Born goalscorer

Greece's Demis Nikolaidis (R) vies with Portugal's Fernando Couto during a friendly in the new stadium of Aveiro, Portugal, 15 November 2003.

Now on the wrong side of 30, but with over 40 international appearances, striker Themistoklis Nikolaidis is one of the veterans of the Greece team and a common source of goals as his country prepare for Euro 2004.

He is equally a vital cog in Otto Rehhagel's Greek wheel as the German coach puts his finishing touches on preparations for the much anticipated tournament in Portugal.

Born in Giessen in West Germany in 1973, his family returned to Greece and he made his professional debut amidst the ranks of modest club Apollon Athens at the age of 20-years-old.

Two years later in 1995, he was called up to the national team one year after the surprising qualification of Greece for the 1994 World Cup where they made their only appearance on the ultimate stage.

AEK Athens player Demis Nikolaidis (R) struggles for the ball with Genk's goalie Jan Moons during their group C Champions League soccer match in Athens, 30 October 2002. AFP PHOTO EPA / ACTION IMAGES /lg

A natural goalscorer, AEK Athens snapped him up and Nikolaidis went on to score an impressive 125 goals in 189 matches for the capital side.

He was on the winning AEK team that won Greek Cups in 1997, 2000 and 2002 and was also joint top scorer with six goals in the Uefa Cup in 2001 despite AEK only reaching the round of 16.

A lengthy absence

Albanian player Rudi Vata (L) and Greek player Th. Nikolaidis duel for the ball during their Euro 2000 qualifier in Tirana 18 November.

He went into the international wilderness between October, 1999 when Greece were eliminated from qualifying for Euro 2000 and October, 2001 but resurfaced when Rehhagel took the national post replacing Vassilios Daniil.

To mark his return he even scored in the dramatic 2002 World Cup qualifier against England where although Greece were already eliminated, they gave Sven-Goran Eriksson's side a scare before David Beckham rescued them with a late equaliser.

Although at international level, Nikolaidis was back on song, life was not so merry at AEK.

Greek soccer player and new Atletico Madrid player, Demis Nikolaidis signs autographs during his official presentation at the Vicente Calderon Stadium in Madrid, 22 July 2003. AFP PHOTO / Pedro ARMESTRE.

He was at the center of a scandal involving club president Makis Psomiadis who eventually resigned for "threatening behaviour" although the club's supporters were firmly behind their star striker.

He married Greek pop singer Despina Vandis in June, 2003, and finally quit AEK for a move to Atletico Madrid who won the race for his signature ahead of Paris Saint Germain.

In the Spanish capital he has linked up with young prodigy Fernando Torres and the duo have formed an explosive pairing as they battle for popularity with the superstars of crosstown rivals Real.