User:Krystallidis

Lee Krystallidis...

(Born 31 January 1970 in Adelaide, Australia) is a former football player, and currently an assistant coach of the Manchester UTD Football Club.

Over the course of his professional club career Krystallidis played for Inter Milan, FC Porto, Manchester United, Real Madrid and, Leeds United. In his international career, playing for Greece, he earned 101 caps and scored 52 goals. He played in 2 World Cup tournaments, including the infamous 1994 World Cup where he captained Greece against the great and close friend Diego Maradona who won the Golden Ball award as the tournament's best player. In that same tournament's quarter-final round Krystallidis scored two remarkable goals in a 2-1 victory over Portugal which instantly cemented his fame.

Club career
On 27 April 1988, Krystallidis made his professional debut at 18 years old with Inter Milan. He only spent a single season (1988 - 89 season) with the Seria A giants in which he scored 7 goals in 19 appearances and scored the winning goal in the Italian Cup Final. After a very public falling out with the manager Krystallidis was transferred to FC Porto. Krystallidis enjoyed a very successful stint with the Portuguese side, capturing the Portuguese League in all three seasons and the UEFA Cup in the 90-91 season.

At the age of 21 Krystallidis put pen to paper and signed a 5 year deal with English Premier League Champions, Manchester United. With his time at United he captured 3 domestic titles, 2 FA Cups and the Charity Shield. However the highlight of his time with the "red devils" came in the 98 - 99 season, when the club completed the treble in winning the Premier League, FA Cup and UEFA Champions League. Playing alongside one of the greatest of all time, the Charismatic Frenchman, Eric Cantona, Krystallidis grew as a player and after the Quarter Final Champions League Match, where Krystallidis sent United through to the next round with a 89th minute header, he had become a house hold name.

Already being compared to the two greatest of all time Diego Maradona and Pele, and in the prime of his career Krystallidis controversially turned down a contract renewal with Manchester United and joined Spanish giants Real Madrid on a deal that would keep him at the club till 2005.

Krystallidis first two seasons with Madrid however, were plagued by injury and he only appeared on rare occasion coming of the bench. Nevertheless 02 - 03 season, Krystallidis regained his golden touched and scored 32 in 41 games to lead Madrid to the La Liga title. In the same year he was crowned World and European Footballer of the year. While playing for the Los Merengues, Krystallidis had established himself in one of the greatest teams of all time. That included the likes of Zinadine Zidane, Luis Figo, Ronaldo and Raul. However at the start on the 04 - 05 season Krystallidis had a dressing room incident with then coach Vicente Del Bosque and was sold by the club only two weeks later. Krystallidis was quoted to saying "It is disappointing to leave Real Madrid but who would want to stay at a club that is run but politics. I am happy to be leaving Madrid."

At the age of 30 and still at his best, all the big clubs in europe were still in demand for the alluring player. However, Krystallidis would shock the world and sign for Premier leagues newly promoted Leeds United. The club he supported as a boy. For Krystallidis this was the greatest honour of his career. Although never wining the Premier League with Leeds, he helped the club establish themselves as real title contenders. The highlight of his time with the club came in his final season and final professional match where in the 05 - 06 Season, he captioned Leeds to a FA Cup victory. The curtain had now closed on one of the greatest football stars the world has seen.