Takis Loukanidis (, 25 September 1937 – 11 January 2018) was a Greek footballer of the 1950s–60s. Career Born in Paranesti, a village in the broader area of Drama, Loukanidis' father was killed by Bulgarian armed forces and soon after he was placed in an orphanage at age 10. He began playing football with the youth side of AEK Komotini, and joined the senior team of Doxa Drama F.C. in 1955. He soon attracted the interest of major clubs in Greece and abroad, including Juventus F.C. Finally, Antonis Mantzevelakis brought him to Panathinaikos via APOEL in Cyprus. Takis Loukanidis made his debut on 28 March 1962 against AEK Athens (score: 2-3). In the following match, on 1 April 1962, he scored his first goal with Panathinaikos, helping them beat Proodeftiki 5–0. He ended his career at Aris Thessaloniki, where he won the Greek Cup in 1970. Loukanidis made 23 appearances and scored three goals for the Greece national team from 1958 to 1967. He made his debut in a 1-7 1960 European Nations' Cup qualifying defeat to France on 1 October 1958. Death Loukanidis died on 11 January 2018 in Athens due to a myocardial infarction. He was 80. Panathinaikos released a statement on their official website, paying tribute: Honours Doxa Dramas Greek Cup: 1958 (runner-up), 1959 (runner-up) Panathinaikos Greek Championship: 1962, 1964, 1965, 1969 Greek Cup: 1967, 1969 Aris Greek Cup: 1970 References External links 1937 births 2018 deaths Greek footballers Greece international footballers Super League Greece players Doxa Drama F.C. players Panathinaikos F.C. players Aris Thessaloniki F.C. players Association football midfielders Panserraikos F.C. managers Greek football managers People from Drama (regional unit) Footballers from Eastern Macedonia and Thrace