At age 21 he played for Panathinaikos at 1971 European Cup Final in Wembley Stadium against Ajax Amsterdam.

Real Madrid would offer an inconceivable (for the time) 35 million drachmas for Kostas Eleftherakis.

But Costas Aslanidis (Secretary General of Athletics, appointed by the Greek military junta of 1967–1974) would stand in the way.

The same happened when Everton made an offer through Billy Bingham who coached Greece in the early 1970s.

Eleftherakis made 34 appearances for the Greece national football team from 1969 to 1977.