Georgios Samaras facts for kids
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Samaras with Celtic in 2010
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Georgios Samaras | ||
| Date of birth | 21 February 1985 | ||
| Place of birth | Heraklion, Greece | ||
| Height | 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1994–2000 | OFI | ||
| 2000–2002 | Heerenveen | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2002–2006 | Heerenveen | 88 | (25) |
| 2006–2008 | Manchester City | 54 | (8) |
| 2008 | → Celtic (loan) | 16 | (5) |
| 2008–2014 | Celtic | 156 | (48) |
| 2014–2015 | West Bromwich Albion | 5 | (0) |
| 2015 | → Al-Hilal (loan) | 5 | (0) |
| 2016–2017 | Rayo OKC | 24 | (2) |
| 2017 | Zaragoza | 7 | (0) |
| 2017–2018 | Samsunspor | 25 | (2) |
| Total | 380 | (90) | |
| International career | |||
| 2004–2006 | Greece U21 | 5 | (0) |
| 2006–2014 | Greece | 81 | (9) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Georgios Samaras (born 21 February 1985) is a Greek former professional footballer. He played as a forward, which means he was a player who mainly tried to score goals.
Samaras started his football journey at OFI in Greece. Then, he moved to the Dutch team Heerenveen in 2001. After playing there for a few years, he joined the English club Manchester City in 2006.
In 2008, Samaras moved to Celtic in Scotland. He helped Celtic win many Scottish league championships. He scored 74 goals in 249 games for the club. After leaving Celtic in 2014, he played for West Bromwich Albion and other teams before retiring in 2018.
Even though his father was born in Australia, Samaras chose to play for his home country, Greece. He played 81 games for Greece and scored 9 goals. He represented Greece in major tournaments like the 2010 and 2014 World Cups.
Contents
Georgios Samaras' Early Life and Family Connections
Georgios Samaras was born in Heraklion, a city on the Greek island of Crete. His father, Ioannis Samaras, was born in Melbourne. However, he moved back to Greece before Georgios was born.
Georgios' grandfather, also named Georgios, was from Arnaia. He was one of the people who helped start the Australian football club South Melbourne FC.
Growing up, Samaras loved watching football. His favorite player was Marco van Basten. He also enjoyed basketball and would stay up late to watch his hero, Michael Jordan, play.
In 1994, when he was 10 years old, Samaras joined his favorite team, OFI. His father played for OFI at the time. Later, his father became the Academy chief manager. Samaras says his father greatly helped him start his football career. He trained every day and spent a lot of time learning about the club. In 2001, Samaras moved to the Dutch club Heerenveen.
Samaras' Club Football Journey
Playing for Heerenveen
Samaras joined the Heerenveen team in the 2002–03 season. He was only 18 years old. He scored three goals in his first four games, even though he came on as a substitute each time. Because of his good start, Heerenveen extended his contract for three more years.
In the 2003–04 season, Samaras scored his first goal on 25 October. He also scored goals against ADO Den Haag and Roda JC.
During the 2004–05 season, Samaras scored important goals. He scored a last-minute winner against ADO Den Haag. He also helped Heerenveen get a draw against Feyenoord. On 2 April, he scored in a surprise win against Ajax. Later, he scored three goals in one game as Heerenveen won 7–1 against RBC Roosendaal.
At the start of the 2005–06 season, big clubs like Sevilla and Arsenal were interested in Samaras. He scored on the first day of the season in a 5–4 win. In December, he scored twice as Heerenveen beat Ajax 4–2. Samaras scored 25 goals in 88 games for Heerenveen before moving on.
Time at Manchester City
Samaras joined Manchester City on 30 January 2006. The transfer fee was £6 million, which was a record for a Greek player. He wore the number 20 shirt. He played his first game for City on 1 February. His first goal came in the next home match against Charlton Athletic.
Samaras' First Full Season (2006–07)
Samaras scored his first goal of the 2006–07 season in a League Cup game. A few days later, he scored two goals as Manchester City beat West Ham United 2–0. On 2 January, he came on as a substitute and scored twice to help City beat Everton 2–1.
Some people criticized Samaras during this time. They felt he was not playing well enough for his high transfer fee. Samaras said he felt the manager was not giving him enough chances to play regularly. He also said he wanted to become a Champions League player.
Changes and Challenges (2007–08)
When Sven-Göran Eriksson became the new manager for the 2007–08 season, Samaras was not a top choice. His agent said Samaras wanted to stay in the Premier League. Eriksson later said Samaras had improved a lot during pre-season training.
Samaras was often booed by City fans in the previous season. Eriksson hoped this would not happen again. Samaras scored a last-minute winner in a League Cup match against Norwich City. By January, Eriksson decided to sell Samaras. Many clubs were interested, but he eventually moved to Celtic. Samaras scored 12 goals in 63 games for Manchester City.
Success at Celtic
Loan Spell and First Trophy (2007–08)
On 29 January 2008, Samaras joined Celtic on a six-month loan. He wanted to play regularly to get into the Greece squad for Euro 2008. He also liked the idea of playing in European competitions with Celtic.
