Georgios Efrem

Georgios Efrem

Georgios Efrem in 2011.
Personal information
Date of birth (1989-07-05) 5 July 1989
Place of birth Limassol, Cyprus
Height 1.71 m (5 ft 7 in)
Playing position Winger
Club information
Current team
 APOEL
Number 7
Youth career
2002–2004 Apollon Limassol
2004–2007 Arsenal
2007–2009 Rangers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2007–2009 Rangers 0 (0)
2009 → Dundee (loan) 8 (2)
2009–2014 Omonia 134 (25)
2014– APOEL 59 (20)
National team‡
2008–2011 Cyprus U19 11 (4)
2008–2011 Cyprus U21 4 (2)
2009– Cyprus 36 (3)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 28 November 2016.

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 13 November 2016

Georgios Efrem (Greek: Γεώργιος Εφραίμ; born 5 July 1989) is a Cypriot international footballer who plays as a winger for APOEL in the Cypriot First Division. He is a product of Arsenal F.C. Academy.[1]

Club career

Early career

Efrem was born in Limassol and began his career as a 15-year-old with Arsenal in 2004; he was a regular in their reserve and youth sides. However, he was unable to break into the first team, and so moved to Rangers in May 2007.[2] He soon became a regular in the reserve team and was loaned out to Scottish First Division side Dundee to gain some first team experience on 1 February 2009.[3] Efrem scored on his debut against Livingston a week later.[4] He was released on 1 June 2009 by Rangers and signed with Omonia.[5]

Omonia

Efrem had an excellent start with his new club in season 2009–10, leading Omonia to its 20th championship. In the same year, Cyprus Football Association awarded Efrem the Best Youth Player Award for the 2009–10 season. During his five-year spell with Omonia, he managed to win one championship, two Cups and two Super Cups. He also appeared in 134 league matches and scored 25 goals.

APOEL

On 6 June 2014, Efrem signed a three-year contract with APOEL.[6] He made his APOEL debut against HJK Helsinki at Sonera Stadium on 30 July 2014, in a 2–2 first leg draw for the third qualifying round of the 2014–15 UEFA Champions League.[7] He scored his first official goal with APOEL on 30 November 2014, netting the only goal in APOEL's 1–0 win against his former team Omonia for the Cypriot First Division.[8] Efrem also appeared in five group stage matches in APOEL's 2014–15 UEFA Champions League campaign.[9] On 20 May 2015, Efrem scored two goals in APOEL's 4–2 Cypriot Cup final triumph over AEL Limassol to win his first trophy with APOEL.[10][11] Four days later, Efrem celebrated the double with APOEL, as his team beat 4–2 Ermis Aradippou and secured their third consecutive championship title.[12]

The next season, he received the best player of the 2015–16 Cypriot First Division Award by Cyprus Football Association,[13] as he appeared in 24 league matches and scored 11 goals, breaking his previous personal scoring record in a single season.

International career

He has represented Cyprus at all youth levels and captained the Cyprus under-21 team. In March 2009, he was called up to the Cyprus national team squad and in September 2009, he made his first two appearances.

On 16 November 2014, Efrem scored a hat-trick against Andorra in his team's 5–0 UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying home victory and made history by becoming Cyprus' first ever international player to score three goals in a single game.[14]

International goals

# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 16 November 2014 GSP Stadium, Nicosia, Cyprus  Andorra 2–0 5–0[14] UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying
2. 16 November 2014 GSP Stadium, Nicosia, Cyprus  Andorra 3–0 5–0[14] UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying
3. 16 November 2014 GSP Stadium, Nicosia, Cyprus  Andorra 4–0 5–0[14] UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying

Honours

Club

Omonia

APOEL

Individual

References

  1. ↑ "Un fost "tunar" la Giurgiu". Gazeta Sporturilor. 10 December 2013. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
  2. ↑ "Walter backs Murray on cash charge". Evening Times. 30 May 2007. Archived from the original on 10 June 2008.
  3. ↑ "Rangers' Efrem on loan to Dundee". BBC Sport. 1 February 2009. Retrieved 16 February 2013.
  4. ↑ "Livingston 1–2 Dundee". BBC Sport. 7 February 2009. Retrieved 16 February 2013.
  5. ↑ "Rangers ace Pedro Mendes: I'm not going anywhere". Evening Times. 2 June 2009. Retrieved 16 February 2013.
  6. ↑ Σύναψη συμφωνίας με Γιώργο Εφραίμ [Agreement with Giorgos Efrem] (in Greek). APOEL FC. 6 June 2014. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
  7. ↑ "APOEL comeback halts ten-man HJK". UEFA. 30 July 2014. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  8. ↑ ΑΠΟΕΛ 1-0 ΟΜΟΝΟΙΑ [APOEL 1-0 OMONIA] (in Greek). APOEL FC. 30 November 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
  9. ↑ "APOEL FC Squad". UEFA. 12 December 2014. Retrieved 12 December 2014.
  10. ↑ ΑΠΟΕΛ 4-2 ΑΕΛ [APOEL 4-2 AEL] (in Greek). APOEL FC. 20 May 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  11. ↑ APOEL on track for double after cup triumph. uefa.com. 20 May 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  12. ↑ "APOEL secure league to wrap up Cypriot double". UEFA.com. 24 May 2015. Retrieved 24 May 2015.
  13. 1 2 Christiansen, Efrem and Michael voted as the league's best. sigmalive.com. 11 May 2016. Retrieved 11 May 2016.
  14. 1 2 3 4 Efrem powers Cyprus to Andorra triumph. uefa.com. 16 November 2014. Retrieved 16 November 2014.

External links

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