|
|
|
|
  
Panathinaikos
Panathinaikos Athlitiko Omilos, or in English Pan-Athenian Athletic club, is a major Greek sports club, located in Athens, Greece. Panathinaikos currently houses three professional sports team and over the years have included twenty four different sport clubs. PAO or just Panathinaikos is known for its football club, which is a very successful Greek team. Panathinaikos has been housing a football club since 1908. Panathinaikos FC was co-founded by George Kalafatis and his brother Alexander whom later was anointed the first president of PAO FC. In the early 1900’s football was not one of the leading sports in Greece. In 1908 when Panellinios Gymnastikos Syllogos refused to create a football club, George Kalaftis had enough and created with 40 friends Panathinaikos Football Club. Panathinaikos has won many honours and championships over its one hundred year history. In total they have won thirty nine titles. PAO FC has won the Greek Championship on nineteen different occasions as well as the Greek Cup sixteen times. In 1971 the club finished runners-up in the European Championship as well as the Intercontinental Championship one year later. In 2004, the club won the Double tournament for the seventh time. Panathinaikos sports a green shirt, green shorts and white socks. The club has been wearing green since 1918 when an excellent footballer from Istanbul, Michalis Papuzoglou introduced the shamrock to PAO FC, which became the symbol of Panathinaikos FC. Panathinaikos FC was voted team of the month in 2001, by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS). |
