Biography
Who is Theofanis Gekas?
Early professional career
Theofanis Gekas began his professional path in the summer of 1998 with his local team AEL in the Greek second division. After spending three seasons with his hometown club, he transferred to Kallithea during the summer of 2001. This move proved successful as he helped the team earn promotion to the top tier of Greek football. During his debut season with Kallithea, he was the league top scorer with 14 goals from 26 matches. Across his time in the lower division with both AEL and Kallithea, he netted 30 times in 87 league games.
By the 2005 winter break, he moved to Panathinaikos. His output remained high, scoring 23 times in 41 appearances for the club. In 2005, he achieved the status of top goalscorer in the Greek league with 18 goals. His performance in the 2005-06 season included his first appearances in the UEFA Champions League, where he finished as the second-highest scorer for the team in that competition.
Success in Germany and England
In 2006, the German club VfL Bochum secured the services of Theofanis Gekas on a loan deal. Despite the team fighting to avoid relegation, he became a star performer and a favorite among the supporters. His scoring ability helped the squad remain in the top division, and he finished the campaign as the Bundesliga top scorer with 20 goals. Following this success, he signed with Bayer 04 Leverkusen for the following season. While he led the team in scoring during the 2007-08 season, he faced inconsistent playing time under coach Michael Skibbe.
In February 2009, he moved to the English club Portsmouth on a loan agreement intended to lead to a permanent transfer. However, he made only one appearance for the team before the loan was cut short in May 2009. He returned to Germany later that year, joining Hertha BSC on a half-year loan. He found the net six times in 17 appearances, including a hat-trick against VfL Wolfsburg, though the club could not avoid relegation. He later signed a two-year contract with Eintracht Frankfurt in 2010, scoring 16 goals in 34 matches before the team was relegated.
International football and later career
Theofanis Gekas earned 78 caps for the Greek national team between 2005 and 2014. He participated in two European Championships and two World Cups during his tenure. He was a key figure in qualification matches, finishing as the top scorer for the European section during the 2010 World Cup qualifying stage with 10 goals. With 24 total goals for his country, he stands as the third highest goalscorer in the history of the Greek national football team. His international debut occurred in March 2005 during a qualification match against Albania.
Following his time in Germany, he played for several clubs in Turkey, including Samsunspor, Akhisar Belediyespor, Torku Konyaspor, and Eskişehirspor. He also had a brief stint in Spain with Levante UD. In 2016, he joined the Swiss side Sion, where he continued to score goals, including a hat-trick against FC Lugano. He eventually moved into coaching and official roles after his extensive career as a forward across multiple European leagues.
Birthday and age
Theofanis Gekas was born on May 23, 1980, which makes Theofanis 46 years old today. That birthday falls under the Gemini sign. Theofanis shares the date with 53 other famous people.
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