Vangelis Moras facts for kids
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Evangelos Moras | ||
Date of birth | 26 August 1981 | ||
Place of birth | Larissa, Greece | ||
Height | 1.93 m | ||
Playing position | Centre-back | ||
Club information | |||
Current club | Greece U19 (manager) | ||
Youth career | |||
1996–1999 | Ampelokipoi Larissa | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
1999–2001 | AEL | 28 | (1) |
2001–2003 | Proodeftiki | 35 | (0) |
2003–2007 | AEK Athens | 88 | (0) |
2007–2011 | Bologna | 102 | (4) |
2011–2012 | Swansea City | 1 | (0) |
2012 | Cesena | 15 | (0) |
2012–2016 | Hellas Verona | 139 | (5) |
2016–2017 | FC Bari | 24 | (0) |
2017–2018 | Panetolikos | 12 | (0) |
2018–2020 | AEL | 46 | (3) |
2020–2021 | Apollon Larissa | 23 | (1) |
Total | 513 | (14) | |
National team | |||
2002–2004 | Greece U21 | 11 | (0) |
2004 | Greece Olympic | 3 | (0) |
2009–2016 | Greece | 27 | (0) |
Teams managed | |||
2021–2022 | P.O. Elassona | ||
2022 | Apollon Larissa | ||
2023–2024 | Ethnikos Neo Keramidi | ||
2024– | Greece U19 | ||
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Evangelos "Vangelis" Moras is a Greek former professional footballer. He was born on August 26, 1981. Vangelis played as a centre back (a defender) for many clubs. After his playing career, he became a football manager.
Contents
Vangelis Moras' Club Career
Starting His Football Journey
Vangelis Moras began his football career at Ampelokipoi Larissa. He started as a striker, dreaming of being like his idol, Marco Van Basten. In 1999, when he was 18, Vangelis joined AEL. During his two years there, his coach changed his position. Vangelis became a defender. In 2001, he moved to Proodeftiki. He helped them get promoted to the top Greek league in 2002.
Playing for AEK Athens
After playing well in his first season in the top league, Vangelis moved to AEK Athens in 2003. The coach, Dušan Bajević, specifically wanted him. Vangelis stayed with AEK until 2007. 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.
Moving to Italy with Bologna
On July 1, 2007, Vangelis 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. Vangelis played 104 games for Bologna in total.
Brief Time at Swansea City
On October 14, 2011, Vangelis joined Premier League team Swansea City in England. He signed a three-month deal. There were some delays with paperwork, but FIFA finally allowed him to play. He made his Premier League debut on October 22, 2011. This was in a 2–2 draw against Wolves. He left Swansea City in January 2012 when his short contract ended.
Joining Cesena in Italy
After leaving Swansea, Vangelis signed with A.C. Cesena in Italy. He joined them as a free agent. He was excited to be back in Italy. Vangelis made his debut for Cesena on January 21, 2012. This was in a game they lost 5–1 to Roma. He played regularly until the end of the season. However, he left the club in June 2012 when his six-month contract finished.
Success with Hellas Verona
On July 1, 2012, Vangelis signed with another Italian club, Hellas Verona. 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 2014, Vangelis showed great sportsmanship. He did not react when an opponent, Jonatan Cristaldo, pushed him during a game. This showed his calm and strong character. He also made it clear that Hellas Verona was focused on finishing the season well, not just on reaching European competitions.
Vangelis had a fantastic season with Hellas Verona. This led to him being chosen for Greece's 23-man squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. On July 8, 2014, Hellas Verona extended his contract. On April 21, 2015, Vangelis played his 100th game for Hellas Verona. He celebrated by holding a Greek flag.
In September 2015, Vangelis said he wanted to finish his career at Hellas Verona. He felt the club was like a second family to him. He scored his first goal of the 2015–16 season in November 2015.
Playing for Bari and Panetolikos
On July 5, 2016, Vangelis signed a two-year deal with F.C. Bari 1908. He started many games in the Serie B league. However, he got a muscle injury in September 2016. He returned to play in October.
On August 30, 2017, Vangelis returned to Greece. He signed with Panetolikos after almost 10 years in Italy. On December 9, 2017, he reached 100 appearances in the Superleague Greece.
Return to AEL and Apollon Larissa
On January 31, 2018, Vangelis returned to his hometown club, AEL. He signed a six-month contract. He had left AEL 16 years earlier. On March 30, 2019, he scored his first goal for the club. It was a powerful header that helped AEL win 2–1.
On September 9, 2020, Vangelis signed a one-year contract with Super League Greece 2 club Apollon Larissa. He scored his first goal for them on March 17, 2021. On July 7, 2021, Vangelis announced his retirement from professional football.
Vangelis Moras' International Career
Vangelis Moras played for Greece at the 2004 Summer Olympics.
His strong performances in Italy led to him being called up for the Greece national team. He made his international debut on February 11, 2009, in a friendly game against Denmark. Vangelis was very happy about this. He said he wanted to do everything to keep his place on the national team.
His excellent season with Hellas Verona helped him get selected for Greece's 30-man team for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He then made it into the final 23-man squad.
Vangelis Moras' Managerial Career
After retiring as a player, Vangelis Moras became a football manager. On July 12, 2021, he became the manager for P.O. Elassona. He led the team to win the Larissa FCA Cup in 2021–22.
On July 5, 2022, Vangelis returned to Apollon Larissa, this time as their manager. He resigned on December 10, 2022, due to issues within the club. On February 4, 2023, Vangelis joined Ethnikos Neo Keramidi as their manager.
Managerial Statistics
Here's a look at Vangelis Moras' record as a manager:
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
Vangelis Moras' Personal Life
In July 2014, Vangelis Moras traveled to Australia to help his brother, Dimitris. Dimitris had a serious illness called acute myeloid leukaemia. Vangelis donated bone marrow to him. Sadly, on July 17, 2015, Dimitris passed away.
On August 27, 2015, Vangelis received an award called "Grande della Scala" in Verona, Italy. He received it for his courage and support for his brother.
On February 20, 2016, an event called "Save Moras" was held at a stadium in Italy. Vangelis started "Save Moras" to honor his brother Dimitris. The event aimed to teach people about the importance of donating bone marrow. During the football match, both teams wore special patches with the "Save Moras" logo. The jerseys used by the players were later sold to raise money for the foundation.
See also
In Spanish: Vangelis Moras para niños