Nikos Liberopoulos

Nikos Liberopoulos (Greek language: Νίκος Λυμπερόπουλος, born on August 4, 1975 in Filiatra) is a Greek people international Football (soccer) player.

Club career

He is one of the most popular footballers to come out of Peloponnese. Liberopoulos started off his career with Erani Filiatron, he then moved to Kalamata F.C in 1994. After impressing scouters, Panathinaikos F.C. snapped him up in 1996. While playing for Panathinaikos he reached the semifinal stage of the UEFA Champions League. In 2003, Liberopoulos clashed with Panathinaikos' management over contractual extensions, which eventually led to him leaving the club. He chose to sign with AEK Athens F.C., where he became a formidable offensive player and inspirational leader.

On June 2007, Liberopoulos was offered a lucrative contract with 1. FC Nuremberg worth 4 million euros, which AEK Athens refused to accept. Club president Demis Nikolaidis has publicly announced his intent to retain Liberopoulos at all costs in an effort to bolster AEK Athens chances at achieving dominance in the Super League Greece. Since August 18 2007 he is the Greek player that has the most appearances in European competitions.

On July 7 2008, Liberopoulos was released by AEK. German team Eintracht Frankfurt announced his signing on July 13th 2008.

He made his German Bundesliga debut for Eintracht Frankfurt, playing the full 90 minutes against Hertha Berlin on August 17, 2008 at the Commerzbank-Arena in Frankfurt.

International career

Liberopoulos has appeared 59 times for Greece national football team scoring 13 goals in the process. Liberopoulos is currently active as a forward in the national team. His most notable performance in the Euro 2008 qualifiers to date was a last-second goal 5 minutes into stoppage time to grant Greece a 2-1 victory over Moldova national football team on June 6 2007, which placed Greece at the top of their qualifying division. Liberopoulos has been known on the international scene as a "super sub", coming off the bench many times in the final quarter of games and scoring the decisive goal. He was a member of the 23-man lineup formed by Coach Otto Rehhagel for Euro 2008.

Records

- He has 76 appearances and has scored 15 goals in European competitions which makes him the Greek player with the most appearances in European competitions.

Honours

Erani Filiatron
- Delta Ethniki: 1993

Individual
- Greek Footballer of the Year Best young player: 1996
- Greek Footballer of the Year Best Greek player: 2000, 2006, 2007
- Greek Superleague Top Goalscorer: 2003, Super League Greece 2006-07