Vangelis Moras facts for kids

Evangelos "Vangelis" Moras (Greek: Βαγγέλης Μόρας; born August 26, 1981) is a Greek former professional footballer. He played as a centre back and is now a football manager.

Playing Career: A Defender's Journey

Starting Out in Greece

Vangelis Moras began his football journey at Ampelokipoi Larissa. He started as a striker, looking up to the famous player Marco Van Basten. In 1999, when he was 18, Moras joined AEL.

During his two years at AEL, his coach changed his position to a defender. In 2001, he moved to Proodeftiki. He helped them get promoted to the first division in 2002.

Playing for AEK Athens

After playing well in the first division, Moras moved to AEK Athens in 2003. He stayed with the club until 2007. With AEK, he played in the UEFA Champions League group stage in 2003 and 2006. He also played in the Cup final in 2006, but his team lost to Olympiacos.

Moving to Italy: Bologna

On July 1, 2007, Moras signed with the Italian club Bologna. In his first season, he helped Bologna get promoted to Serie A, Italy's top league. He scored his first goal for Bologna against S.S.C. Napoli, which was the winning goal. He played 104 games for Bologna in total.

Brief Time in England: Swansea City

On October 14, 2011, Moras joined Premier League team Swansea City in England. He signed a three-month deal after a successful trial. He made his Premier League debut on October 22, 2011, in a 2–2 draw against Wolves. He left Swansea City in January 2012 when his contract ended.

Back to Italy: Cesena

After leaving Swansea, Moras signed with Cesena in Italy until the end of the season. He was happy to be back in Italy. He made his debut for Cesena on January 21, 2012, in a game against Roma. He played regularly until his contract ended in June 2012.

Success with Hellas Verona

On July 1, 2012, Moras joined Hellas Verona in Italy. In his first season, he helped them get promoted to Serie A. He scored his first goal for Verona against Varese, which was the winning goal.

In March 2014, Moras showed great sportsmanship during a game against Bologna. He did not react when an opponent tried to provoke him. He also made it clear that Hellas Verona was focused on finishing the season well, not just on reaching European competitions.

Moras had a great season with Hellas Verona, which led to him being chosen for Greece's 2014 FIFA World Cup squad. On July 8, 2014, Hellas Verona extended his contract. By April 21, 2015, Vangelis Moras had played 100 games for Hellas Verona. He celebrated this milestone by holding a Greek flag.

In September 2015, Moras said he wanted to finish his career with Hellas Verona. He felt the team was like a second family. He scored his first goal of the 2015–16 season in November 2015.

Later Club Years

On July 5, 2016, Moras signed a two-year deal with F.C. Bari 1908. He played as a starter but had a muscle injury in September 2016. He returned to play in October 2016.

On August 30, 2017, Moras returned to Greece, signing with Panetolikos. In December 2017, he reached 100 appearances in the Superleague Greece.

On January 31, 2018, Moras returned to his hometown club, AEL, after 16 years. He scored his first goal for AEL in March 2019, helping his team win against Asteras Tripolis.

In September 2020, Moras signed with Super League Greece 2 club Apollon Larissa. He scored his first goal for them in March 2021. On July 7, 2021, Vangelis Moras announced his retirement from professional football.

Playing for Greece

Olympic and Senior Teams

Vangelis Moras played for Greece at the 2004 Summer Olympics. His strong performances in Italy led to him being called up for the Greece senior team on February 11, 2009. He made his international debut in a friendly match against Denmark.

Moras was very happy to be called up, saying he had worked hard for this opportunity. He wanted to do his best for the team and keep his spot. His excellent season with Hellas Verona helped him get selected for Greece's final 23-man squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Managerial Career

Starting as a Coach

After retiring as a player, Moras began his coaching career. On July 12, 2021, he became the manager of Gamma Ethniki (Greece's third tier) club P.O. Elassona. He successfully led the team to win the Larissa FCA Cup in 2021–22.

On July 5, 2022, Moras returned to Apollon Larissa, this time as their manager. However, he resigned on December 10, 2022, due to issues within the club. On February 4, 2023, Moras joined Ethnikos Neo Keramidi in the Gamma Ethniki. As of July 2025, he is the manager of the Greece U19 team.

Managerial Statistics

Team	From	To	Record								Ref.
			G	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Win %
P.O. Elassona	12 July 2021	30 June 2022	28	16	5	7	47	22	+25	57.14
Apollon Larissa	5 July 2022	10 December 2022	7	4	0	3	11	10	+1	57.14
Ethnikos Neo Keramidi	4 February 2023	Present	16	9	4	3	23	15	+8	56.25
Career total			51	29	9	13	81	47	+34	56.86	—

Achievements and Awards

As a Player

AEK Athens

• Greek Cup runner-up: 2005–06

As a Manager

P.O. Elassona

• Larissa FCA Cup: 2021–22

Ethnikos Neo Keramidi

• Pieria FCA Cup runner-up: 2022–23

Personal Life and "Save Moras"

In July 2014, Vangelis Moras traveled to Australia to donate bone marrow to his brother. His brother had a serious illness and was being treated in a hospital. Sadly, his brother passed away in July 2015.

In August 2015, Moras received an award in Verona, Italy, for his courage and support for his brother. On February 20, 2016, a special event called "Save Moras" was held at a football stadium. This initiative was started by Vangelis Moras to honor his brother and to raise awareness about the importance of bone marrow donation. During the match, both teams wore special patches with the "Save Moras" logo. The jerseys used by the players were later auctioned off, and the money raised went to the "Save Moras" foundation. This foundation helps people affected by serious illnesses like leukemia.

See also

In Spanish: Vangelis Moras para niños