| Ntinos Pontikas | |
| Fullname: | Konstantinos Pontikas |
| Birth Date: | 27 February 1982 |
| Birth Place: | Larissa, Greece |
| Height: | 1.81 m |
| Position: | Striker |
Ntinos Pontikas (Greek, Modern (1453-);: Ντίνος Ποντίκας; born 27 February 1982) is a Greek former footballer who played as a striker. He holds the record for the youngest player ever to score a hat-trick.[1] [2]
Pontikas started off with street football before having a brief spell at Toxotis Larissa's youth section in 1995 where Theofanis Gekas was also playing at the time. He subsequently joined Haravgi and was immediately promoted to the first team, scoring a hat-trick on his debut at the age of 14.[3] A few years later he was forced to quit football at a young age due to an injury.
Pontikas who was considered one of the most promising young strikers was also one of the fastest players of his generation being able to run 100 metres in less than 11 seconds.[4]
After his early retirement he briefly returned to football twice with local Greek clubs. During the 2021-22 season he featured in an English amateur division playing a full 90-minutes on his debut.[5] [6]
On 24 September 1996, Pontikas became the youngest player ever to score a hat-trick at 14 years and 198 days.[7] [8] [9] On his debut match as a starter with Haravgi he scored his team's all 3 goals in their away 4–3 defeat to Ampelokipoi, in the fifth tier of the Greek championship. Opponents Ampelokipoi squad featured 1988 Greek champion Giorgos Kolovos,[10] 1985 Cup winner and club captain Babis Ntosas,[11] (both as AEL players), and also future Greece international defender Vangelis Moras as an unused substitute.[12]
Pontikas recorded jaw-dropping scoring performances on two more occasions, but in unofficial games. The first was in 1995 when he scored 13 goals, aged 13, in an XI friendly and the second in 1997 with the youngster hitting the net 10 times in a youth match.[13] He also holds the national record for the youngest player to feature in a U-18 high school county league final, at 14 years and 9 months.[14]