Legendary striker Kostas Nestoridis, an iconic figure of Greek and Australian football, passed away on December 12, 2023, leaving behind a huge legacy with AEK, the Greek national side and also South Melbourne Hellas.
The famed Greek striker terrorised defences during the 50s and 60s, especially during his tenure with Enosi from 1955-1966 where he scored a total of 228 goals.
During this time, Mr Nestoridis was the league top scorer on five separate occasions, all consecutively from 1959-1963, and was a major part of the teams that won the league in 1962-63 and the Greek Cup in 1963-64.
The AEK icon was also the first player in Greek football to score five goals in a single match, again demonstrating the true goal machine he was, and his exploits were so impressive they even inspired songs.
The “Double-headed eagle of the South” honoured one of the “most important figures” in not only the club’s history but in the history of Greek football.
“Kostas Nestoridis takes with him the love and recognition of all of us. PAE AEK expresses its sincere condolences to his relatives and everyone mourning him,” the club’s statement reads.
Mr Nestoridis made a shock move to Australia in 1966 as a 36-year-old to Australia where he became a player-coach for South Melbourne Hellas.
He played with Hellas for two years (1966 and 1967) and his signing had an immense effect on the crowds, drawing tens of thousands of Greeks to their matches, and even in his somewhat advanced age he managed to finish top scorer and win the championship in his debut season.
South Melbourne also issued a statement mourning Mr Nestoridis’ passing, recognising his incredible impact on the club.
“He 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 our famous shirt, as well as one of Greece’s greatest ever strikers,” the club’s statement reads.
“We send our love the Nestoridis family, AEK Athens and his many friends across the globe during this tough time. Rest in Peace, Kosta.”
In his entire club career, he amassed a total of 295 goals from 355 games while also scoring three times in his 17-game career with the national team.
Mr Nestoridis returned to the club in the early 80s as an assistant manager and then also as head coach.
He encountered health problems in his later years, though emphatically stated that he would not let anything stop him from going to AEK’s new stadium that opened in 2022.
It is fitting then that he has been honoured by placing his likeness as one of the four pillars in “Agia Sophia” Stadium alongside fellow legends Stelios Serafeidis, Mimis Papaioannou and Thomas Mavros, immortalising him with the club in perhaps the biggest way possible.
