AEK for Nestoridis: “We mourn the loss of one of the greatest personalities in the history of sport in our country”

AEK is not only mourning Kostas Nestoridis, who died on Tuesday morning (December 12th) at the age of 93, as he had recently struggled with many health problems.

The Union announced the news and in its statement described “Nestor” as one of the greatest figures in the history of sports in the country and expressed this Our deepest condolences go out to the relatives of the deceased.

The announcement states:

“The AEK family and Greek football mourn the loss of one of the greatest figures in the history of sport in our country. Kostas Nestoridis died at the age of 93 after struggling with serious health problems for the last time.

One of the leaders in the history of AEK, a legend of Greek football who “shaped” an entire era, embarked on his final journey, plunging into grief all who witnessed his footballing greatness, but also the younger ones who grew up with his myth.

Kostas Nestoridis was one of the greatest virtuosos to appear on our courts. He was originally from Pontus and was born on March 15, 1930 in Drama. During the occupation he followed his family to Athens. At the age of 15 he joined the Greek club Moschatos and found himself at Panionios in the late 1940s.

In 1955 it was time to move to AEK. He favored the AEK because of its refugee origins, but Panioni’s management refused to grant him the grant. According to the regulations in force at the time, he came to the “Union” with a “two-year ban”. Until 1957 he only took part in friendly games, but from 1957 to 1958 he was now able to take part in the AEK and in official games.

By 1965 he scored a total of 228 goals in games in the Athens Championship, the Greek Championship, the Cup and the European Cup, including 141 in the first national team. In the 1958/59 season he won the title of top scorer in the Greek championship for the first time with 21 goals in 18 games. This was followed by the founding of the First National Team, in which he was the top scorer in the first four seasons (1959–63) with 33, 27, 29 and 24 goals respectively. In other words, he was the top scorer in five consecutive championships!

He once scored a “five-pointer” (with Iraklis 5-0 in 1963), a “frame” and twelve hat-tricks, while the goals he scored from corners remained unforgettable! He was the goalkeeper who was recognized and revered by fans for his achievements even many decades after his football career ended.

His greatest moment was winning AEK’s championship in 1963, the team’s first post-war title and first at senior national level. He left AEK in 1966 and later sat on the bench as coach in 15 championship games in 1983 and 1984.

Kostas Nestoridis takes with him the love and recognition from all of us. PAE AEK expresses its sincere condolences to the relatives of the deceased and shares in their mourning.”