1. Overview
Avraam Papadopoulos (Αβραάμ ΠαπαδόπουλοςAvraam PapadopoulosGreek, Modern) is a Greek former professional footballer who primarily played as a centre-back. Born on 3 December 1984, in Melbourne, Australia, to Greek parents, he also holds Australian citizenship. Throughout his career, he played for several clubs across various leagues, including the Super League Greece, Süper Lig in Turkey, the Chinese Super League, the J1 League in Japan, and the A-League in Australia. He is particularly known for his significant tenure with Olympiacos F.C., where he achieved multiple league and cup successes. Papadopoulos also represented the Greece national football team at various levels, participating in major international tournaments such as the 2010 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2012. He officially announced his retirement from professional football on 1 August 2022.
2. Early Life and Background
Avraam Papadopoulos was born on 3 December 1984, in Melbourne, Australia. He was born to Greek parents, and in addition to his Greek nationality, he also holds Australian citizenship, which later facilitated his career moves in the Australian A-League.
3. Club career
Avraam Papadopoulos had a dynamic club career spanning Greek, Turkish, Chinese, Japanese, and Australian leagues, marked by significant success with Olympiacos F.C. and several international transfers.
3.1. Aris Thessaloniki
Avraam Papadopoulos began his professional career with Aris Thessaloniki in 2003, having progressed from the club's youth academy alongside fellow promising attacking player Ethimios Pantelidis. Prior to this, he was with Digenis Lakkomatos Chalkidiki youth. In the early stages of his career, he played as a striker or attacking midfielder. During a challenging period for Aris between 2003 and mid-2006, marked by a defensive playing philosophy and financial difficulties, Papadopoulos underwent a gradual transition to more defensive roles. His coaches first moved him to defensive midfielder, then to right-back, and finally settled him as a central defender.
He is characterized by his height, robust physique, and surprising agility for his build. His playing style included good awareness and strong tackling, though sometimes reckless, which often led to yellow cards. This assertiveness was partly attributed to Aris's more attacking post-2006 style, which sometimes required defenders to make crucial interventions. Throughout his career, he scored several goals, primarily through powerful headers and penalty kicks. A notable example is his decisive header in the UEFA Cup group stage qualifiers against Real Zaragoza at the Kleanthis Vikelidis Stadium, which, despite Aris's 2-1 loss in Spain, secured their progression to the group stage. He was also occasionally deployed as an extra striker in the final minutes of matches when Aris needed a goal.
As an "Aris kid" who played for his beloved club and endured both difficult and successful periods, he became a fan favorite. He was considered one of the "last Mohicans" - a term figuratively used for players like Georgios Koltsidas, Konstantinos Nebegleras, Papadopoulos, Georgios Gougoulias, Ronald García, Efthimios Kouloucheris, Kristi Vangjeli, Petros Passalis, and Spyros Gogolos - who remained with the team through its time in the second division in the 2005-06 season, and its subsequent promotion and resurgence in the first division. Aris's number 4 was known for his passion. For many years, he was frequently linked by sports media to Athenian giants, particularly Olympiacos F.C., but he remained loyal to Aris. During the 2006-07 season, there were rumors that scouts from major clubs such as S.L. Benfica, Chelsea F.C., and FC Zenit Saint Petersburg were closely monitoring him. In his final season in Thessaloniki before moving to Piraeus, he was considered one of Aris's top stars, alongside Sergio Koke, Ronald Nacho Garcia, and veteran superstar Marcio Amoroso.
At the end of the 2007-08 season, after receiving three offers, Papadopoulos declined to renew his contract, which would have extended until 2013, despite earlier indications that he might. This decision, culminating in his acceptance of a transfer to Olympiacos, sparked outrage among many Aris fans, who denounced him as a traitor.
3.2. Olympiacos
On 4 July 2008, Avraam Papadopoulos was transferred to Olympiacos F.C. for 2.50 M EUR, signing a four-year contract. During a press conference, he stated, "I came to Olympiacos, and not Panathinaikos, because it was the best choice for me. The ideal choice. I will work as hard as I can to make the team reach its goals and objectives in both Europe and Greece."
He made his debut for Olympiacos against Anorthosis Famagusta FC in a 3-0 away loss. He concluded the 2008-09 season with 22 league appearances. He started the following season by scoring his first goal for the club against ŠK Slovan Bratislava in a 0-2 away win. He also scored a crucial goal against P.A.O.K. F.C. in a 1-2 away victory and against AEK Athens F.C. in a 1-2 home defeat. In the 2009-10 season, he made 28 league appearances and scored 2 goals. His strong partnership with Olof Mellberg in central defense was instrumental in Olympiacos winning consecutive championships in the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons.
