Giorgos Giamalis

Giorgos Giamalis

Giorgos Giamalis
Personal information
Full name	Georgios Giamalis
Date of birth	(1907-08-06)6 August 1907[1]
Place of birth	Constantinople, Ottoman Empire
Date of death	24 February 1985(1985-02-24) (aged 77)
Place of death	Athens, Greece
Position(s)	Goalkeeper
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1922−1926	Hefestos Constantinople
1926−1932	AEK Athens	15	(0)
International career
1929–1932	Greece	10	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Giorgos Giamalis (Greek: Γιώργος Γιάμαλης; 6 August 1907 – 24 February 1985) was a Greek footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He was nicknamed "Valentino", after Rudolph Valentino, as he was a great charmer of women at the time.^[2]

Club career

Giamalis started his career at Hefestos Constantinople in 1922. He was also playing in the team of the Robertian school where he studied from 1922 to 1925.^[3] Until 1924, he played as a midfielder when by a random event he played goalkeeper and established himself in this position.^[3] At the Robertio school he also participated in the 400-meter track team.^[3]

In 1926 he traveled to Greece and joined the newly-formed AEK Athens. He became the first great goalkeeper in the history of the club. He was known for his morals, as in 1927, in a match between AEK and Olympiacos, Georgios Andrianopoulos scored a goal, but the ball had gone through a hole in the nets, without anyone noticing except Giamalis who ran to the referee and asked him to count the goal, as he had seen the ball going through the net. Immediately Andrianopoulos, who was also captain of Olympiacos, asked the referee to stop the match and called his teammates to the center of the pitch, to congratulate him and applaud Giamalis.^[4][5][1] In April 1930 in a derby against Panathinaikos he scored a goal as he was frustrated of his team losing by 2–1 and the fruitless efforts his teammates to equalize, he took a powerful goal kick that the ball jumped two times in the opponent area and the opposition goalkeeper Argyrakis, in his effort to reach it, he pushed the ball into his net.^[1] He was the main goalkeeper of the club and in 1931 he won the first Greek Cup, that was also the first title of the club, defeating Aris with a score of 5–3.^[6] He quit football in 1932 tired of the footballer's life, at the age of only 25.^[1]

International career

Giamalis was the first goalkeeper that played for Greece,^[7] appearing 10 times, 4 of which as their captain between 1929 and 1932. His debut on 7 April 1929, in the first historical match of Greece against Italy B, at the Leoforos Alexandras Stadium.^[8][1]

After football

After the end of his career as a footballer, Giamalis was involved in track and field at a professional level and worked at PPC, even claiming positions at high ranks.^[1]

Personal life

Giamalis was married and had two daughters, Lina and Sofia. He died on 24 February 1985 from acute myocardial infarction. His funeral took place two days later at the cemetery of Palaio Faliro.^[1]

Honours

AEK Athens

• Greek Cup: 1931–32

References