| Nikos Karabelas | |
| Fullname: | Nikolaos Karabelas |
| Birth Date: | 20 December 1984 |
| Birth Place: | Pyrgos, Greece |
| Position: | Left back |
| Years1: | 2004–2006 |
| Years2: | 2006–2009 |
| Years3: | 2009–2012 |
| Years4: | 2012–2016 |
| Years5: | 2016 |
| Years6: | 2016–2017 |
| Clubs1: | Paniliakos |
| Clubs2: | Aris |
| Clubs3: | AEK Athens |
| Clubs4: | Levante |
| Clubs5: | Real Valladolid |
| Clubs6: | Aris |
| Caps1: | 48 |
| Caps2: | 32 |
| Caps3: | 70 |
| Caps4: | 40 |
| Caps5: | 11 |
| Caps6: | 26 |
| Goals1: | 2 |
| Goals2: | 0 |
| Goals3: | 0 |
| Goals4: | 0 |
| Goals5: | 0 |
| Goals6: | 1 |
| Totalcaps: | 227 |
| Totalgoals: | 3 |
| Nationalyears1: | 2005 |
| Nationalteam1: | Greece U21 |
| Nationalcaps1: | 3 |
| Nationalgoals1: | 0 |
| Nationalyears2: | 2014 |
| Nationalteam2: | Greece |
| Nationalcaps2: | 1 |
| Nationalgoals2: | 0 |
| Pcupdate: | 17 June 2017 |
| Ntupdate: | 14 November 2014 |
Nikolaos "Nikos" Karabelas (Greek, Modern (1453-);: Νίκος Καράμπελας; born 20 December 1984) is a Greek former footballer who played as a left back.
Karabelas made his debut with his hometown's Paniliakos in the Beta Ethniki in 2004. Two years later he joined Superleague side Aris, and quickly established himself as a starter for the Yellows.
On 28 January 2009 Karabelas missed a penalty in a 0–0 draw against fierce rivals PAOK, which took Aris out of the Greek Cup finals.[1] He subsequently received threats from the club's fans, and left the club in the end of the season.
On 10 June 2009 Karabelas signed a four-year deal with AEK Athens.[2] After struggling to find his form in his debut season under Dušan Bajević, he appeared consistently in his second season, under Manolo Jiménez, and was deemed "irreplaceable" by the latter.[3]
On 26 July 2012 Karabelas moved abroad for the first time in his career, by agreeing to a two-year deal with La Liga side Levante UD.[4] He made his debut with the club on 19 August, starting and playing the full 90 minutes of a 1–1 home draw against Atlético Madrid.[5] Karabelas appeared in only nine matches during the campaign, with the Valencian side achieving a comfortable mid-table finish.
In his second season with the Granotes, he was the most used left-back by manager Joaquín Caparrós, overtaking veteran Juanfran, and signed a new two-year deal on 20 March 2014.[6] On 1 February 2016, after 3,5 years in Levante UD, the Greek defender signed a six months contract with Segunda División club Real Valladolid.[7]
On 30 August 2016, the international left back signed a three-season contract with Aris and returned to the club after seven years.[8] On 8 January 2017 he scored his first goal against Panegialios.
Karabelas was a member of the Greek U-21 team. On 14 May 2014 he was among the 30-man provisional squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup,[9] but was one of the seven players cut from Fernando Santos' final list.[10]
He made his full international debut on 14 November 2014, in a UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying match against the Faroe Islands in Piraeus. Karabelas played 78 minutes of the shock 0–1 defeat before being replaced by Petros Mantalos.[11]