Traianos Dellas

Traianos Dellas

Dellas with the Greek national football team.
Personal information
Full name	Traianos Dellas
Date of birth	31 January 1976 (1976-01-31)
Place of birth	Thessaloniki, Greece
Height	1.96 m (6 ft 5 in)
Playing position	Centre Back
Club information
Current club	AEK Athens
Number	5
Youth career
1987–1993	Aris
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1993–1997	Aris	022	(4)
1995–1996	→ Panserraikos (loan)	039	(5)
1997–1999	Sheffield United	26	(3)
1999–2001	AEK Athens	40	(4)
2001–2002	Perugia	8	(0)
2002–2005	Roma	44	(2)
2005–2008	AEK Athens	45	(3)
2008–2010	Anorthosis	42	(3)
2010–	AEK Athens	40	(4)
National team‡
2001–2009	Greece	53	(1)
Honours Gold Greek Cup 2000 Gold UEFA European Championship 2004 Gold Greek Cup 2011
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 11:13, 22 September 2011 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 11:13, 22 September 2011 (UTC)

Traianos Dellas (Greek: Τραϊανός Δέλλας) (born on 31 January 1976 in Thessaloniki, Greece) is a Greek international footballer currently playing as a centre back for AEK Athens in the Greek Super League. He is known for being the only player to have scored a silver goal in the first half of extra time in a competitive match, in the Euro 2004 semi-final against the Czech Republic.

Club career

Aris

Dellas got his start with Greek side Aris for two years, where he helped the Hellenic football club of Thessaloniki to qualify for the Uefa Cup. He played together with Fanis Katergiannakis in 2004 when they won Euro 2004 with the Greek National Team in Portugal.

Panserraikos

In the summer 1995 Dellas moved on loan for one year to Panserraikos.

Sheffield United

He then returned to Aris again before joining Sheffield United in England. Dellas is best remembered by Sheffield United fans for a game against Tranmere Rovers in March 1999. With United 2–0 down, Dellas came on as a substitute and scored twice as they won 3–2. His only other Blades goal was an amazing 40 yard strike in a home game against Portsmouth.

AEK Athens

He returned to Greece with AEK, where he won the Greek Cup with the club of Athens, with big players like Demis Nikolaidis and Vassilios Tsiartas, gain the second place in the Greek Superleague.

Perugia

After this great performance, Dellas signed for the Italian club, Perugia F.C.. However, Dellas was dropped from Perugia's first team after a disagreement over his contract and he did not make a single appearance in the last six months of the season, playing only eight matches overall.

Roma

After leaving the club Dellas caught the attention of Serie A outfit AS Roma and he joined the team on a free transfer in 2002. After finally establishing himself as a starter following the move of coach Fabio Capello to Juventus, Dellas's play was outstanding. He earned the peculiar honour of being one of only three players (including playmaker Francesco Totti and striker Vincenzo Montella) who were not consistently booed by the fans during training and games during Roma's disastrous 2004–05 season. After failing to renew his contract with the club, Dellas became a free agent. He would eventually miss nearly 8 months of football due to back and hernia injuries and thus, expected offers from the big clubs of Europe failed to materialize.

Return to AEK Athens

In the summer of 2005 Dellas decided to return to Greece, joining old team AEK, where he rejoined his former teammate and good friend Demis Nikolaidis. He renewed his contract in June 2007 for a further two years and became team captain. Here Dellas played with big stars like Rivaldo, Pantelis Kafes and the new Greek talent Sokratis Papastathopoulos. On 23 July 2008, Dellas and AEK agreed to terminate his contract by mutual consent after failing to agree on a new contract.

Anorthosis

On 24 July 2008 agreed to sign a two year deal with Cypriot football club Anorthosis Famagusta. Dellas helped the team in Champions League in the season 2008–09, in the same group of Panathinaikos F.C. and Inter Milan of José Mourinho.

Third spell on AEK Athens

On 5 June 2010, Dellas agreed to sign with AEK Athens again, this time for one year, possibly intending to end his career at the team of his heart. Dellas in AEK Athens found Pantelis Kafes that together they won Euro 2004 with Greece. On 12 December 2010, Dellas scored his first goal in the Greek championship after two years absence, against AEL Larissa of Nikos Dabizas and Stylianos Venetidis that also they won Euro 2004 with Greece. Along with Pantelis Kafes, Nikos Georgeas and Nikos Liberopoulos, Dellas is the most respected AEK Athens player and rumors want him renewing his current contract until 2012. On 30 April 2011, Traianos Dellas won with AEK his second Greek Cup.

International career

Dellas earned his first cap for Greece in 2001 in a 2–2 draw with Croatia. Dellas had an exceptional tournament at Euro 2004, partnering Michalis Kapsis in the centre of what became an almost impenetrable Greek defence, leading to him being voted onto the tournament all-star squad. During the semi-finals, he scored the last silver goal in the last minute of first half of extra time against the Czech Republic, allowing Greece to progress to the final. The coach of Greece called him 'the Colossus of Rhodes' in respect of his performances in the tournament and the moniker is now widely used in the press. After Euro 2004, Dellas continued to be the heart of the Greek defense, but missed nearly eight months in 2005 due to injury. His absence was seen as a major factor in Greece's failed 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign. Two years later, Dellas helped Greece qualify for Euro 2008 but could not find his form of 2004 as Greece exited the group stage without any points and having scored just one goal. He was also part of the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign but was not called up after the victory over Israel on 1 April, 2009. Subsequently, he was not included in the provisional squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Personal life

Dellas married Greek model Gogo Mastrokosta on 11 September 2008. They have one daughter.

Statistics

International

National team	Season	Apps	Goals
Greece	2001	01	0
	2002	04	0
	2003	07	0
	2004	13	1
	2005	02	0
	2006	05	0
	2007	07	0
	2008	12	0
	2009	02	0
Total		53	1

Last updated: 2010-3-03
Source: Traianos Dellas at National-Football-Teams.com

Traianos Dellas: International goals

Goal	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	2004-07-01	Estádio do Dragão, Porto, Portugal	Czech Republic	1–0	1–0	2004 UEFA Euro

Honours

AEK Athens

• Greek Cup: 2

1999–00, 2010–11

Greece

• UEFA European Championship: 1

2004

Individual

• UEFA European Championship Team of the Tournament: 1

2004

External links

• Traianosdellas.gr Official Website
• National Football Teams