Shota Arveladze

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Personal information
Shota Arveladze

Full name	Shota Arveladze
Date of birth	February 22, 1973
Place of birth	Tbilisi, Georgia
Nickname	Hot Shota
Position	Striker
Club information
Current club	AZ Alkmaar
Professional clubs*
Years	Club	Apps (goals)
1990-91 1990-92 1992-93 1993-94 1994-95 1994-97 1997-01 2001-05 2005-?	Martve Tbilisi Iberia Tbilisi FC Dinamo Tbilisi Trabzonspor FC Dinamo Tbilisi Trabzonspor Ajax Amsterdam Rangers F.C. AZ Alkmaar	30 (33) 37 (25) 23 (18) 18 (15) 15 (19) 78 (46) 96 (55) 95 (44) 45 (31)
National team**
1997-present	Georgia	53 (22)
* Professional club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of December 5, 2006. ** National team caps and goals correct as of August 17, 2006.

Shota Arveladze (born February 22, 1973 in Tbilisi) is a Georgian professional football player who currently plays for AZ Alkmaar in the Netherlands, having moved there on a free transfer from Rangers after the 2004-05 season.

Before coming to Rangers, he played at Dinamo Tbilisi, Trabzonspor, and Ajax Amsterdam, and finished at least one season as the top goal scorer at all three. He also scored the 3000th goal in the SPL. When he led Trabzonspor in goals in 1995-96, he also led the Turkish Premier Super League, making him the second non-Turk to date to lead that league in goals after Tarik Hosic 1983-84.

Arveladze joined Rangers from Ajax for £2 million in 2001. He is also a regular in the Georgian national team, and his nation's all-time leading scorer. His twin brother Archil also plays international football for Georgia.

AZ Alkmaar - Current Squad
1 Didulica \| 2 Jaliens \| 3 Luirink \| 4 Opdam \| 5 de Cler \| 7 Guðjónsson \| 8 Schaars \| 9 Arveladze \| 10 Cziommer \| 11 Martens \| 12 Luyckx \| 14 Donk \| 15 Molhoek \| 17 Meerdink \| 18 Dembélé \| 19 Koevermans \| 20 de Zeeuw \| 21 Ikedia \| 22 Sinouh \| 23 Steinsson \| 24 Mendes da Silva \| 25 Vormer \| 26 Bulters \| 27 Jenner \| 29 Lens \| -- Waterreus