Samaras wore the number 9 shirt. He scored in his first game for Celtic in the Scottish Cup. He also scored important goals in the league, helping Celtic win the title on the last day of the season. This was his first winner's medal. His goals were very important for Celtic's title win.
Permanent Move and More Goals (2008–09)
After a good loan spell, Samaras signed a three-year contract with Celtic on 15 July 2008. The fee was reported to be around £3 million. He scored two goals in his first league game of the 2008–09 season. He continued to score many goals and was named SPL Player of the Month for September.
Samaras had a knee injury in October but returned earlier than expected. He helped Celtic win the League Cup Final against Rangers. He finished the season with 17 goals, with 15 of them in the league.
New Manager and European Adventures (2009–10)
Tony Mowbray became the new Celtic manager. On 5 August, Samaras scored a goal in injury time against Dynamo Moscow. This goal helped Celtic win the game and get their first European away win in six years. Celtic then played against Arsenal but lost and moved to the Europa League. Samaras finished the season with 10 league goals and 12 goals in all competitions.
Key Performances and New Contract (2010–11)
Samaras started the 2010–11 season well, scoring in a Europa League game. On 22 September 2010, he scored three goals in a League Cup win. He then had a great game against Rangers on 2 January 2011, scoring both goals in a 2–0 victory. His performance earned him an award.
On 16 March, Samaras was captain for Celtic for the first time. Two days later, he signed a new contract to stay at Celtic until 2014. He helped Celtic win the Scottish Cup Final against Motherwell.
Consistent Contributions (2011–12)
On 3 November 2011, Samaras played well against Rennes in a Europa League match. He got two assists, helping Celtic win 3–1. He was praised for his hard work. Samaras scored his first goal of the 2011–12 season in a 5–0 win. The manager, Neil Lennon, said his play was "fantastic."
Champions League Heroics (2012–13)
On 8 August, Samaras scored his 50th goal for Celtic. This was in a Champions League qualifying game. He scored a dramatic late winning goal against Spartak Moscow in the Champions League group stage.
Samaras became the first Celtic player to score in five away European matches in a row. He also helped Celtic get through the group stage of the Champions League. He provided an assist and won a penalty in the final group game.
Samaras scored a great overhead kick goal in December 2012. In March 2013, he scored another overhead kick to complete a comeback win for Celtic. He was captain for Celtic several times this season. Celtic won their second league title in a row and the Scottish Cup Final.
Final Season and Departure (2013–14)
Samaras started the 2013–14 season by scoring in the Champions League qualifying rounds. He helped Celtic reach the group stages again. He played in all six group games. He scored a hat-trick in a 5–2 win against Kilmarnock.
On 11 May 2014, Samaras played his final game for Celtic. He scored a penalty in a 3–1 win. He confirmed that Celtic would not offer him a new contract, so he left as a free agent.
Later Career Moves
On 22 August 2014, Samaras joined English Premier League team West Bromwich Albion. He signed a two-year contract. However, he did not play much and did not score any goals.
In February 2015, Samaras went on loan to Saudi club Al-Hilal. He scored his first goal for them in the Saudi Crown Prince Cup Final. He also scored in the Kings Cup. He had a serious hip injury that kept him out for three months. Samaras left West Bromwich Albion in July 2015.
After that, Samaras was linked with other clubs but no moves happened. He eventually joined Rayo OKC in the North American Soccer League on 10 March 2016. He scored his first goal for them in July.
When Rayo OKC closed down, Samaras became a free agent. He then signed for Real Zaragoza in Spain on 8 February 2017. On 6 August 2017, he joined Samsunspor in Turkey. He scored his first goal for them on 24 December. On 12 October 2018, Samaras announced he was retiring from football at age 33.
Samaras' International Career for Greece
Samaras could have played for the Australian national team. This is because his father was born in Melbourne. However, Samaras chose to play for Greece, the country where he was born.
He played his first game for Greece on 28 February 2006. He was just 21 years old. He scored the only goal in that friendly game against Belarus. He played in the Euro 2008 tournament.
Samaras scored an important goal in a 2010 World Cup qualifier against Israel. He also scored with an overhead kick against Latvia. He helped Greece qualify for the 2010 World Cup Finals by assisting a goal against Ukraine.
On 1 June 2010, Samaras was chosen for Greece's World Cup squad. He played in all three group matches. Greece won one game but did not make it to the next stage. In November 2010, he scored his sixth international goal in a friendly against Austria.
Samaras scored a vital goal against Croatia on 7 October 2011. This goal helped Greece qualify for Euro 2012. He played in all of Greece's group games at Euro 2012. He scored in the quarter-final against Germany, but Greece lost the game.
Samaras was part of Greece's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. In their last group game, he assisted the first goal. Then, he scored the winning goal from a penalty kick in the last minute. This gave Greece a 2–1 win over Ivory Coast. It was the first time Greece had ever reached the last 16 of the World Cup.
