Traianos Dellas
Personal information
Full name	Traianos Dellas Τραϊανός Δέλλας
Date of birth	January 31, 1976 (1976-01-31) (age 33)
Place of birth	Thessaloniki, Greece
Height	1.96 m (6 ft 5 in)
Playing position	Centre Back, Sweeper
Club information
Current club	Anorthosis Famagusta
Number	5
Youth career
1989-1993	Aris
Senior career1
Years	Club	App (Gls)*
1993-1997 1994-1996 1997-1999 1999-2001 2001-2002 2002-2005 2005-2008 2008-	Aris → Panserraikos (loan) Sheffield United AEK Athens Perugia Roma AEK Athens Anorthosis Famagusta	022 0(4) 039 0(5) 026 0(3) 040 0(4) 008 0(0) 044 0(3) 043 0(3) 0410 (2)
National team2
1997-2001 2001-2009	Greece U-21 Greece Total	020 0(3) 053 0(1) 072 0(4)
1 Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 10 July 2009 (UTC). 2 National team caps and goals correct as of 28 March 2009 (UTC). * Appearances (Goals)

Traianos Dellas (Greek: Τραϊανός Δέλλας, born 31 January 1976 in Thessaloniki) is a Greek footballer who currently plays in the centre back position for Anorthosis Famagusta and the Greek national football team. Dellas 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.

[edit] Club career

Dellas got his start with Greek side Aris before moving on loan to Panserraikos. He then returned to Aris again before joining Sheffield United in England. He returned to Greece with AEK before securing a transfer to, Italian side, 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. 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.^[1]

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.

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, the club's current president.^[2] He renewed his contract in June 2007 for a further two years.^[3] and became team captain. On 23 July 2008, Dellas and AEK agreed to terminate his contract by mutual consent after failing to agree on a new contract.^[4]

On 24 July 2008 agreed to sign a two year deal with Cypriot champions Anorthosis Famagusta.^[5]

[edit] 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 unpenetratable Greek defence, leading to him being voted onto the tournament all-star squad. He scored the goal that put Greece in the final of the tournament, a silver goal in the last minute of the first half of extra time against the Czech Republic to send Greece to the final.^[6] This was the last silver goal scored in a major competition after the idea of silver goal was removed after Euro 2004. 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.^[7] Since Euro 2004, Dellas has been a mainstay in Greece's defence helping the team qualify for Euro 2008 to defend its crown.^[8]. Traianos Dellas made his contribute to help Greece to qualify for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

[edit] Personal life

Dellas married the Greek model Gogo Mastrokosta on 11 September 2008.^[9] They have one son.

[edit] Statistics

Last updated 2 June 2008

Season	Club	Competition	Apps	Goals
1993/94	Aris	Beta Ethniki	6	0
1994/95	Panserraikos	Greek Super League	1	0
1995/96	Panserraikos	Beta Ethniki	19	1
1996/97	Aris	Greek Super League	21	4
1997/98	Sheffield United	Division One	9	0
1998/99	Sheffield United	Division One	17	3
1999/00	AEK Athens	Greek Super League	21	3
2000/01	AEK Athens	Greek Super League	19	1
2001/02	Perugia	Serie A	8	0
2002/03	Roma	Serie A	10	1
2003/04	Roma	Serie A	14	0
2004/05	Roma	Serie A	20	2
2005/06	AEK Athens	Greek Super League	6	0
2006/07	AEK Athens	Greek Super League	15	1
2007/08	AEK Athens	Greek Super League	22	2
2008/09	Anorthosis Famagusta	Cypriot First Division	23	1
Total			243	23

[edit] Honours

AEK Athens

• Greek Cup: 2000

Greece

• European Championship: 2004

Individual

• European Championship 2004: UEFA Team of the Tournament Member

A.S. Roma

• Serie A: Runners up 2003-04
• Coppa Italia: Runners up 2002-03
• Coppa Italia: Runners up 2004-05

AEK Athens F.C.

• Greek Cup: Runners up 2005-06

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Traianosdellas.gr Official Website
• National Football Teams

Traianos Dellas - Navigation boxes and awards v • d • e Greece squad – UEFA Euro 2004 Winners (1st Title) 1 Nikopolidis • 2 Seitaridis • 3 Venetidis • 4 Dabizas • 5 Dellas • 6 Basinas • 7 Zagorakis (c) • 8 Giannakopoulos • 9 Charisteas • 10 Tsiartas • 11 Nikolaidis • 12 Chalkias • 13 Katergiannakis • 14 Fyssas • 15 Vryzas • 16 Kafes • 17 Georgiadis • 18 Goumas • 19 Kapsis • 20 Karagounis • 21 Katsouranis • 22 Papadopoulos • 23 Lakis • Coach: Rehhagel v • d • e Greece squad – UEFA Euro 2008 1 Nikopolidis • 2 Seitaridis • 3 Patsatzoglou • 4 Spiropoulos • 5 Dellas • 6 Basinas • 7 Samaras • 8 Giannakopoulos • 9 Charisteas • 10 Karagounis • 11 Vyntra • 12 Chalkias • 13 Tzorvas • 14 Salpigidis • 15 Torosidis • 16 Kyrgiakos • 17 Gekas • 18 Goumas • 19 Antzas • 20 Amanatidis • 21 Katsouranis • 22 Tziolis • 23 Liberopoulos • Coach: Rehhagel