On 24 June 2011, Papadopoulos was accused by the Athens prosecutor of alleged involvement in a match-fixing scandal that had impacted Greek football, with his name appearing on a list alongside other high-profile players like Kostas Mendrinos. However, he was later acquitted of these allegations by the Five Member Court of Appeal of Athens.
Following a serious injury sustained during the UEFA Euro 2012 tournament, it was revealed that Papadopoulos had torn his ACL. After an eight-month recovery period, he returned to play on 30 January 2013, entering as a substitute for Kostas Manolas in the 46th minute of a 1-0 victory over Kavala F.C.. On 10 March 2013, he scored two goals against AEK Athens F.C. in a 3-0 home win, a victory that secured Olympiacos their 40th championship title. He also scored in the final match of the season against Panionios GSS in a 2-1 home win, assisted by Ariel Ibagaza. Despite being the club's captain, Papadopoulos's 2013-14 season was significantly affected by various injury issues, though he continued to demonstrate resilience.
3.3. Trabzonspor
On 1 September 2014, Avraam Papadopoulos completed a free transfer to Trabzonspor in Turkey. Upon his departure from Olympiacos, the 29-year-old former club captain publicly criticized coach Michel, stating that his relationship with the Spanish coach was beyond repair, which led to him becoming a peripheral figure despite his pivotal role since 2008. He expressed gratitude to Olympiacos president Evangelos Marinakis for respecting his desire to seek a new challenge. His move to Trabzonspor made him only the second Greek player to compete in Turkey's top-flight, following Theofanis Gekas. During his time at Trabzonspor, he played under coach Vahid Halilhodžić.
3.4. Shanghai Shenhua
On 23 January 2015, Trabzonspor transferred Papadopoulos to Shanghai Shenhua for 285.00 K EUR. He signed a contract until 30 December 2016, becoming the first Greek footballer to play in the Chinese Super League. On 15 August 2015, he scored the second goal in a 2-2 away draw against champions Guangzhou Evergrande, helping his club avoid defeat. However, due to team reorganization and the acquisition of high-profile foreign players like Demba Ba and Obafemi Martins during the off-season, coupled with restrictions on foreign player numbers, Papadopoulos's contract with the club was mutually dissolved on 20 February 2016. Following his release, there were rumors of interest from Atromitos F.C..
3.5. Júbilo Iwata
On 18 May 2016, Papadopoulos continued his career by joining J1 League club Júbilo Iwata as an Asian quota player for an undisclosed fee, making him the first Greek footballer to play in the J1 League. He made his J.League Cup debut on 5 June 2016, in a match against Nagoya Grampus at Yamaha Stadium. His J1 League debut occurred on 18 June 2016, in a 1-0 away loss against Shonan Bellmare. On 24 August 2016, he scored his first goal for the club, securing a 3-2 away win against rivals Avispa Fukuoka at Level-5 Stadium. After approximately six months, his contract was mutually terminated on 5 November 2016.
3.6. Brisbane Roar
On 14 February 2017, Avraam Papadopoulos joined Australian A-League club Brisbane Roar until the end of the season, serving as an injury replacement for Daniel Bowles, who was sidelined with a serious knee injury. Despite his Greek international status, Papadopoulos holds an Australian passport, meaning he was not counted as a visa player. He made his debut for the club on 5 March 2017 in a 3-1 away win against Newcastle Jets. On 22 June 2017, Brisbane Roar extended his contract for another 12 months. During the 2016-17 season, he played seven games at centre-back, providing cover for Luke De Vere and Jade North.
On 28 October 2017, Papadopoulos scored his first A-League goal in a 3-3 away draw against Wellington Phoenix FC, capitalizing on a rebound from a Fahid Ben Khalfallah free-kick. On 17 November 2017, he scored two goals - the opener and the clincher - for Brisbane Roar in a 3-1 home win against Melbourne City FC, helping the team climb off the bottom of the ladder. He nearly completed a hat-trick with another goal-bound header before halftime, which was cleared off the line by Stefan Mauk.
However, on 25 November 2017, during the final quarter of a game against Sydney FC, Papadopoulos spat at Sydney FC striker Matt Simon. Simon retaliated, and Papadopoulos fell to the ground covering his face, resulting in Simon's dismissal. Brisbane Roar promptly issued a statement condemning Papadopoulos's actions, which overshadowed the club's 3-1 A-League loss. On 8 December 2017, the A-League judiciary handed Papadopoulos a seven-match ban for the spitting incident, which included the one match he had already served.
