Full name GUNNERS Years Team Weight 83 kg Number 16 Height 1.83 m | Playing position Role Footballer Name Giorgos Merkis Career start 2001 | |
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Date of birth (1984-07-30) July 30, 1984 (age 31) Current teams Apollon F.C. (#16 / Defender), Cyprus national football team (Defender) Similar People Vincent Laban, Antonis Georgallides, Georgios Efrem, Elias Charalambous, Bruno Vale | ||
Giorgos Merkis (Greek: Γιώργος Μερκής) (born 30 July 1984) is a Cypriot international footballer who plays for APOEL in the Cypriot First Division as a central defender.
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Apollon Limassol
Merkis is a product of Apollon Limassol academies, making his first team debut during 2001–02 season at the age of 17. He spent the vast majority of his career with Apollon, where he managed to win one championship, two cups and one super cup. After fifteen years at the club, his contract was mutually terminated on 12 January 2016.
APOEL
On 12 January 2016, Merkis signed an 18-month contract with fellow Cypriot First Division club APOEL. He made his official debut on 17 January 2016, coming on as a 69th-minute substitute in APOEL's 3–0 home win against Enosis Neon Paralimni for the Cypriot First Division. He scored his first goal for APOEL against his former team Apollon Limassol on 2 April 2016, netting a late equalizer in his team's 2–2 home draw for the Cypriot First Division Championship play-offs. A few months after joining APOEL, he crowned champion as his team managed to win the Cypriot First Division title for a fourth time in the row.
On 2 March 2017, Merkis signed a two-year contract extension with APOEL, running until 31 May 2019.
International career
Merkis made his international debut with Cyprus National Team on 1 March 2006, in friendly match against Armenia at Tsirion Stadium, coming on as a 79th-minute substitute in Cyprus' 2–0 win. He scored his first goal on 16 November 2014, netting the opening goal in Cyprus' 5–0 home victory against Andorra for the UEFA Euro 2016 qualifiers.