5 brilliant players who are simply too good to be playing in Cyprus
Former Manchester City, PSG and Rangers stars are among the players who are simply too good to be playing in the Cypriot First Division.
Known for its beautiful beaches, nightlife and copious amounts of sunshine, we can see why Cyprus would be a popular place for players to wind down in their later years.
We’ve taken a closer look at the top flight in Cyprus and have picked out five names who should be playing in a more high-profile league.
Stevan Jovetic
Had it not been for the constant injuries that plagued his career, who knows just how good Jovetic could have become?
Despite multiple setbacks throughout his career, he’s still played for some of the biggest clubs in Europe, having had stints with the likes of Inter Milan, Sevilla and Manchester City.
After finding himself as a free agent over the summer, he eventually decided to join Omonia on a two-year deal.
As of writing, the 35-year-old has scored four goals and provided four assists in nine league appearances. A very healthy tally from a player happily enjoying the autumn of his career.
Grzegorz Krychowiak
The former PSG and Sevilla star has rarely settled in one place for long as he’s now onto the 12th different club of his career so far.
Having recently had stints in Russia, Greece and Saudi Arabia, he now finds himself playing for Anorthosis Famagusta in the lower half of the league.
Given he rarely sticks around at one club for long, we wouldn’t be surprised if this stint in Cyprus isn’t a long-lasting one.
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Connor Goldson
After enjoying his peak years with Rangers, the 32-year-old made the switch to Aris Limassol last summer.
He seems to have made a good impact in his new surroundings so far as his side currently boast the best defensive record in the league having only conceded nine goals in their opening 16 matches.
Upon arriving in Cyprus back in July, Goldson claimed it was his desire to win trophies that attracted him to the club.
“When I heard about this I spoke with the owner, I spoke with the coach and I was really excited for the project,” the defender said upon his arrival.
“I was really excited to try and win championships, try and win trophies, and that’s what I came here to do.”
Max Meyer
During his early years with Schalke, Meyer was regarded as one of the top prospects in European football. A nippy playmaker with an eye for goal, plenty of top sides were tracking him during his formative years.
While his career never quite took off like some had predicted, he’s still enjoyed a good career having also played for Crystal Palace and Fenerbahce.
Along with the fact that he now plays in Cyprus, we were also surprised to learn that he’s still just 29 years old.
After enjoying a couple of good years with Swiss outfit Luzern, Meyer made the switch to APOEL over the summer as a free agent.
Domingos Quina
The former West Ham and Watford wonderkid has had quite the journey throughout his career so far. Despite only being 25, he’s already played for 10 different clubs.
Watford fans in particular had high hopes for Quina, but things didn’t quite work out for him at Vicarage Road.
He spent last season at Udinese and made the switch to Cyprus last summer, when he joined Pafos for a reported fee of £500k.
Quina has made 13 league appearances, scoring once for the Cypriot league leaders.