Christos Dimopoulos (, born 6 September 1959) is a former Greek international footballer who played as a forward for PAOK and Panathinaikos. His nickname was "Fonias" (Greek: Φονιάς, meaning "The Killer") of Greek football.
Career Early career Dimopoulos was born in Xylokera, Elis. He took his first steps in football at Hephaestus Vounargou and Aias Gastouni. In 1978, he was acquired by Panetolikos who participated in the second-tier Beta Ethniki. His manager during his second season at the club was Giannis Giakoumis, a former PAOK footballer who had suggested the signing of Dimopoulos to the then PAOK president, Giorgos Pantelakis.
PAOK In 1980, he was transerred to PAOK and played for five seasons, netting 67 goals in all competitions. During his time with PAOK, he linked up effectively with Giorgos Kostikos in attack, which culminated in winning the 1985 league title. In 1982, PAOK fans gave Dimopoulos the nickname "Fonias" (Greek: Φονιάς, meaning "The Killer"), due to his incredible goalscoring record against AEK Athens during that calendar year. In just four matches against AEK—consisting of one Alpha Ethniki match, two Greek Cup ties, and one friendly match—Dimopoulos scored a staggering 11 goals in total. At the end of the 1984–85 campaign, Dimopoulos was PAOK's top goalscorer with 12 league goals, helping the club win the championship. On 22 June, 10-man (Vasilakos was sent-off early in the first half) PAOK lost 4–1 to Larissa in the Greek Cup final held at the Olympic Stadium of Athens and wasted the opportunity to win a first domestic Double. Dimopoulos did not participate as he left the team at Athens airport when they arrived from Thessaloniki for the game. He went to the headquarters of Motor Oil (company of Panathinaikos president Vardinogiannis) in order to seal his transfer to Panathinaikos as his five-year contract with PAOK was expiring.
Panathinaikos Dimopoulos therefore joined Panathinaikos in 1985 and played for five seasons until 1990. During his five-year spell with the club, he made 112 league appearances and scored 40 goals, establishing himself as a reliable and clutch forward, adding two league titles (1985–86, 1989–90), three Greek Cups (1985–86, 1987–88, 1988–89) and one Super Cup (1988) to his honours. During his time with the club, Dimopoulos formed a highly prolific attacking partnership with Dimitris Saravakos. Their chemistry was perfectly showcased in the 1986 Greek Cup final, where Panathinaikos defeated rivals Olympiacos 4–0, with Saravakos scoring twice and Dimopoulos adding another. Beyond domestic silverware, the duo spearheaded Panathinaikos' memorable 1987–88 UEFA Cup campaign. Their most iconic continental moment came on 4 November 1987, when both Dimopoulos and Saravakos scored away against Juventus at the Stadio Comunale in Turin, securing a historic aggregate qualification for the Greek club despite a 3–2 defeat on the night. Dimopoulos was also a key figure in the 1988 Greek Cup final against Olympiacos, scoring the equalizer in the 102nd minute of extra time to make it 2–2, and later converting his penalty kick in the shoot-out to help Panathinaikos win the trophy. The following year, he scored again from the penalty spot in the 1989 Greek Cup final (a 3–1 victory over Panionios), meaning he scored in all three Greek Cup finals he won during his time with Panathinaikos.
Later career Dimopoulos later moved to Athinaikos, spending three seasons in the top-tier Alpha Ethniki, before joining Kalamata for one season in the Beta Ethniki, and finished his career playing for Pyrgos in the Fourth Division during the 1994–95 season.
The 1991 Karaiskakis Stadium pitch invasion On 10 February 1991, during an Alpha Ethniki match between Olympiacos and Athinaikos at the Karaiskakis Stadium, Dimopoulos became the central figure in one of Greek football's most infamous pitch invasions. Olympiacos had taken a comfortable 2–0 lead, but Athinaikos staged a dramatic comeback late in the second half. Dimopoulos scored in the 72nd minute to make it 2–1, and Tzalakostas equalized to 2–2 in the 76th minute. In the 88th minute, with the tension heavily escalated, a foul called against Olympiacos triggered a mass pitch invasion by furious home fans. A group of supporters entered the pitch and began chasing Dimopoulos, who was targeted due to his past as a prominent player for Olympiacos' fierce rivals, Panathinaikos and PAOK. Dimopoulos had to sprint across the field and successfully escaped into the dressing rooms unharmed. The match was permanently abandoned, and the incident gained further notoriety due to a controversial statement by Olympiacos president Argyris Saliarelis, who claimed the invading fans were not hooligans but rather "scientists and educated citizens".
World Record (Three siblings scoring on the same day) On 2 February 1992, during the 18th matchday of the Alpha Ethniki, the Dimopoulos brothers achieved a unique football milestone. All three brothers—Christos, Thanasis and Spyros—who played as forwards for three different top-flight clubs, managed to score on the exact same day, setting a remarkable world record. The goals were scored almost simultaneously during the Sunday afternoon matches: Christos Dimopoulos netted both goals in Athinaikos' 2–0 home victory over Panserraikos. Thanasis Dimopoulos scored for Iraklis in a 2–2 away draw against Panionios. Spyros Dimopoulos scored for Ethnikos Piraeus in a 2–1 win against Apollon Athens. This extraordinary coincidence remains one of the most distinctive statistical achievements in the history of Greek and international football.
International career Dimopoulos had 10 caps for the Greece national football team, between 1982 and 1985.Greek internationals of the 1980s at rsssf.org
Honours PAOK Alpha Ethniki: 1984–85
Panathinaikos Alpha Ethniki (2): 1985–86, 1989–90 Greek Cup (3): 1985–86, 1987–88, 1988–89 Greek Super Cup: 1988
External links EU-football.info - Christos Dimopoulos International career
References