User:Stochil/Sandbox2

Shota Arveladze (born February 22, 1973 in Tbilisi) is a Georgian professional football player who currently plays for Levante UD in Spain.

  

Arveladze spent his early career playing in the newly formed Georgian Premier League. His first club was Martve Tbilisi, where as a 17 year-old he scored 33 goals in 30 games, during his debut season. Before the season was over he was transferred to [Iberia Tbilisi]] where the scored another 3 goals in 7 games. The next season was also a high scoring one for the young Arveladze, which led to his transfer to the most successful club in Georgia, FC Dinamo Tbilisi. Wining the championship with Dinamo Tblisi twice. 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 Hodžić 1983-84.

Arveladze joined Rangers from Ajax for £2 million in 2001 but departed for Dutch side, AZ on a free transfer in 2004-05. 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. He now looks set to leave AZ, with Louis van Gaal saying he would not stand in his way if the striker wanted to move to a foreign team. His final game looks set to be the home friendly against Internazionale at the DSB Stadion on 11 August.

He retired from the Georgia national football team in May of 2007, having played 61 matches and having scored 26 goals. He is currently the leading scorer on the national team, since its inception in 1990.