Kalantzis, 50, played 15 games for the Socceroos and experienced the bright lights of both elite European football and almost dying after surviving a heart attack in Greece last year.

Kalantzis, one of the greatest Australian players of the 80s and 90s, made his debut for former NSL side Sydney Olympic when he was 15 and played in two Grand Finals.

In 1987 he moved to Greece and over the next decade played for powerhouse clubs Panathinaikos and Olympiakos winning league and cup titles.

Kalantzis’ remarkable tale of survival occurred one day after his 50th birthday when soon after seeing a cardiologist he found himself fighting for his life in a hospital on the Greek island of Rhodes.

“I had two blockages in my arteries and when they were trying to put the stents in I passed away four times - back, forward, back, forward,” he said speaking to FourFourTwo.

“I felt very calm, warm. It was like falling asleep and I saw bright lights.

“Then each time I came back I kept on taking really deep breaths because there was no machine to help me with the oxygen or anything, so I had to take my own breaths.

“That was hard coming back from nothing four times.”

This weekend Kalantzis will be a special guest at a Heartbeat of Football (HOF) charity fundraising event that hopes to raise money to have lifesaving defibrillators installed at all sporting venues around Australia.

The not-for-profit was founded by former SBS and Fox Sports football commentator Andy Paschalidis after 12 footballers from NSW died from cardiac related incidents on the football field between 2012 and 2014.

In the last 15 months, seven players from NSW survived heart attacks because of the actions of CPR trained responders who were on hand and also used defibrillators.

Kalantzis said his experience was a cautionary tale for footballers of all ages and he also lauded Paschalidis and HOF’s effort in trying to save lives.

“Obviously it’s a good cause, of course, defibrillators are needed because you don’t know,” he said.

“You could look fit and thin. I wasn’t overweight, I didn’t have high blood pressure and high cholesterol and there you go, a perfect storm.

“I had a bad diet after football, a lot of fried food, sugar, donuts, soft drinks and I’ve stopped all that.  

“The surgeon said it’s the biggest fight that I’ll ever have in my life.

"I didn’t really think that I was that bad. I thought that after my holidays I’d go and get a general test, but I almost didn’t make it."

Paschalidis told FourFourTwo that he was relieved that Kalantzis will be at Saturday night’s event in Sydney.

“It’s truly amazing that he is still here with us,” he said.

“He is fortunate enough that he was able to get that assistance and to be brought back four times. He knows that, and he appreciates that fact he is lucky.”

Paschalidis also revealed that former Liverpool star Craig Johnston will be in attendance at the fundraiser including former Socceroos Brett Emerton, Jim Patikas, Peter Katholos, Matildas star Chloe Logarzo, and 1974 World Cup coach Rale Rasic.

“One thing that I love about the football family is whenever there is a good cause, whenever there is something that’s going to help the game in the long term, we all unite as one,” he said.

“So many people have been behind us and a lot of them will be there on the 26th of May including so many Socceroos from different era’s and to have them all in the same room is great.”

Former Socceroo great Stan Lazaridis will also be a special guest and he revealed HOF's casue is close to him because of the tragedy that befell one of his former West Ham teammates in 2003.

“I’ve taken such a big interest because of how passionate Andy is,” he said.

“It hit close to home to me because of players that I’ve played alongside such as Marc Vivien Foe, he is someone that I played with and he unfortunately died of a heart attack.

“So, when all the players look at it and analyse it they go hang on a minute it’s real, so for me it will be great to catch up with everyone, we all have our own families and do our own things and sometimes you don’t realise how lucky you are.”

 

World Cup Celebration is taking place on Saturday 26 May at the Canterbury-Hurlstone Park RSL Club (20-26 Canterbury Rd, Hurlstone Park, NSW) at 7.00 pm. Special guests include Rale Rasic, Brett Emerton, and other former Socceroos from 1974 and the ‘Golden Generation’ of 2006.Tickets $150 with all profits going to HOF. Click here to purchase, or call (02) 9559 0000.