Cup winner and team captain Babis Ntosas,[5] (both as AEL players), and also future Greece international defender Vangelis Moras, as an unused substitute.[6]
Pontikas recorded jaw-dropping scoring performances on two more occasions, but in friendly youth games. The first was in 1995 when he scored 13 goals, aged 13 and the second in 1997 with the youngster hitting the net 10 times.[7]
Biography[]
Pontikas started off with street football before having a brief spell at Toxotis Larissa's youth section in 1995 where Theofanis Gekas was also playing at the time. He subsequently joined Haravgi and was immediately promoted to the first team, scoring a hat-trick on his debut at the age of 14.[8] A few years later he was forced to quit football at a young age due to a serious injury.
Pontikas who was considered one of the most promising young strikers was also one of the fastest players of his generation being able to run 100 metres in less than 11 seconds.[9]
After his forced retirement he attempted to return to football twice by signing and training with local Greek clubs, without featuring in any official match. He eventually joined the English Sunday League at the age of 38, playing a full 90 minutes on his debut.[10]
See also[]
References[]
- ^ "The most remarkable world soccer records". 90soccer. 29 June 2018. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
- ^ "List of world football records (in portuguese)". cloud front.net. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
- ^ "Pontikas and Pontikos: the Greeks who achieved world soccer records". hellenicnews. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
- ^ "Greece league squads 1987-88". RSSSSF.
- ^ "Greece league squads 1984-85".
- ^ "Ampelokipoi squad 1996-97". larissagoal.com. 27 June 2021.
- ^ "World records by Pontikos and Pontikas". National Herald (in Greek). 27 February 2021. Archived from the original on 26 June 2021.
- ^ "The magical feeling of a hat-trick". 90soccer.com. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
- ^ "Ntinos Pontikas, the Greek Freddy Adu". siamsportz. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
- ^ "The beauty of the English Sunday League". 90soccer.com. 3 November 2021.
External links[]
- RSSSF Greece 1996–97 on RSSSF
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- 1982 births
- Living people
- Sportspeople from Larissa
- Greek footballers
- Association football forwards
- Greek football biography stubs