Panajot Pano`s Enduring Legacy, “The Master of the Goal” and the greatest Albanian Soccer Player of the Century!

Prologue
In the annals of Albanian football history, few names shine brighter than Panajot Pano.

Writing about such high-class champions is a bit difficult, no matter how much information you have selected, you will still feel like you have left something unsaid.
We are going to look back on his career and recall some of the glorious and memorable moments of his modest past.

Pano has played close to 700 matches, over 100 of which are international (friendly matches included), over 400 domestic goals and over 50 international goals. He has been voted “The greatest soccer player” but the Albanian autocracy would like to name him only “Master of Sports” a title which he has received decades ago.

Pano would go on to become one of the nation’s most revered and accomplished footballers, earning the nickname “The Albanian Arrow” for his blistering speed and deadly finishing.

Pano’s club career was spent almost entirely with Partizani, where he donned the iconic red jersey from 1960 to 1974, scoring 209 goals!

During this period, he spearheaded the Partizani team to four Albanian championship titles (1961 / 1962-63 / 1963-64 / 1970-71) and six Albanian Republic Cup triumphs (1961 / 1963-64 / 1965-66 / 1967-68 / 1969-70 / 1972-73).
With Partizan, he won a Balkan Cup (1970)

His individual prowess earned him two Golden Boot awards as the league’s top scorer (1961, 19 goals and 1969-1970, 18 goals).

On the international stage, Pano proudly represented Albania 28 times, scoring 4 crucial goals between 1963 and 1973.

1 . First contact with football, Tirana Youth and the transition from goalkeeper to striker and the league’s top scorer.

Panajot Pano was born in Durrës on March 7, 1939 . His native town is Delvina, Sarandë.

Soon, after he was born, his family moved to Tiranë, where he would pass most of the time on “Fortuzi” road, watching all the good and popular Albanian players of the time play .Spending too much time playing with his would be fellow peers, like Sulejman Maliqati, Gani Xhafa, Gani Merja, Bert Jashari, Skënder Halili left very little time for studying. “My parents were totally against me spending time playing and staying away from books” remembers Pano or Joti as all friends and family called him.

He started his education at elementary school “Hasan Vogli” and then middle school “10 Korriku”. “Ever since he was 4-5 years old, the only thing he would do or think about was play soccer.

18 years old Panajot Pano playing for “Puna” of Tirana

Pano will start playing in the early ‘50s, with Tirana Youth Academy witch at the time was called “Puna” with coaches Adem Karapici and Fadil Bakalli and the team wasn’t in any Youth league competition. Then in 1956, he moved at “17 Nentori”, Tirana U19 team with coach Xhavit Demneri. On the first match he is activated as a goalkeeper!!!

There are two little-known details, and they are completely different from what Pano would become in the future.

After playing for “17 Nentori” two- three seasons he would playe his final game on 9 December 1959 against Besa Kavajë in a game which ended in a 4–2 win for Pano’s side. In 1957 “17 Nentori” won the National Title and Pano was the top scorer of the League.

Before that, We would mention that during a game of “17 Nentori” team, against Partizani the coach decided to put Pano as a right forward. Since that match, coach Demneri must have liked his skills, because they decided not to put Pano back as goalie again, in despite of that lost 0-4 of his team.

In 1958, was the first year for Pano playing for “17 Nentori” first team. He played in few matches for Republic Cup, prior to the start of National Championship. Coach Myslym Alla called him from the youth team. “17 Nentori” played against “Puna” of Kavaje and they were eliminated after 0-0 draw in Kavajë and 1-2 loss in Tiranë. Pano scored the only goal for the team and the first ever in his career.
After playing two seasons with “17 Nentori”, in 1958 (2 goals scored), and 1959 (10 goals scored) he left the team for “Partizan”.

2 . Partizani, his only team until the end!
Pano`s  “Golden Goal”, invented since 1961 by Andon Mazreku.

It`s December 12, 1959. Panajot Pano is called to serve in the Army. After that, he had to leave “17 Nentori” and never to return back again!

He joined Partizani (The Albanian Army Team). For a few month before , Pano served in the Army as a marine, in the seaside city of Vlora. Then, prior to start of 1960 season, he was asked to join Partizani in a few of their International activities and then signed up for the “Red” team. After that, it’s history.

Exactly!

With Partizan he will write history. The technique and maneuvers on the field will resemble the poetic verses of a writer. Often he will be the conductor of the Partizani orchestra who will dictate the time, rhythm and finalization, he will be the pulsating soul of extraordinary music, from a football perspective.

In January 1960, Pano returned to Partizan and together with the team traveled to Berlin for a friendly tour of three matches in East Germany. In the last match against “Vorwärts” Leipzig in Berlin, Partizan achieved a 0-0 draw. The first two matches Pano with Partizan won against “Cottbus” 4-1 and FC Neubrandenburg 3-2.

