Marios Neophytou

{{Infobox football biography

| fullname = Marios Neophytou

| image =

| height = {{height|m=1.82|precision=0}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1977|2|4|df=y}}

| birth_place = Limassol, Cyprus

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| position = Striker

| years1 = 1993–1999 | clubs1 = AEL Limassol | caps1 = 130 | goals1 = 62

| years2 = 1999–2003 | clubs2 = Anorthosis | caps2 = 83 | goals2 = 59

| years3 = 2003–2004 | clubs3 = OFI | caps3 = 20 | goals3 = 4

| years4 = 2004–2007 | clubs4 = APOEL | caps4 = 51 | goals4 = 26

| years5 = 2007–2008 | clubs5 = AEK | caps5 = 15 | goals5 = 4

| years6 = 2008–2009 | clubs6 = Nea Salamina | caps6 = 16 | goals6 = 3

| years7 = 2009 | clubs7 = Olympiakos Nicosia | caps7 = 8 | goals7 = 7

| years8 = 2009–2010 | clubs8 = APOP Kinyras Peyias | caps8 = 9 | goals8 = 0

| years9 = 2010–2012 | clubs9 = Akritas Chloraka | caps9 = 31 | goals9 = 10

| years10 = 2012–2013 | clubs10 = APEP | caps10 = 15 | goals10 = 6

| years11 = 2013–2014 | clubs11 = Ayia Napa | caps11 = 2 | goals11 = 0

| nationalyears1 = 2000–2004

| nationalteam1 = Cyprus

| nationalcaps1 = 5

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| manageryears1 = 2011–2012 | managerclubs1 = Akritas Chlorakas

| manageryears2 = 2012–2013 | managerclubs2 = APEP

| manageryears3 = 2013 | managerclubs3 = Ayia Napa

| manageryears4 = 2013–2014 | managerclubs4 = AEL Limassol (assistant manager)

| manageryears5 = 2015–2017 | managerclubs5 = Ermis Aradippou (assistant manager)

| manageryears6 = 2024 | managerclubs6 = AEL Limassol (assistant manager)

}}

Marios Neophytou ({{langx|el|Μάριος Νεοφύτου}}; born 4 February 1977 in Limassol, Cyprus) is a retired Cypriot football striker.

Club career

He began his career in 1993, playing for AEL Limassol. He remained to AEL until 1999, when he was transferred to Anorthosis. In his last season in Anorthosis, after having a successful season with his team and playing in all the Championship matches for his team scoring thirty three goals and becoming the top scorer in the season 2002-2003. Then he caused the interest of the Greek team OFI and he transferred there in the summer of 2003. The next season, he returned in Cyprus, to APOEL where in three seasons he scored 26 goals. In June 2007 he signed with AEK Larnaca. In 2008, he signed for Nea Salamina and then for Olympiakos Nicosia in 2009. He then moved to APOP Kinyras Peyias. Afterwards he signed to Akritas Chlorakas in 2010 where he played for one year as a player and became the season's top scorer of the club.

International career

On 15 November 2000, Neophytou made his debut with the national team of Cyprus in the home victory 5–0 against Andorra for 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification match, coming on as a substitute in 74th minute.{{cite web|url=http://eu-football.info/_match.php?id=24482|title=Cyprus football team defeated Andorra 5:0|trans-title=|publisher=eu-football.info|date=15 November 2000|accessdate=27 May 2015}}

Coaching career

In 2011, he became also the coach of Akritas team and continued also as a player. In June 2012, Neophytou signed with APEP, becoming their new coach/player.{{cite web | url=http://www.balla.com.cy/3/15_B_Katigoria/24520_APEP_%C2%ABEklektos%C2%BB_o_Marios_Neofytou_ | title=ΑΠΕΠ: "Εκλεκτός" ο Μάριος Νεοφύτου | publisher=balla.com.cy | date=8 June 2012 | accessdate=27 May 2015 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120614095420/http://www.balla.com.cy/3/15_B_Katigoria/24520_APEP_%C2%ABEklektos%C2%BB_o_Marios_Neofytou_ | archivedate=14 June 2012 }} In April 2013, he undertook Ayia Napa,{{cite web | url=http://www.politis-sports.com/cgibin/hweb?-A=118797&-V=onlinenews | title=Αγία Νάπα: Αφεντικό ο Νεοφύτου | publisher=politis-sports.com | date=5 April 2013| accessdate=27 May 2015}} again with double role, so as to help the team to gain the promotion in the Cypriot First Division but in October 2013 left the club to join AEL Limassol as caretaker manager and later as an assistant manager by the side of the Bulgarian manager Ivaylo Petev.{{cite web | url=http://www.sigmalive.com/sports/football/cyprus/a-league/71603/ypiresiakos-o-marios-neofytou | title=Υπηρεσιακός ο Μάριος Νεοφύτου| publisher=sigmalive.com | date=22 October 2013 | accessdate=27 May 2015}} In November 2014, after Ivaylo Petev was sacked, Neophytou was also released from AEL.