Zoltán Gera
|
Gera playing for Hungary at Euro 2016 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Zoltán Gera | ||
| Date of birth | 22 April 1979 | ||
| Place of birth | Pécs, Hungary | ||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Vasas SC (manager) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1993–1996 | Pécsi Bőrgyár | ||
| Pécsi Zsolnay | |||
| Pécsi Kinizsi | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1996–1997 | Harkány SE | ||
| 1997–2000 | Pécs | 71 | (14) |
| 2000–2004 | Ferencváros | 115 | (32) |
| 2004–2008 | West Bromwich Albion | 135 | (21) |
| 2008–2011 | Fulham | 86 | (5) |
| 2011–2014 | West Bromwich Albion | 30 | (4) |
| 2014–2018 | Ferencváros | 89 | (15) |
| Total | 526 | (91) | |
| International career | |||
| 1999–2000 | Hungary U21 | 3 | (0) |
| 2002–2017 | Hungary | 97 | (26) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2018–2019 | Ferencváros (assistant manager) | ||
| 2018–2021 | Hungary (assistant manager) | ||
| 2019–2024 | Hungary U21 | ||
| 2024 | Vasas SC | ||
| 2024– | Kecskeméti TE | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Zoltán Gera (born 22 April 1979) is a Hungarian former professional footballer who played as a midfielder for Fulham, Pécsi Mecsek and Harkány SE, as well as enjoying two spells at Ferencváros and West Bromwich Albion.
Gera is known for his overhead-kick goals and his cartwheel to back-flip celebration, which he demonstrated in Fulham's Europa League quarter-final win against Juventus in 2010. He was named Hungarian Player of the Year in 2002, 2004 and 2005. For his efforts in the 2009–10 season and his goals in the Europa League, Gera was named Fulham's Player of the Season.
Gera made his international debut for Hungary in 2002 against Switzerland, with his nation losing 2–1. In 2009, Gera briefly retired from the national team following a dispute with then-manager Erwin Koeman. When Koeman was replaced by Sándor Egervári in 2010, Gera returned to Hungary's international squad which he later represented at the 2016 UEFA European Championship. He announced his final retirement from football on 28 June 2018.