Christos Aravidis

Christos Aravidis was born on the 13th of March 1987 and is a striker currently playing in the Superleague for AEK Athens. It was at the age of 7,5 when Christos Aravidis first visited the youth academies of AEK. “In the beginning was just fun after that the game became a passion,” he recalls, when his father and ex-football player unknowingly motivated his son to deal with football. “My father was a footballer and through him I loved football.” His steps in football seemed always carefull and selective. After playing in the Football League for Akratitos, he made his debut in the Super League with the club at the age of 18 against AEK. He scored his first goal in the major league in a match against OFI and he was constantly selected in the Greece U-21 team. He signed a three-year contract with Panionios. At Panionios, the 19 years’ old had to fight to find time in the first major challenge of his career. He succeeded beyond any expectation. Became a member of the starting eleven and had a striking appearance in Thessaloniki against Aris Thessaloniki with one goal and assist, and ended his first season in the club having 30 appearances and two goals, but after December he gradually lost his position in the team. The scene was similar the next season besides the 26 appearances and three goals. Aravidis joined Ethnikos Asteras on loan until the end of the 2008-2009. In April 2009 he filed an appeal against the Ethnikos Asteras, as he played almost entirely unpaid and at the end of the season after being released from Panionios, he started searching for a new challenge in his career. Aris offered him the opportunity to make a step further, by signing a three years’ contact. But in Aris neither Mazinho in the beginning, nor Hector Cuper trusted him and Aravidis succeeded to make only 13 appearances with the club, in almost two years. “The fact is that I did not get the opportunities I deserved. Prior to Aris I had a good football path, which I will try to keep it. This is football and there is no problem. Not always all come as you want.” In August 2012 he filed an appeal against the Aris Thessaloniki as he played almost entirely unpaid, asking for the subtraction of two points due to the debt to him. Doxa Dramas was the next step in his career. In October 2012 he filed his third appeal against the Doxa Dramas, as there was a private agreement for bonus participations and rentals that were never received, and moved back again in Panionios. In the 2012-13 season he became the club’s top scorer with 8 goals, contributing to the rise to Super League and in the next season his 12 goals secured their position in Superleague football. Eventually over the years he made 112 appearances (24 goals, 8 assists) with Panionios. On 31 January 2014, besides the rumours for PAOK and Panathinaikos, Aravidis decided to play for AEK in Football League at the end of 2013/14 season by signing a three years contract. Aravidis at the end of 2014/15 season, in the few minutes that he played against Alimos, typically secured the lead in the list of scorers of the Southern Group of the Football League, with 13 goals. On 22 August 2015, in a 3-0 home game against Platanias, he scored his first goal in Greek Super League with AEK. “Fans will be satisfied if we win the championship. We want the best possible result. If we continue to work hard we’ll manage something. Our targets are the Greek Cup and the champiosnhip. AEK Athens is a huge club and we returned where we belong to” Aravidis said. On 23 September 2015, he opened the score in an away derby game against PAOK, but his club could not avoid the defeat. Aravidis has a plural international career in youth Greece squads. In 2015 he received his first International Cap for Greece’s National Side where he performed his debut on 4 September 2015, against Finland for the Euro 2016 qualifiers, in the first line up. Almost a month later, on the 8th of October against Northern Ireland, he scored his first goal with Greek National Side. Christos, with origin from Pontos, supports the Foundation “Merimna Pontion Gynaikon”