Samaras' Playing Style
Samaras was known for his skills as a forward. He was tall, about 1.92 meters (6 feet 4 inches), which made him good at heading the ball. He could be used as a target man, meaning his team could hit long balls to him. He was also strong, which made him hard for defenders to play against.
Samaras was also a good dribbler. He had skill, quick feet, and was agile. He often ran past several opponents with the ball. However, sometimes he held onto the ball for too long. He was also fast and could use his strength to beat players. He could create chances for his teammates too.
While at Manchester City, his manager, Eriksson, wanted him to stop dribbling too much. Eriksson believed Samaras was a good header of the ball and needed to focus on that.
Samaras mainly played as a striker. But he could also play as a left midfielder. He could drop back from the front line to connect the attack and midfield. He used his pace and skill to run at defenders and create space for others.
Even with his talent, Samaras sometimes played inconsistently. His dribbles did not always lead to something good. He often lost the ball when he could have passed it. His relaxed style sometimes made fans think he was "lazy."
Career Statistics
Club Appearances and Goals
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Continental | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Heerenveen | 2002–03 | Eredivisie | 15 | 4 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 16 | 5 | ||
| 2003–04 | 27 | 4 | 3 | 0 | — | 6 | 1 | 36 | 5 | |||
| 2004–05 | 31 | 11 | 1 | 0 | — | 5 | 0 | 37 | 11 | |||
| 2005–06 | 15 | 6 | 1 | 1 | — | 5 | 2 | 21 | 9 | |||
| Total | 88 | 25 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 3 | 110 | 30 | ||
| Manchester City | 2005–06 | Premier League | 14 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 5 |
| 2006–07 | 35 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 6 | ||
| 2007–08 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | ||
| Total | 54 | 8 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 64 | 12 | ||
| Celtic | 2007–08 | Scottish Premier League | 16 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 21 | 6 |
| 2008–09 | 31 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 40 | 17 | ||
| 2009–10 | 32 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 43 | 13 | ||
| 2010–11 | 22 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 34 | 7 | ||
| 2011–12 | 26 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 38 | 6 | ||
| 2012–13 | 25 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 5 | 40 | 14 | ||
| 2013–14 | Scottish Premiership | 20 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 4 | 33 | 11 | |
| Total | 172 | 53 | 21 | 3 | 9 | 5 | 47 | 13 | 249 | 74 | ||
| West Bromwich Albion | 2014–15 | Premier League | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Al-Hilal | 2014–15 | Saudi Professional League | 5 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 2 |
| Rayo Oklahoma City | 2016 | NASL | 24 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 2 |
| Zaragoza | 2016–17 | Segunda División | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Samsunspor | 2017–18 | TFF First League | 25 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 2 |
| Career total | 380 | 90 | 39 | 8 | 15 | 8 | 66 | 16 | 500 | 122 | ||
International Appearances and Goals
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greece | 2006 | 7 | 3 |
| 2007 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2008 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2009 | 9 | 2 | |
| 2010 | 12 | 1 | |
| 2011 | 8 | 1 | |
| 2012 | 12 | 1 | |
| 2013 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2014 | 11 | 1 | |
| Total | 81 | 9 | |
- Scores and results list Greece's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Samaras goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 28 February 2006 | Tsirion Stadium, Limassol, Cyprus |  Belarus |
1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly | |
| 2 | 1 March 2006 | GSP Stadium, Nicosia, Cyprus |  Kazakhstan |
2–0 | 2–0 | Friendly | |
| 3 | 11 October 2006 | Bilino Polje, Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina |  Bosnia and Herzegovina |
2–0 | 4–0 | UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying | |
| 4 | 1 April 2009 | Pankritio Stadium, Heraklion, Greece |  Israel |
2–1 | 2–1 | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 5 | 10 October 2009 | Olympic Stadium, Athens, Greece |  Latvia |
4–2 | 5–2 | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 6 | 17 November 2010 | Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Austria |  Austria |
1–0 | 2–1 | Friendly | |
| 7 | 7 October 2011 | Karaiskakis Stadium, Piraeus, Greece |  Croatia |
1–0 | 2–0 | UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying | |
| 8 | 22 June 2012 | PGE Arena‚ Gdańsk, Poland |  Germany |
1–1 | 2–4 | UEFA Euro 2012 | |
| 9 | 24 June 2014 | Estádio Castelão‚ Fortaleza, Brazil |  Ivory Coast |
2–1 | 2–1 | 2014 FIFA World Cup |
Football Achievements and Awards
Celtic
- Scottish Premier League: 2007–08, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14
- Scottish Cup: 2010–11, 2012–13
- Scottish League Cup: 2008–09
Al-Hilal
- Saudi Crown Prince Cup runner-up: 2014–15
Individual Awards
- SPL Player of the Month: September 2008
- Celtic Supporters' Player of the Year: 2012–13
- 2014 FIFA World Cup awards: Man of the match Greece vs Ivory Coast
See also
In Spanish: Geórgios Samarás para niños
