Lazaros Christodoulopoulos

Football player infobox
playername= Lazaros Christodoulopoulos


fullname = Lazaros Christodoulopoulos
ickname = Lazaros the Builder
dateofbirth = Birth date and age|1986|12|19|mf=y
cityofbirth = Thessaloniki
countryofbirth = Greece
height = 183 cm (6 ft 0 in)
currentclub = Panathinaikos FC
clubnumber = 17
position = Attacking Midfielder / Forward
years = 2004-2008
2008-current
clubs = PAOK FC
Panathinaikos FC
caps(goals) = 57 (8)
0 (0)
nationalyears = 2006
2008-
nationalteam = Greece U21
Greece
nationalcaps(goals) = 11 (6)
2 (0)
pcupdate = May 2008
ntupdate = October 2007

Lazaros Christodoulopoulos (born December 19, 1986 in Thessaloniki) is a Greek footballer currently playing for Panathinaikos FC. He is considered one of the most promising young players in Greece. He is member of the Greek national team. He is equally adept at playing as an attacking midfielder, right/left wing forward or a second striker. His main strengths are his technique and pace & acceleration with the ball.

Club career

PAOK FC

Lazaros started his career when he was picked up by Omonoia Sindos (in Thessaloniki) at a young age,and then Neapoli.His impressive performances caught the eye of a PAOK scout, and joined PAOK in the summer of 2004. He has been a mainstay in the PAOK first team proving to be a vital team player.As of 2008 many European clubs were interested in signing him. He is contracted to PAOK FC until 2010 and he has a minimum fee release clause of 6 million euros.

In the summer of 2006 he was given a trial by English giants Liverpool F.C. but PAOK was reluctant to sell him at the point. This started a dispute that prevented him from playing for more than half of the 2006-07 season.

Panathinaikos

On 20 June 2008, Lazaros agreed a deal in principle to join Panathinaikos FC for 2.2 million Euro [ [http://www.sportaction.gr/document.php?category_id=146&document_id=98437 SPORTACTION - Παναθηναϊκός ] ] plus a 1.6 million sponsorship deal with Marfin Investment Group. Christodoulopoulos will fly to Athens to seal a 4-year contract with the club. [ [http://www.contra.gr/Soccer/Hellas/Superleague/Panathinaikos/202926.html Christodoulopoulos signed for Panathinaikos FC] ]

International career

Greece

After impressing Greece coach Otto Rehhagel, He was called to the Greek national football team for the first time on February 1 2008 [ [http://www.uefa.com/competitions/euro/news/kind=1/newsid=652323.html Greece bearing gifts for Stoltidis] ] and made his debut in the win over the Czech Republic on February 5.

References