Avraam Papadopoulos

Avraam Papadopoulos (Greek: Αβραάμ Παπαδόπουλος; born 3 December 1984) is a Greek professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Olympiacos. He was born in Melbourne, Australia, to Greek parents.

Club Career

Aris

Papadopoulos started his professional career with Aris in 2003 after stepping up from the Aris Youth with another promising attacking youngster, his friend Ethimios Pantelidis. Before, he had been with Digenis Lakkomatos Chalkidiki youth.

At the beginning of his career, he started as a striker or attacking midfielder. In the period between 2003 and summer 2006, Aris lived some darker days of their history in Greek football also tangled with a defensive philosophy of football, financial problems in the club, Papadopoulos experienced some gradual "demotions" into the more defensive positions by his coaches. Firstly into defensive midfielder, then also right back and finally central defender where he generally plays even nowadays.

He is quite tall, with very tough body constitution, but not slow for his physical appearance, with pretty good awareness and tackling, sometimes reckless which leads him to getting yellow cards, but also this can be partially explained by more attacking football of the post-2006 Aris that can expose a defender like Papadopoulos to the situations of must-break the opponents' attacks. The scorer of several goals through his career generally by his strong headers and penalties. The best example is his only goal/header in the final qualifiers with Zaragoza in the UEFA Cup group stage at the Kleanthis Vikelidis stadium, which, at the end of the day, turned out to be the crucial and historic goal after Aris' loss 2–1 in Spain that ensured Aris the progression to the group stage. Yet he has been sent up in front, whenever Aris needed an extra striker in the dying minutes of matches.

As an "Aris kid" playing for his beloved club, but also with the fact that he experienced dark days as well as lighter, he was one of the f

This page also has a version in other languages :  Авраам Пападопулос (russian)