Meanwhile, the 1960 championship begins, where Partizan suddenly loses the first match against Tomori in Berat. Pano has returned to Marina, only to return to Partizan a few days later, where he would play with this team for 15 years.

If we choose the most important goal of his career in championship or cup matches in Albania it is going to be a little tough. Pano, has scored many in very decisive times. Maybe only one tops them all. The goal that gave him his first trophy.

It’s July 2, 1961! This date will remember the inventor of the “Golden Goal”, in Albania from Anton Mazreku and his interpreter, the 22-year-old Panajot Pano! FIFA or UEFA, should know that the “Golden Goal” rule was implemented in Albania and not for the first time in the 1996 European Championship (O. Bierhoff was the scorer for Germany).
The story to come to the “Golden Goal” of 1961, goes like this:

Partizani and Dinamo had finished the championship with equal points, 30 each, and both had 14 wins, 2 draws and 2 losses. Even the goal difference was more or less close: Partizani 46-13, Dinamo 41-12. To determine the champion of that season, a final had to be held between them. The first match for the 1961 title was played on June 29 and ended in a 1-1 draw in front of 20,000 spectators.

The 90 minutes was gone to goalless 0-0, and even the extra time was heading towards a 0-0, but in the last three minutes happened the drama that brought two goals. At first Resmja scores for Partizani in the 117th minute and, less than 60 seconds later, Lubonja equalizes for Dinamo! And, in an instant, from a lot of emotions, Resmja faints!
1 – 1 !
Who is the winner ?

To answer this question, a second extra-time final would be needed. Before the second match, it was decided that even if there was a draw in the extra-time match, the title would be won by the team that scored first, a kind of “Golden Goal”.

The second match on July 2, Even the regular time of this match ended 0-0 and the extra time did not bring anything back…… but wait, Pano, choose the right time and moment to strike the opponent . He scored the historic “Golden Goal” at 222-nd minute and the winning goal gave Partizani the Championship title.

3. International Arena, the meeting with Beckenbauer in 1990.

In the international arena, Pano played 28 matches for ten years (1963-1973), scoring 4 goals. His first match with National Team will be against Bulgaria in Tirana, June 6, 1963.

Pano`s the most memorable international match, of course it will be against West Germany, particularly the match in Tirana, in 1967.

In fact, Albania has won the game, they all knew it, the Germans knew it too and the referee knew it as well, even though in the peppers it appeared as a tie 0-0.

While in the second match of 1971, Germany took it seriously by activating the best players, Pano with his virtuosity, high technique and full of finesse will catch the eye even of Beckenbauer. Much later, in 1990, Kaiser will say: ““ If Panajot Pano doesn’t remember me, I remember him”.

It was October 3, 1990 right after Germany had won the World Cup and Beckenbauer was the coach of Olympique of Marseille. His team was playing against our Dinamo of Tirana. They met together at “Hotel” Tirana and as soon as Pano entered the Hotel, Beckenbauer got up ,came towards our champion and said: “How are you Panajot Pano. I told those guys (translators), if you wouldn’t recognize me, I would and I did…..

Pano being watched by Beckenbauer in 1971 in the match between FRG – Albania

But here’s what the German opponents have to say about Pano and Albania:

Helmut Schön (former coach of the FRG team): “You have a great captain, Shllaku, and a great player, Pano”.

Beckenbauer (former captain of the FRG team): “I liked all the players, it’s hard for me to tell the difference. However, I liked my opponent, Bizi, although in Germany we know Pano better”.

Schulz (centerback of the FRG team): “No one, in my country or abroad, has dared to carry me around, to pass me hand in hand, to knee me, like Pano. He is a great player on the field of play”.

Overath (midfielder of the FRG team): “Your team is very strong, especially on the pitch. I especially like Pano and Bizi”.

Schnellinger (defender of the FRG national team): “Pano remains an old ‘rabbit’, as we say in Germany”.

Pano and Schnelinger in 1971.

While the most important International Goal for P. Pano will be his first career he scored against Denmark, match that Albania won in Tirana (1-0) in 1964.

Pano, retired from soccer in Maj 1975. The greatest scorer ever hung his shoes. And since then, there hasn’t been another one to replace him. Many have come close, but none as close.

There are not any regrets for him about his career, but for all those who saw Pano play in our stadiums, maybe curiosity drives them towards a guess as to how it would have been if Pano has had a chance to play in a foreign Championship.
Of course, a high class player like him has offers from different calls and clubs, but couldn’t sign because of the system as we all know. Without exaggeration Pano had offers from National Team scouts of Germany, Holland, Denmark, Switzerland, Northern Ireland and clubs like Keln, Fenerbahce whose President was the Myslym Bey, of Albanian origin.

4 . Different Episodes from the Champion

– The two most beautiful goals that remain in my mind are; the 222nd minute goal against Dinamo (1961) and the winning goal against Denmark (1964).

