Player Profile: Efstathios Aloneftis

When it comes to football in Cyprus, Aloneftis is a household name, who is accustom to silverware.

Starting off his professional career at his boyhood club Omonia, silverware started to be the definition of his game. He won the Cypriot First League in his first season, 2002-03, aged just 19 years old. During that same year he also won the Cypriot Super Cup, at 19 years of age he already won the two out of the three trophies available in Cyprus. Two years later he completed all three, winning the Cypriot Cup in 2005, bidding farewell to Omonia. For now.

Aloneftis then joined AEL Larissa,for a fee of 136,000 Euros, at the end of the 2007 season he played in the Greek Cup. This game ended in a 2-1 win for Aloneftis in which he started, adding another trophy to his cabinet.

Aloneftis then jumped to Germany, playing for Energie Cottbuss. He became the first Cypriot to play in the Bundesliga.

Aloneftis then returned to Cyprus, back to Omonia. You guessed it, silverware comes back to Aloneftis. During his four years at Omonia, he won another Cypriot First League, two more Cypriot Cups and one more Cypriot Super Cup. On the 1st of June, after more silverware, he mutually terminated his contract.

Subsequently, he jumped ship to bitter rivals APOEL, staying in Nicosia to which he retired a week ago from. 8 years would equate to even more success, securing another seven Cypriot First League titles, all back to back. He also endured in two more Cypriot Cup triumphs, and another emphatic Cypriot Super Cup victory. Aloneftis played in both the Europa League and Champions League with his time at APOEL.

Overall his career trophies included:

9x Cypriot First Leagues, 5x Cypriot Cups, 3x Cypriot Super Cups and 1x Greek Cup.

Photo Source: UEFA.com.