Fotios Papoulis


Fotios "Fotis" Papoulis is a Greek-Cypriot footballer who plays for Omonia in the Cypriot First Division and in Cyprus national team.

Club career

Born in Athens, Papoulis began his football career with Acharnaikos F.C. in the Gamma Ethniki. He made his Super League debut in January 2010 when he signed a professional contract with Panthrakikos. During the second half of the 2009–10 season he competed for the club. He achieved three goals in twelve matches in Super League Greece. Οn January 2011, he left the club, signing a six-month contract with OFI helping it to return to the Superleague Greece after the play-offs. He stayed in the club the following year, helping it to avoid relegation as a newcomer in the league and had a remarkable year. He succeeded in being nominated as an MVP of the week while he was selected among the top 18 players in the 2011-12 Superleague season.

Apollon Limassol

In summer 2012 after two years in OFI, Papoulis signed a one-year contact with Cypriot club Apollon Limassol.
Papoulis' 2014-15 season was the best season of his career. Papoulis, wearing for three years the jersey of Limassol club already counted a Cypriot Cup and two European appearances in UEFA Europa League tournament phases. If he managed to win the championship with the club, would undoubtedly be the best season. These years in Apollon he was the top scorer for the blues with this year being the most productive in the league.
On 13 September 2015, Apollon Limassol secured the bragging rights over AEL on Sunday night after a Papoulis strike on the hour saw off their derby rivals and also sent Pedro Emanuel's side into second place alongside APOEL and AEK Larnaca. The Limassol derby had been marred by fighting prior to kickoff in the streets close to the Tsirio Stadium between fans from both sides. In February 2016, he renew his contract with the club until the summer of 2018, for an undisclosed fee.
On 18 May 2016, he opened the score in a 2–1 win for the Cup final against Omonia. On 24 May 2017, he has been the captain of the club in a back-to-back Cypriot Cup title with rivals APOEL. On 15 April 2018, in the 56th minute Anton Maglica's bad angled shot was saved by AEL Limassol goalkeeper, Vozinha, but Papoulis pounced on the rebound and volleyed it into the net for the opening goal in a 2–0 away win that helped Cypriot leaders Apollon Limassol inched closer to the league title for the first time since 2006. On 16 May 2018, played as a starter he lost the opportunity to win the Cyrpiot Cup for 3rd consecutive season as they lost 2-1 from AEK Larnaca in the Cup's final.
On 2 August 2018, Papoulis scored a home hat-trick in a home game against FK Željezničar Sarajevo, helping his club take the match with a 3-1 scoreline and a comfortable 5–2 on aggregate. It was the first Greek player who scored a hat-trick with a foreign club in UEFA competitions.

Omonia

In summer 2020, Papoulis signed a two-year contact with Omonia.

International career

In August 2018, after many years of residence in Cyprus, the Greek striker settled all the necessary documents and has acquired the Cypriot citizenship and is eligible to participate in Cyprus national football team. On 6 September 2018, he made his debut with Cyprus national football team in a 2–0 away loss against Norway for the Nations League competition.

International goals

No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.16 October 2018Stožice Stadium, Ljubljana, Slovenia1–01–12018–19 UEFA Nations League C
2.9 September 2019San Marino Stadium, Serravalle, San Marino2–04–0UEFA Euro 2020 qualification

Career statistics (from 2009 onwards)

Date of last update: 1 February 2020

Honours

;Apollon Limassol