Stylianos "Stelios" Manolas (Greek: Στέλιος Μανωλάς) (born 13 July 1960) is a retired Greek football defender.

Arguably the best football defender ever to come out of Greece, Manolas, a product of AEK Athens FC's youth academy. He played for the team from 1979 until 1998. He made his debut in a match against Kastoria FC (1-1) on February 3, 1980 and became a mainstay in the AEK defensive until his 1998 retirement, Stelios Manolas' last match was against Skoda Xanthi having played his 700th cap and was the captained for 19 years. Stelios Manolas also had offers from Porto and Monaco but Manolas stated: I will never leave the club I love and want to retire at AEK Athens, Manolas is also the current Technical Director for AEK Athens. Manolas retired at the age of 40 and has been regarded the greatest legend ever to play for AEK.

During his career, Manolas won 4 championships and 4 Greek Cups, playing 700 games in the Greek league scoring 44 times playing for 24 years at the club. He was capped 70 times by the Greece national football team, scoring 6 goals, and was a member of the 1994 FIFA World Cup squad.

After his playing days were over, Manolas coached the Greek under-21 team. His nephew, Kostas Manolas, currently plays for AEK.

[edit] Honours

AEK Athens

• Greek Championship: 1989, 1992, 1993, 1994
• Greek Cup: 1983, 1996, 1997
• Greek Super Cup: 1989, 1996
• Greek League Cup: 1990
• Pre-1991 Mediterranean Games Cup: 1991

[edit] External links

• Career history at National Football Teams

v • d • e Greece squad – 1994 FIFA World Cup 1 Minou • 2 Apostolakis • 3 Kolitsidakis • 4 Manolas • 5 Kalitzakis • 6 Tsalouchidis • 7 Saravakos • 8 Nioplias • 9 Machlas • 10 Mitropoulos • 11 Tsiantakis • 12 Marangos • 13 Karagiannis • 14 Dimitriadis • 15 Karkamanis • 16 Alexoudis • 17 Hantzidis • 18 Karataidis • 19 Kofidis • 20 Atmatsidis • 21 Alexandris • 22 Alexiou • Coach: Panagoulias

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