62 Facts About Georgios Samaras

Georgios Samaras helped Celtic win Scottish league championships in 2008,2012,2013 and 2014, totalling 74 goals in 249 competitive games.

Georgios Samaras left the club at the end of his contract in 2014 and returned to the Premier League with West Bromwich Albion, where he featured rarely and had an unsuccessful loan to Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia.

Georgios Samaras then played for Turkish team Samsunspor before retiring in 2018.

Georgios Samaras made his debut in 2006, and became a regular over the next eight years, earning 81 caps and scoring 9 goals.

Georgios Samaras represented his country at Euro 2008, the 2010 World Cup, Euro 2012 and the 2014 World Cup.

Georgios Samaras's grandfather, called Georgios, was from Arnaia and was one of the founders of Australian side South Melbourne FC.

Georgios Samaras was a keen basketball fan and his father, Ioannis Georgios Samaras, often let him stay up until the early hours of the morning so he could watch his hero Michael Jordan.

In 1994, when he was 10 years old, Georgios Samaras joined his boyhood heroes, OFI.

Georgios Samaras's father was playing for them at the time and then retired in 1996.

Georgios Samaras's influence meant that Samaras trained every day of his childhood and he got to spend a lot of time behind the scenes at OFI.

Georgios Samaras scored three goals in his first four appearances, all of which were from the bench.

However, the player's father, Ioannis Georgios Samaras said that this was untrue and that his son wanted to stay at the club for another year.

Georgios Samaras tried to get released from his contract after Heerenveen had rejected a bid from Manchester City.

City had won just three of their previous 16 games, and the club, as well as Georgios Samaras, had been receiving a lot of criticism from fans.

Georgios Samaras responded to his criticisms, by saying that he felt it was Pearce's fault that he wasn't playing well because the manager wasn't giving him a regular run of games.

Georgios Samaras said that he felt a lot of criticism stemmed from his high transfer fee, saying that it is normal for expensive players to be criticised more than most when they don't play well.

Georgios Samaras said that he had come through tougher periods than this and his self-belief would not be shaken, he said that his desire was to become a Champions League player.

Georgios Samaras had been widely criticised, and even booed, by City fans at times during the previous season and Eriksson said that he hoped it would not happen again and that he appreciated why Georgios Samaras could have found it hard to play under those circumstances.

Georgios Samaras started the match and scored a last-minute winner to put Manchester City into the quarter-final.

Georgios Samaras failed to get a regular place in the first team over the two years he was at Manchester City.

On 29 January 2008, Georgios Samaras signed for Scottish Premier League club Celtic on a six-month loan deal, with the club having an option to buy him at the end of his loan spell.

Georgios Samaras said that he wanted the move because he needed to be playing first team football to get into the Greece squad for Euro 2008.

Georgios Samaras said that he was attracted to the fact that he would regularly be able to play in European competition with Celtic.

Georgios Samaras scored the final goal of the game after coming on as a substitute.

Georgios Samaras came on as a late substitute and collected his first winners' medal after the match.

Georgios Samaras scored 17 goals, with 15 of them coming in the SPL.

Georgios Samaras finished the season with 10 league goals and 12 in all competitions.

However, the goals then dried up with Georgios Samaras failing to score again in 2010.

Georgios Samaras then produced a match-winning performance against Rangers at Ibrox on 2 January 2011.

Georgios Samaras's second came after he won a penalty which he converted to secure the victory.

On 3 November 2011, Georgios Samaras started against Rennes in a Europa League match at Celtic Park.

Georgios Samaras drew plaudits for his much noticed work-rate and determination during the match.

Georgios Samaras is a talent and all we are asking for is consistency.

Georgios Samaras has shown everyone today what he is capable of when he is in full flow.

Georgios Samaras had been playing as a left midfielder in the previous few weeks, and the Daily Record said that his good form since returning to the team had helped re-ignite Celtic's season.

Georgios Samaras was credited for helping Celtic qualify from the group stage, providing the assist for Hooper's opening goal in the final game against Spartak at Parkhead and then winning the foul for the penalty that Commons converted to clinch the win required that night.

Georgios Samaras did not start, however was subbed on later in the match, replacing Kris Commons in the 76th minute.

Georgios Samaras scored early in the second half, adding to Commons' goal just before half time, to level the tie on aggregate.

Georgios Samaras continued to feature regularly in domestic games for Celtic, but was often used as a substitute.

On 22 August 2014, Georgios Samaras completed a free transfer move to English Premier League side West Bromwich Albion on a two-year contract.

Georgios Samaras failed to secure a regular place in the team and by January 2015 had made only eight substitute appearances, all without scoring.

On 5 February 2015, Georgios Samaras joined Saudi side Al-Hilal on loan for the rest of the season, with an option to sign him permanently at the end of his loan spell.

On 20 March 2015, Georgios Samaras faced a hip injury, the most serious injury in his career that forced him to be out of action for almost three months.

Georgios Samaras had his contract with West Brom terminated by mutual consent on 17 July 2015.

Georgios Samaras did eventually sign for a North American Soccer League team, joining expansion side Rayo OKC on 10 March 2016.

Georgios Samaras became a free agent in early 2017 when Rayo OKC shut down after only one season, and his next move was suggested to be to Spain to sign for Real Zaragoza.

On 6 August 2017, Georgios Samaras agreed terms with TFF First League club Samsunspor.

On 12 October 2018, Georgios Samaras announced his retirement from football, aged 33.

Georgios Samaras was eligible to play for the Australian national team.

Georgios Samaras's father, Ioannis, was born in Melbourne, but moved to Greece at the age of 13, and had a successful football career, playing for OFI, Panathinaikos, and Greece.

Georgios Samaras made his debut for Greece just a week after his 21st birthday, on 28 February 2006, in a friendly game against Belarus, in which he scored the sole goal of the game.

Georgios Samaras featured in Greece's Euro 2008 qualifiers and was a member of the unsuccessful Greek squad at the finals, making just one appearance as a second-half substitute in their first UEFA Euro 2008 Group D game against Sweden.

Georgios Samaras' fourth international goal was a crucial one, when he scored the winning goal in a 2010 World Cup qualifier against Israel in front of his hometown crowd in Heraklion.

On 1 June 2010, Georgios Samaras was selected in the 23-man Greece squad for the World Cup.

Georgios Samaras then went on to score a vital goal for Greece against Croatia on 7 October 2011, a volley from the edge of the box with his left foot.

Georgios Samaras played in all three of Greece's group games at Euro 2012, helping them to finish second in Group A and progress to the quarter-finals.

Georgios Samaras was selected in Greece's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Georgios Samaras has been described as having all the skills necessary for forward play.

Georgios Samaras was strong which further added to his physical presence and made him harder for defenders to play against.

Georgios Samaras used this to his advantage and often went on runs where he beat several opposition players.

Eriksson said that he believed Georgios Samaras to be a good header of the ball and he had to stop believing he was like Ronaldinho if he was to become a good player.

Georgios Samaras was able to run beyond the centre-backs and his pace meant he could run on to through balls hit over the defence.