Ilias Chatzitheodoridis
{{short description|Greek professional footballer|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Ilias Chatzitheodoridis
| image =
| caption =
| full_name = Ilias Chatzitheodoridis{{Cite web |title=Premier League Clubs submit Squad Lists |url=http://pulse-static-files.s3.amazonaws.com/premierleague/document/2016/07/02/12154a88-b758-4251-a301-e22e641913c9/Premier-League-squad-lists-February-2016.pdf |access-date=27 September 2016}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1997|11|5|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Katerini, Greece
| position = Left-back
| currentclub = OFI
| clubnumber = 12
| youthyears1 = 2012–2014
| youthclubs1 = Mas Kallitheakos
| youthyears2 = 2014–2016
| youthclubs2 = Arsenal
| years1 = 2016–2018
| clubs1 = Brentford
| caps1 = 0
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2018
| clubs2 = → Cheltenham Town (loan)
| caps2 = 18
| goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2018–2022
| clubs3 = Panathinaikos
| caps3 = 55
| goals3 = 3
| years4 = 2021
| clubs4 = Panathinaikos B
| caps4 = 1
| goals4 = 0
| years5 = 2022–2024
| clubs5 = Panetolikos
| caps5 = 44
| goals5 = 2
| years6 = 2024–
| clubs6 = OFI
| caps6 = 29
| goals6 = 0
| club-update = 16:12, 22 May 2025 (UTC)
}}
Ilias Chatzitheodoridis ({{langx|el|Ηλίας Χατζηθεοδωρίδης}}; born 5 November 1997) is a Greek professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Super League club OFI.
Chatzitheodoridis is a product of the Arsenal academy and played senior football in England for Brentford and Cheltenham Town, before returning to Greece to join Panathinaikos in 2018. He transferred to Panetolikos in 2022.
Club career
= Arsenal =
A left back, Chatzitheodoridis began his career in his native Greece, playing for Mas Kallitheakos and training part-time with Arsenal's Greek academy.{{Cite web |date=6 June 2014 |title=Arsenal make defender their first summer signing |url=http://metro.co.uk/2014/06/06/arsenal-make-their-first-summer-signing-17-year-old-defender-elias-chatzitheodoridis-4752276/ |access-date=27 September 2016 |website=Metro}} After impressing on trial, he signed a two-year scholarship deal with the Premier League club's principle academy in England on 6 June 2014.{{Cite web |title=Ilias Chatzitheodoridis |url=http://www.arsenal.com/news/features/20160113/ilias-chatzitheodoridis |access-date=27 September 2016 |website=www.arsenal.com}} Chatzitheodoridis made 44 appearances and scored one goal for the U18 team over the course of two seasons, before being released in June 2016.{{Cite web |title=Stats {{!}} Academy {{!}} Teams |url=http://www.arsenal.com/academy/statistics?season=2014/15 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160810014611/http://www.arsenal.com/academy/statistics?season=2014%2F15 |archive-date=10 August 2016 |access-date=27 September 2016 |website=Arsenal.com}}{{Cite web |title=Stats {{!}} Academy {{!}} Teams |url=http://www.arsenal.com/academy/statistics?season=2015/16 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160810001556/http://www.arsenal.com/academy/statistics?season=2015%2F16 |archive-date=10 August 2016 |access-date=27 September 2016 |website=Arsenal.com}}
= Brentford =
Chatzitheodoridis joined the B team at Championship club Brentford on trial during 2016–17 pre-season and he impressed enough to sign a one-year professional contract on 6 August 2016.{{Cite news |title=Ilias Chatzitheodoridis signs from Arsenal |language=en |work=Brentford FC |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/en/news/article/ilias-chatzitheodoridis-signs-from-arsenal_67847 |access-date=14 June 2017}} An injury crisis at left back saw Chatzitheodoridis win his maiden first team call up for a league match versus Wolverhampton Wanderers on 24 September 2016, but he remained an unused substitute during the 3–1 defeat. He signed a new two-year contract extension in March 2017.{{Cite news |title=Ilias Chatzitheodoridis signs new contract |language=en |work=Brentford FC |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/en/news/article/ilias-chatzitheodoridis-signs-new-contract_154197 |access-date=14 June 2017}}
The departure of second-choice left back Tom Field on loan for the first half of the 2017–18 season allowed Chatzitheodoridis to make his senior debut with a start in the Bees' 3–1 EFL Cup first round extra time win over AFC Wimbledon on 8 August 2017.{{Cite news |title=Ilias Chatzitheodoris targets league minutes |language=en-gb |work=Brentford FC |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/news/2017/november/ilias-chatz-interview-13-nov-17/ |url-status=dead |access-date=15 November 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180725214819/https://www.brentfordfc.com/news/2017/november/ilias-chatz-interview-13-nov-17/ |archive-date=25 July 2018}} He remained on the pitch until the 97th minute, when he was substituted for Henrik Dalsgaard. He played the full 90 minutes of the 4–1 victory over rivals Queens Park Rangers in the following round and on 7 September, manager Dean Smith reported that Chatzitheodoridis would begin training with the first team on a regular basis.{{Cite news |last=Moore |first=Tom |date=7 September 2017 |title=Brentford hand first team promotion to young defender |work=getwestlondon |url=http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/brentford-hand-first-team-promotion-13587908 |access-date=7 September 2017}} A season-ending injury to Rico Henry in late September saw Chatzitheodoridis become the backup to stand-in left backs Josh Clarke and Yoann Barbet during the first half of the 2017–18 season.
