Purple Passionflower – Passiflora incarnata

Dimitris Nalitzis (Greek: Δημήτρης Ναλιτζής; born 25 January 1976) is a Greek former professional footballer who played as a centre forward. He is the current team manager of AEK Athens.

Over the course of 11 seasons (17 overall) he amassed Superleague Greece totals of 230 games and 55 goals in representation of five teams, mainly Panionios.

Club career

Nalitzis was born in Piraeus. His family has hails from Rizia.^[1] After starting professionally with Panionios, making his league debut at the age of 17 and remaining with the club for six seasons, five spent in the top level, his career never really settled, as he went on to represent more than ten teams during more than one decade: until June 2003 he played for Ethnikos Asteras, PAOK and Udinese Calcio (for which he never appeared officially and who also loaned him three times for the duration of his contract, at Perugia Calcio, Sporting Clube de Portugal^[2] and AEK Athens.

After his release from the Italians Nalitzis moved permanently to AEK, but only scored twice in one full season, moving on to the Greek lower leagues, successively with PAE Kerkyra, Panionios – the only two top flight exceptions – Ethnikos Asteras, Ethnikos Piraeus and Fostiras. He also had another unassuming abroad experience, in Cyprus with AEP Paphos, scoring his only league goal as an import during his career.

Nalitzis retired in June 2010, at the age of 34.

International career

Nalitzis made six appearances for Greece, during roughly three years. His debut came on 26 April 2000, in a 1–0 friendly win over the Republic of Ireland in Dublin.^[3]