Theofanis Gekas facts for kids
Gekas training for Bayer Leverkusen in 2007
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Theofanis Gekas | ||
| Date of birth | 23 May 1980 | ||
| Place of birth | Larissa, Greece | ||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1997–1998 | Toxotis Larissa | ||
| 1998 | AEL | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1998–2001 | AEL | 61 | (16) |
| 2001–2005 | Kallithea | 100 | (44) |
| 2005–2007 | Panathinaikos | 41 | (23) |
| 2006–2007 | → VfL Bochum (loan) | 32 | (20) |
| 2007–2010 | Bayer Leverkusen | 50 | (13) |
| 2009 | → Portsmouth (loan) | 1 | (0) |
| 2010 | → Hertha BSC (loan) | 17 | (6) |
| 2010–2012 | Eintracht Frankfurt | 48 | (23) |
| 2012 | Samsunspor | 11 | (8) |
| 2012–2013 | Levante | 4 | (0) |
| 2013 | Akhisar Belediyespor | 15 | (12) |
| 2013–2014 | Konyaspor | 24 | (13) |
| 2014–2015 | Akhisar Belediyespor | 24 | (12) |
| 2015 | Eskişehirspor | 10 | (5) |
| 2016–2017 | Sion | 30 | (13) |
| 2017 | Sivasspor | 10 | (2) |
| Total | 480 | (210) | |
| International career | |||
| 2005–2014 | Greece | 78 | (24) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2021–2022 | Panegialios | ||
| 2022 | Akhisarspor | ||
| 2023 | Darıca Gençlerbirliği | ||
| 2023–2024 | Tilikratis | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Theofanis "Fanis" Gekas (born May 23, 1980) is a Greek football legend! He was a professional player who scored many goals as a striker. After his playing career, he became a football coach.
Fanis was the top goalscorer in Greece's Superleague and Germany's Bundesliga. He spent most of his career playing in Greece, Germany, and Turkey. He also played in England and Spain for a short time.
For his country, Fanis played for the Greek national team in two European Championships and two World Cups. He played 78 games for Greece between 2005 and 2014. He was the top scorer in the European qualifying games for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, scoring 10 goals. With 24 goals for Greece, he is one of the country's top goalscorers ever!
Fanis's Club Journey
Starting Out in Greece
Fanis Gekas began his professional football adventure in 1998. He joined his hometown club, AEL, which was in the Greek Second Division.
In 2001, after three years with AEL, he moved to Kallithea. In his first year there, Kallithea got promoted to Greece's top league. Fanis scored 14 goals in 26 matches, becoming the top scorer for the 2001–02 season. Overall, he scored 30 goals in 87 second division games for both Larissa and Kallithea.
Becoming a Star at Panathinaikos
Fanis scored 46 goals in 80 games for Kallithea. Because of his amazing scoring, he joined Panathinaikos, a big Greek club, in early 2005. At Panathinaikos, he became the top scorer in the Greek league in 2005 with 18 goals.
His great performance led to him being called up for the national team. He played his first game for Greece in March 2005. With Panathinaikos, Fanis scored 23 goals in 41 games. He also played in the UEFA Champions League for the first time during the 2005–06 season.
Success in Germany with VfL Bochum
In the summer of 2006, Fanis moved to Germany. He joined VfL Bochum, a team that had just been promoted to the top German league, the Bundesliga. Bochum loaned him from Panathinaikos.
During the 2006–07 season, Bochum was struggling to stay in the Bundesliga. But Fanis quickly became a star for the team. His goals were so important that the coach called him their "life insurance." Bochum avoided being relegated, and Fanis finished the season as the Bundesliga's top scorer with 20 goals!
Playing for Bayer Leverkusen
After his amazing season, Fanis joined Bayer 04 Leverkusen in April 2007. In his first friendly game, he scored seven goals! Even though he was Leverkusen's top scorer in the 2007–08 season, he often started games on the bench. However, he still managed to score important goals, helping Leverkusen reach the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup.
Short Stays in England and Back in Germany
In February 2009, Fanis was loaned to Portsmouth in England. But he only played one minute in one game before his loan ended early.
He returned to Bayer Leverkusen but found it hard to get a regular spot. In December 2009, he was loaned to Hertha BSC. He scored in his first game for Hertha and even scored three goals in one match against German champions VfL Wolfsburg. He scored 6 goals in 17 games for Hertha, but the team was still relegated.
Time at Eintracht Frankfurt
In May 2010, Fanis signed with Eintracht Frankfurt. He scored 16 goals in 34 games, but unfortunately, Eintracht was also relegated to the German second division.
Later Career Around Europe
After leaving Germany, Fanis played for several clubs in different countries.
- In January 2012, he joined Samsunspor in Turkey, where he scored 8 goals in 11 games, including a hat-trick against Fenerbahçe.
- In August 2012, he moved to Spain to play for Levante UD.
- In January 2013, he returned to Turkey with Akhisar Belediyespor. He scored 12 goals in 15 games, helping them avoid relegation.
- He then played for Torku Konyaspor in Turkey before returning to Akhisar Belediyespor in 2014.
- In 2015, he joined Eskişehirspor, another Turkish club.
- In February 2016, Fanis moved to Switzerland to play for Sion. He scored two goals in a UEFA Europa League game and had a hat-trick in a league match. He scored 10 goals in his first season in Switzerland.
- His last club as a player was Sivasspor in Turkey, which he joined in December 2016.
Playing for Greece
Fanis Gekas was a very important player for the Greek national team. He helped his country reach the UEFA Euro 2008 tournament. He was also the top scorer in the European qualifying games for the 2010 FIFA World Cup with 10 goals. At the 2010 World Cup, he helped Greece win their first-ever World Cup match.
He briefly retired from the national team in 2010 but returned a year later. He was part of the Greek team at UEFA Euro 2012, where he scored a goal against the Czech Republic. Greece reached the quarter-finals of that tournament.
At the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Fanis played a key role. He came on as a substitute in important games, helping Greece reach the knockout stage for the first time in their history. In the game against Costa Rica, he helped set up a goal that tied the game. However, Greece lost in a penalty shootout, and Fanis was the only player to miss his penalty.
Fanis later announced that he would not play for the national team again, thanking everyone he worked with.
Life Outside Football
Fanis Gekas is married to Vasso. In 2008, they welcomed twins, a boy named Nikolaos and a girl named Mikaela-Lamprini.
Career Highlights
Fanis Gekas had a fantastic career as a striker, known for his goal-scoring ability.
- He was the top scorer in the Greek Super League in 2004–05.
- He was also the top scorer in the German Bundesliga in 2006–07.
- He led all European players in goals during the 2010 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers.
See also
In Spanish: Theofanis Gekas para niños
