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Born in [[Tuzla]], [[Asia Minor]], in [[1919]], '''Kleanthis Maropoulos ''' was arguably the best player of his period (late pre-WW II [[1930s]] - early post WW II era[[1950s]]) known affectionately as the "Blond Eagle of AEK".Led by Maropoulos, alongside players like Tzanetis and Negrepontis, AEK won their first two championships in 1939 and 1940.Unfortunately, the glory years of AEK and Maropoulos were interrupted by the Second World War. Maropoulos continued his career after the war and played until the late 1940's.He was capped 10 times by Greece. He subsequently managed the Greek National Team in the early 1960's before retiring altogether from football to manage his sporting goods stores. He died in 1991.

Maropoulos came to [[Greece]] with his family at age 3 - after the [[Asia Minor Disaster]] and settled in [[Kalamata]]. At age 12 he joined the local football club Prasina Poulia. When his parents moved to [[Kalogreza]] in the [[Athens]] area, he signed for Ethnikos Kalogreza. In [[1934]], he was spotted by [[AEK FC|AEK]] who placed him in their youth team. In [[1936]], he was promoted to the first team. Led by Maropoulos, alongside players like [[Tryfon Tzanetis]] and [[Kostas Negrepontis]], [[AEK FC|AEK]] won their first two championships in [[1939 Football Championship|1939]] and [[1940 Football Championship|1940]] including the first domestic double by a Greek club. Unfortunately, the glory years of [[AEK FC|AEK]] and Maropoulos were interrupted by the [[World War II]]. He continued his career after the war and played until [[1952]]. He is credited with scoring 253 goals, 97 of which he attained prior to the war. Maropoulos was capped 10 times by the [[National Football Team]] of Greece and scored one goal in those matches. He subsequently managed the Greek National Team in the early [[1960s]] before retiring altogether from football to manage his sporting goods stores. He died on [[January 3]], [[1991]]. [[Category:Football Players|Maropoulos, Kleanthis]][[Category: 1919 births|Maropoulos, Kleanthis]][[Category:1991 deaths|Maropoulos, Kleanthis]]