Chris Kalantzis
{{Short description|Australian soccer player}}
{{About||the Greek footballer|Christos Kalantzis}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2023}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Chris Kalantzis
| fullname = Christos Kalantzis
| image =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1967|07|27}}
| birth_place = Sydney, Australia
| height = 1.84m
| position = Midfielder
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 =
| years1 = 1983–1987
| years2 = 1987–1992
| years3 = 1992–1997
| years4 = 1997–2000
| years5 = 2000
| clubs1 = Sydney Olympic
| clubs2 = Panathinaikos
| clubs3 = Olympiacos
| clubs4 = Sydney Olympic
| caps1 = 94
| caps2 = 118
| caps3 = 81
| caps4 = 56
| goals1 = 28
| goals2 = 11
| goals3 = 7
| goals4 = 12
| nationalyears1 = 1985
| nationalteam1 = Australia B
| nationalcaps1 = 2
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2 = 1986–1987
| nationalteam2 = Australia
| nationalcaps2 = 7
| nationalgoals2 = 0
}}
Christos "Chris" Kalantzis (Greek: Χρήστος "Κρις" Καλαντζής; born 27 July 1967) is an Australian former soccer player who played at the highest level of domestic football in Greece and Australia. He played at international level for Australia.
Playing career
=Club career=
Born in Sydney to Greek immigrants. His father came from the village of Loukas in Arcadia region of the Peloponnese, Greece and his mother came from the village of Managouli in Aetolia-Acarnania, Greece, he began his career with Sydney Olympic, First Grade, at the age of 15. He was then signed by the Greek team Panathinaikos, where he played for five years. Olympiacos, a rival Greek club, then signed him.{{cite web | url=http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/Players/K/KA.html | title=Kalantzis, Chris | publisher=OzFootball | work=Australian Player Database | accessdate=29 December 2013}} On his debut against his former team he scored with his famous bicycle kick from outside the box.
He played for Olympiacos another five years before returning to Sydney Olympic to finish his career, playing two years before retiring.
=International career=
Kalantzis played seven matches in full international matches for Australia.{{cite book | title=The Australian National Men's Football Team: Caps and Captains | publisher=Football Federation Australia | author=Howe, Andrew | year=2008}}
Post-football career
In February 2011, Olympiacos announced the establishment of its first Olympiacos Academy outside of Greece in Sydney, Australia.[http://www.neoskosmos.com/news/en/Olympiakos-football-academy-Sydney Olympiakos keen on local talent] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110219073046/http://www.neoskosmos.com/news/en/Olympiakos-football-academy-Sydney |date=19 February 2011 }} neokosmos.com. 13 February 2011. The Australian academy is managed by Kalantzis and Kyriakos Tohouroglou, both former Olympiacos players.
Honours
- National Soccer League Cup Winners: 1983, 1985
- Alpha Ethniki: 1989–90, 1990–91, 1996–97
- Greek Cup: 1988, 1989, 1991
- Greek Super Cup: 1988
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://neoskosmos.com/en/115652/chris-kalantzis-how-i-died-and-came-back-four-times/ Chris Kalantzis Interview]
- [https://archive.today/20200712085221/http://hellasfooty.blogspot.com/2018/11/one-on-one-with-chris-kalantzis.html One-on-one with Chris Kalantzis]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kalantzis, Chris}}
Category:Australian men's soccer players
Category:Australian people of Greek descent
Category:Australian emigrants to Greece
Category:Sportspeople of Greek descent
Category:Australian expatriate men's soccer players
Category:Australia men's international soccer players
Category:Australia men's B international soccer players
Category:Super League Greece players
Category:Olympiacos F.C. players
Category:Panathinaikos F.C. players
Category:Sydney Olympic FC players
Category:National Soccer League (Australia) players
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:Soccer players from Sydney
Category:Naturalized citizens of Greece
Category:20th-century Australian sportsmen
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