– Who does Panajot Pano belong to? Even today, fans of “17 Nentori” of Tirana and Partizan often debate about “the belonging of the great Pano.
Panajot himself has said that he felt good with all the fans, even if they are opponents, but he belongs to the Partizan team.
“I spent 15 years at Partizan and I love this team, but I don’t hate other teams. The fans of Tirana also loved me a lot and they always told me that “we don’t get mad even if you score against us….

– Pano had an unwavering opinion that Partizan is the team with the biggest fan base: “Partisan’s fan base is the biggest fan base in the country. Partizan has its fans all over our country. When Partizan played, you couldn’t find tickets. Even when things weren’t going well, the fans were loyal and they filled the stadium steps.

– “Theft of players? Partizan was the best” “I’ve often heard this talk about ‘theft’ of other players from Partizan. I don’t claim to have been stolen, robbed or who knows what. Partizan was the best. Sometimes, when we joked, we even heard that young players wanted to run away to be soldiers just to join Partizan. To Partizan didn’t just come players from “17 Nentori” of Tirana like me (Pano), but they came to Partizan from all over Albania. The transformation from the moment player arrived was obvious: if at first you only knew how to kick the ball, after a while you became a real footballer. Even those who left Partizan later, excelled in their teams, because they had received fantastic training from the red team.
A player might come to Partizan with only physical strength as a strong weapon, but slowly he took on the form of a complete player, becoming stronger in all other aspects of the game.

– According to Pano himself, Nuri Bylyku, was the defender who made his life miserable on the field. Pano remembers two of the strongest duels with two of the most powerful defenders of the time. According to him: Hajro Leka, of Vllaznia, and Nuri Bylyku, of Tirana, were the two defenders who caused him the most problems: “I would mention two; Hajro Leka of Vllaznia, who played very fiercely against me, and Nuri Bylyku, who made my life difficult and miserable in the full sense of the word.”

– “I was dying to score against Sul Maliqati” goalkeeper!
When Pano was on the pitch, he scored many goals, really many, but for the great Pano, goals had a different taste when he scored against Sulejman Maliqati. “I really scored many goals and against many different opponents. Goalkeepers have been my biggest enemy, but fortunately I came out victorious in most cases. If there was any goalkeeper I wanted to score against at all costs, it was Sul Maliqati. In the matches against him, I definitely wanted to score. I enjoyed the goal against him”.

Pano`s performances captivated fans and earned respect from opponents, cementing his status as a national treasure. His playing style was characterized by exceptional speed, skill, and goal-scoring ability. His clinical finishing and technical prowess made him a nightmare for defenders.

Despite playing in an era marked by Albania’s isolation from international competition, Pano’s talent transcended borders, inspiring generations of Albanian footballers.

Post-retirement, Pano’s legacy continued to inspire. He was inducted into Albania’s Football Hall of Fame, a testament to his enduring impact on the sport.

Today, fans remember Pano as a symbol of Albanian football’s golden era, his name etched alongside other national legends. Panajot Pano’s remarkable story serves as a reminder of football’s power to unite and inspire. His on-field achievements and lasting influence have secured his place as one of Albania’s greatest footballers of all time.

Rest in Peace, our unforgettable champion, Panajot Pano (1939-2010)

Sports titles:
“Master of Sports”, “Merited Master”, “Honor of Albanian Sports”
Club: “17 Nentori” Tirana, Partizani

Club Activated:
The Youth of the Tirana 1955-57 | Adults of “Puna” of Tirana (later 17 Nentori) 1957-59, Partizani 1960-75, Dinamo 1962 (for the Balkan Cup)

Trophies:
1957 Champion of the Youth for “17 Nentori”
1960 Best Scorer of the Championship
1961 National Champion with Partizani, winner of the Albanian Cup, best Scorer of the Championship
1963 National Champion with Partizani, silver medal in the Eastern Army Tournament
1964 National Champion with Partizani, winner of the Albanian Cup
1966 winner of the Albanian Cup
1967 winner of the Albanian Cup
1970 winner of the Albanian Cup, winner of the Balkan Cup among clubs, Top Scorer of the championship
1971 National Champion with Partizan
1973 winner of the Albanian Cup / 5 times winner of the “Sporti Popullor” poll (10 best athletes of the year),
2000 winner of the “Best Athlete of the Century”, poll winner of the “Sporti Popullor” newspaper poll, “11 best in the history of Albanian football, “11 best of the 50th and 55th national championships
1979 National Champion as assistant coach with Partizan
1980 winner of the Albanian Cup as assistant coach with Partizan
1981 National Champion as assistant coach with Partizan.
Decorations: Order of Gold “Grand Master”, Order of Labor of 2nd class, Order “Naim Frasheri of class 3,2,1”, Order of Gold “Naim Frasheri”, medal “Order of Merit” for the 100th anniversary of FIFA.
Elected: 1999 Honorary President of Football Club Partizani,
2002 Honorary President of the Albanian Football Federation

By Pjerin Bj
New York: November 19, 2024
Based on interviews given by the great champion Panajot Pano himself over the years.
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Sports Vision + Plus / Champions Hour in activity since 2013

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