Traianos Dellas

Traianos Dellas (, born 31 January 1976 in Thessaloniki) is a Greece football (soccer) who plays in the Defender (football) Centre back position for Anorthosis Famagusta F.C. and the Greek national football team.

Club career

Dellas got his start with Greek side Aris FC before moving on loan to Panserraikos F.C.. He then returned to Aris again before joining Sheffield United F.C. in England. He returned to Greece with AEK Athens FC before securing a transfer to, Italy, Perugia Calcio outfit AS Roma and he joined the team on a free transfer in 2002.

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 Serie A 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 Athens FC, where he rejoined his former teammate and good friend Demis Nikolaidis, the club's current president. He renewed his contract in June 2007 for a further two years. 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. On 24 July 2008 agreed to sign a two year deal with Cypriot champions Anorthosis Famagusta.

International career

Dellas earned his first cap for Greece national football team in 2001 in a 2–2 draw with Croatia national football team.Dellas had an exceptional tournament at 2004 UEFA European Football Championship, 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 national football team to send Greece to the final. 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. Since Euro 2004, Dellas has been a mainstay in Greece's defence helping the team qualify for Euro 2008 to defend its crown.

Personal life

Dellas married the Greek model Gogo Mastrokosta on 11 September 2008. She is expecting their first child.