Dimitrios Papadopoulos
Personal information
Date of birth	October 20, 1981 (1981-10-20) (age 28)
Place of birth	Gagarin, Uzbek SSR, Soviet Union
Height	1.81 m (5 ft 11+1⁄2 in)[1]
Playing position	Striker
Club information
Current club	Dinamo Zagreb
Number	99
Youth career
1989–1999	Akratitos
Senior career1
Years	Club	App (Gls)*
1999–2001 2001–2003 2003–2008 2008–2009 2009–Present	Akratitos Burnley Panathinaikos Lecce Dinamo Zagreb	057 (30) 035 0(9) 125 (58) 014 0(1) 015 0(3)
National team2
2001-2004 2004-	Greece U-21 Greece Total	07 0(7) 020 0(2) 027 0(8)
1 Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 10 May 2009. 2 National team caps and goals correct as of 1 March 2006. * Appearances (Goals)

Dimitrios Papadopoulos (Greek: Δημήτρης Παπαδόπουλος; born 20 October 1981 in Gagarin (about 100 km from Tashkent), Uzbekistan - then part of Soviet Union) is a Greek footballer, currently playing for Dinamo Zagreb.

[edit] Playing career

[edit] Akratitos FC

He started his career from the youth academies of Greek minnows Akratitos, and made his debut in 1999, contributing to the team's promotion to Alfa Ethniki in 2001 for its first time in history.

[edit] Burnley

Shorthly after he was transferred to Burnley in England, where he stayed for 2 seasons, playing a total of 35 games and scoring 6 goals. On 20 August 2002 he won his first cap for Greece.

[edit] Panathinaikos FC

In July 2003 he moved to Greek giants Panathinaikos. He starred in his very first season with the team, becoming its top scorer with 17 goals in 26 games in the 2003/4 double winning season for Panathinaikos which marked the team's first championship honor in almost 10 years of Olympiakos domination in Greek championship.

He was subsequently voted best footballer of that year in the league and was awarded a place in the Euro 2004 Greek squad that went on to win the tournament. He played in the game against Russia and had a contribution in Greece goal that determined its qualification to the next round. He also took part in the Greek Olympic Football team during the Olympic Games of Athens 2004 in the very same summer.

He has been since an integral part of Panathinaikos offense signing a 3 year extension with the team in the summer of 2006 and his stellar performances were one of the reasons that the team's board let fellow start Michalis Konstantinou leave the team. Thus far he has earned 20 caps scoring twice for the national team.

[edit] U.S. Lecce

On November 13, 2008 Serie A club Lecce announced to have signed Papadopoulos in a free transfer.^[2] He made his Italian Serie A debut for Lecce on January 18, 2009 in a home match at the Stadio Via del Mare against Genoa C.F.C. coming on as a substitute for Gianni Munari late in the match. He scored his first goal in the Serie A on April 19 against A.S. Roma at the Stadio Olimpico.

[edit] Dinamo Zagreb

On June 26^th 2009 he signed a three year contract worth 650 000€ per year with the Croatian champion Dinamo Zagreb. Dimitrios Papadopoulos start to play more regulary, in the new club and he is still looking for his best performance to achieve the Croatian League and the Croatian Cup for Dinamo Zagreb.

[edit] National Team

Dimitrios Papadopoulos made his debut in the Greek National Team the 20 November 2002 against Repubblic of Ireland and he was included in the squad of Euro 2004 that went on to win the tournament. His pass for the goal of Zisis Vryzas allowed Greece to pass the turn and qualify against France and then become Champion of Euro 2004. As Euro 2004 winners, Dimitrios Papadopoulos was included in the Greek squad for the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup in Germany. Otto Rehhagel inclued him also for qualification to the UEFA Euro 2008 in Switzerland and Austria.

[edit] Honours

Panathinaikos

• Greek Championship: 2004
• Greek Cup: 2004

Greece

• European Championship: 2004

Panathinaikos

• Greek Cup: Runners up 2006-07

Individual

• Greek Footballer of the Year: 2004

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Official player site Dimitrios Papadopoulos Official Website
• Dimitrios Papadopoulos in Zagreb - Jutarnji list
• Dimitrios Papadopoulos - Dinamo Zagreb - Večernji list
• Papadopoulos in Dinamo Zagreb - Sportske novosti
• Dimitrios Papadopoulos sign Three-Year contract with Dinamo Zagreb

v • d • e Greece squad – UEFA Euro 2004 Winners (1st Title) 1 Nikopolidis • 2 Seitaridis • 3 Venetidis • 4 Dabizas • 5 Dellas • 6 Basinas • 7 Zagorakis (c) • 8 Giannakopoulos • 9 Charisteas • 10 Tsiartas • 11 Nikolaidis • 12 Chalkias • 13 Katergiannakis • 14 Fyssas • 15 Vryzas • 16 Kafes • 17 Georgiadis • 18 Goumas • 19 Kapsis • 20 Karagounis • 21 Katsouranis • 22 Papadopoulos • 23 Lakis • Coach: Rehhagel

v • d • e Greece squad – 2004 Summer Olympics 1 Ambaris • 2 Galanopoulos • 3 Lagos • 4 Moras • 5 Vallas • 6 Stoltidis • 7 Agritis • 8 Nebegleras • 9 Salpigidis • 10  • 11 Papadopoulos • 12 Karipidis • 13 Goundoulakis • 14 Fotakis • 15 Sapanis • 16 Vyntra • 17 Taralidis • 18 Giannou • 21 Manousakis • Coach: Apostolakis

v • d • e Greece squad – 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup 1 Nikopolidis • 2 Seitaridis • 3 Vyntra • 4 Tavlaridis • 5 Kyrgiakos • 6 Basinas • 7 Zagorakis (c) • 8 Giannakopoulos • 9 Charisteas • 10 Tsiartas • 11 Papadopoulos • 12 Chalkias • 13 Sifakis • 14 Fyssas • 15 Vryzas • 16 Kafes • 17 Amanatidis • 18 Goumas • 19 Kapsis • 20 Karagounis • 21 Katsouranis • 22 Gekas • 23 Lakis • Coach: Rehhagel