He returned to the squad on 12 January 2018, in a 1-0 away loss against Newcastle Jets FC. A week later, he scored a goal that put Brisbane Roar ahead in a 3-2 victory over Perth Glory, keeping their slim A-League finals hopes alive. On 6 March 2018, he suffered a very serious left ankle injury during team training, requiring surgery in Brisbane and sidelining him for four months. On 27 January 2019, reports indicated that Papadopoulos was close to making a return to Greek giants Olympiacos, having not played in the A-League since matchday 9 due to his ankle injury.
3.7. Return to Olympiacos
On 28 January 2019, Olympiacos F.C. officially announced the return of veteran defender Avraam Papadopoulos to the club on a six-month contract. On 17 July 2022, Olympiacos renewed his contract for an additional three years.
3.8. Retirement
Avraam Papadopoulos officially announced his retirement from professional football on 1 August 2022.
4. International career
Avraam Papadopoulos represented the Greece national football team at various levels, participating in major international tournaments and contributing to their defensive efforts.
4.1. Greece national team
Avraam Papadopoulos earned several caps for the Greece U-21 squad. After impressing national team coach Otto Rehhagel, he received his first call-up to the senior national team on 1 February 2008, making his debut on 5 February in a victory over the Czech Republic.
He was part of the Greece squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He then became a regular member of the national team as they went unbeaten through the qualifying campaign for UEFA Euro 2012. However, during the Euro 2012 finals, Papadopoulos suffered an injury in the opening match against Poland, which forced him to miss the remainder of the tournament.
He made his return to the national squad on 23 March 2013, during a 2014 World Cup qualification game against Bosnia and Herzegovina, which Greece lost 3-1. Despite this return, he did not feature in the team managed by Fernando Santos after the end of the qualifying rounds. Although he was included in Fernando Santos's 30-man provisional squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, he ultimately did not make the final 23-man roster. He accumulated a total of 37 international caps for Greece between 2008 and 2014.
5. Style of play
As a central defender, Avraam Papadopoulos was known for his blend of aggression and brute strength, complemented by impressive athleticism and agility for a player of his stature. He was a robust defender who was not afraid of engaging physically on the field. However, after suffering a serious knee injury in 2012, he had to adapt his "all-action" playing style. No longer able to rely on his pace as much as before, he evolved into a more tactically intelligent defender, emphasizing good positioning and leveraging his experience to effectively control his area of the pitch.
6. Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Aris | 2002-03 | Alpha Ethniki | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2003-04 | 18 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | 22 | 0 | |||
| 2004-05 | 26 | 3 | 8 | 2 | - | - | 34 | 5 | ||||
| 2005-06 | Beta Ethniki | 25 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | 31 | 7 | ||
| 2006-07 | Super League Greece | 23 | 2 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 24 | 2 | |||
| 2007-08 | 27 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 43 | 2 | ||
| Total | 119 | 13 | 24 | 2 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 155 | 15 | ||
| Olympiacos | 2008-09 | Super League Greece | 22 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 9 | 0 | - | 37 | 0 | |
| 2009-10 | 25 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 42 | 3 | ||
| 2010-11 | 26 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | 30 | 0 | |||
| 2011-12 | 22 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 8 | 0 | - | 35 | 0 | |||
| 2012-13 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 7 | 3 | |||
| 2013-14 | 20 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 24 | 0 | |||
| 2014-15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 1 | 0 | |||
| Total | 121 | 5 | 21 | 0 | 29 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 176 | 6 | ||
| Trabzonspor | 2014-15 | Süper Lig | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | - | 10 | 1 | |
| Shanghai Shenhua | 2015 | Chinese Super League | 23 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 24 | 1 | |
| Júbilo Iwata | 2016 | J1 League | 13 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 14 | 1 | |
| Brisbane Roar FC | 2016-17 | A-League | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | - | 10 | 0 | |
| 2017-18 | 15 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | - | 19 | 4 | |||
| 2018-19 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 9 | 0 | |||
| Total | 31 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 4 | ||
| Olympiacos | 2018-19 | Super League Greece | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 2 | 0 | |
| 2019-20 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | 16 | 0 | |||
| 2020-21 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 7 | 0 | |||
| 2021-22 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 11 | 0 | |||
| Total | 27 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | 36 | 0 | |||
| Career total | 339 | 24 | 54 | 2 | 52 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 453 | 28 | ||
7. Honours
Aris
- Greek Cup runner-up: 2004-05, 2007-08
Olympiacos
- Super League Greece: 2008-09, 2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14, 2019-20, 2020-21, 2021-22
- Greek Cup: 2008-09, 2011-12, 2012-13, 2019-20; runner-up: 2020-21
Individual
- Super League Greece Greek Footballer of the Year: 2010-11
- List of 18 Top Players of Super League Greece: 2009-10, 2010-11, 2011-12