Vassilios Tsiartas

Infobox Football biography
playername = Vassilis Tsiartas


fullname = Vasilios Tsiartas
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1972|11|12
cityofbirth = Alexandreia
countryofbirth = Greece
dateofdeath =
cityofdeath =
countryofdeath =
height = height|m=1.85
position = Midfielder
youthyears = 1987–1989
youthclubs = Alexandreia
years = 1989–1993
1993–1996
1996–2000
2000–2004
2004–2005
2006–2007
clubs = Naousa
AEK Athens
Sevilla
AEK Athens
Köln
Ethnikos Piraeus
Total
caps(goals) = 092 0(32)
097 0(37)
142 0(45)
098 0(43)
004 00(1)
003 00(1)
436 (159)
nationalyears = 1994–2005
nationalteam = Greece
nationalcaps(goals) = 070 0(12)

Vassilios Tsiartas (Greek:Βασίλης Τσιάρτας, was born on November 12 1972 in Alexandreia) is a former Greek football player, revered by many as one of the most naturally talented Greek footballers of his generation. Tsiartas was born on November 12th, 1972 in Alexandria, Greece and currently resides in Athens. As a player he was famed for his lackadaisical playing style; his ability, however, was never in question and he was in many ways the epitome of a player who wears the "number 10 shirt". Tsiartas was predominantly left footed but was just as dangerous with his right. He was a phenomenal free kick specialist and also took all penalties for the National Team of Greece and his club sides. He was an important part of the Greek National Side with two assists for the team that qualified for Euro 2004 and later would go on to win the tournament as 100-1 outsiders. In his entire career he did not receive a single red card.

Club career

He began his career at the academy at AE Alexandris and later the team of F.A.S. Naoussa FC which also produced such players as Yiotis Tsalouchidis and Dimitris Markos. The left footed attacking midfielder soon made a name for himself and his subsequent move to AEK Athens FC resulted in him scoring the most goals in the 1996 season in the Alpha Ethniki (A League). This and his huge attacking presence lead to a move to Sevilla FC where he was an influential captain and vital in team gaining promotion to the Primera Division. He was known in Sevilla as 'El Mago' due to his lethal ability with any free kicks combined with a powerful shot in or outside the box. He returned to AEK Athens FC in 2000 and after another successful 4 year spell at AEK he ended his career at FC Köln. Tsiartas officially returned to active competition by signing with Ethnikos Piraeus in Greece. On February 14, 2007 Vasilis Tsiartas announced his retirement from professional football [http://www.contra.gr/Soccer/Hellas/142570.html]

International career

Having played U-16 and U-21 he debuted for the Greek National Team on April 27 1994 in a game against Saudi Arabia. He managed to score 12 goals (5 of which were penalties) in his 70 caps with the National Team including an important penalty against Northern Ireland in 2003 which led to Greece's qualification for Euro 2004. During the Euro 2004 he was used mainly as a substitute by the team's coach Otto Rehhagel, but managed to claim two vital assists, one against Spain [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPwblKjm2lo] and the other against the Czech Republic [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cYtmCzFU3w] on the way to Greece's victory in the tournament.

Honours

AEK Athens
*Greek Championship: 1993, 1994
*Greek Cup: 1996, 2002

Greece
*UEFA European Football Championship: 2004

Individual
*Greek Super League top scorer: 1996
*Greek Footballer of the year: 1996

Trivia

*He featured on the cover of the Greek edition of FIFA 2000.

Articles

* [http://www.terra.com/deportes/articulo/html/fox107135.htm Tsartas, el 'sabio griego' del equipo de Rehhagel]
* [http://www.uefa.com/footballeurope/news/kind=2/newsid=506570.html Uefa.com: Tsiartas signs off with pride]

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