On 19 January 2018, Chatzitheodoridis joined League Two club Cheltenham Town on loan and he was an ever-present starter in the remaining 18 matches of 2017–18 season.{{Cite news |title=New Signing: Ilias Chatzitheodoridis |language=en-gb |url=https://www.ctfc.com/news/2018/january/signing-ilias-chatzitheodoridis/ |access-date=19 January 2018}} Despite being contracted for one further season, Chatzitheodoridis was released by Brentford on a free transfer in July 2018.{{Cite news |title=Chatzitheodoridis leaves for Panathanaikos |language=en-gb |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/en/news/article/chatzitheodoridis-leaves-for-panathanaikos_298297 |access-date=28 July 2018}}
= Panathinaikos =
On 23 July 2018, Chatzitheodoridis returned to Greece to join Super League club Panathinaikos on a free transfer.{{Cite web |title=Ο Παναθηναϊκός ανακοίνωσε τον Χατζηθεοδωρίδη |url=http://www.sport24.gr/football/omades/Panathinaikos/o-panathhnaikos-anakoinwse-ton-xatzhtheodwridh.5270890.html |access-date=25 July 2018 |publisher=www.sport24.gr}} He finished a mid-table 2018–19 season with 25 appearances and four goals.{{Soccerway|id=376579|accessdate=25 July 2018}}{{Cite web |title=Summary – Super League – Greece |url=https://int.soccerway.com/national/greece/super-league/20182019/regular-season/r47479/ |access-date=12 May 2019 |website=Soccerway}} Prior to his 2019–20 season being ended by an ankle injury,{{Cite web |title=Παναθηναϊκός: Χειρουργείο για Χατζηθεοδωρίδη |url=https://www.sport24.gr/football/omades/Panathinaikos/panathhnaikos-neo-sok-me-xatzhtheodwridh-ekane-epemvash.5734312.html |access-date=11 August 2020 |website=www.sport24.gr |language=el}} Chatzitheodoridis had made 26 appearances. He signed a new three-year contract in August 2020 and returned to match play in mid-January 2021.{{Cite web |date=11 August 2020 |title=Επέκταση συμβολαίου στον Χατζηθεοδωρίδη |url=https://www.pao.gr/transfers/epektasi-symvolaiou-ston-xatzitheodoridi/ |access-date=11 August 2020 |website=ΠΑΕ ΠΑΝΑΘΗΝΑΪΚΟΣ |language=el}}{{Cite tweet |number=1340230143206436864 |user=paofc_ |title=162 ημέρες μετά το σοβαρό τραυματισμό του στο γήπεδο της Τούμπας, ο Ηλίας Χατζηθεοδωρίδης επέστρεψε στις προπονήσεις. Μέσα από το #PAOTV η προσπάθεια του για την επάνοδο. #Panathinaikos #paofc2020_21 #LikeGreensDo |date=19 December 2020}} He made 8 appearances during what remained of the 2020–21 season.
Despite frequently being named as a substitute, Chatzitheodoridis saw his playing time diminish and he made just six league appearances during the 2021–22 season. He made one appearance during the club's successful Greek Cup campaign and received a winner's medal.{{Cite tweet |number=1529136242310381570 |user=chatz_ilias |title=🏆🙏🏻}} Chatzitheodoridis transferred out of the club in June 2022 and made 66 appearances, scoring four goals, during four seasons at the Leoforos Alexandras Stadium.{{Cite web |date=28 June 2022 |title=Παραχώρηση του Χατζηθεοδωρίδη |url=https://www.pao.gr/transfers/paraxorisi-tou-xatzitheodoridi/ |access-date=28 June 2022 |website=ΠΑΕ ΠΑΝΑΘΗΝΑΪΚΟΣ |language=el}}
= Panetolikos =
On 27 June 2022, Chatzitheodoridis signed a two-year contract with Super League club Panetolikos.{{Cite web |date=27 June 2022 |title=Καλώς ήρθες |url=https://www.panetolikos.gr/kalos-irthes-4/ |access-date=28 June 2022 |website=ΠΑΕ Παναιτωλικός / Panetolikos F.C. |language=el}} He made 50 appearances and scored three goals over the course of the 2022–23 and 2023–24 seasons, in both of which the club narrowly avoided relegation.{{Cite web |title=Summary – Super League 1 – Greece – Results, fixtures, tables and news |url=https://int.soccerway.com/national/greece/super-league/20222023/relegation-round/r69321/ |access-date=26 August 2023 |website=Soccerway}}{{Cite web |title=Summary – Super League 1 – Greece – Results, fixtures, tables and news |url=https://int.soccerway.com/national/greece/super-league/20232024/relegation-round/r75616/ |access-date=22 May 2024 |website=Soccerway}} Chatzitheodoridis departed the club at the end of the 2023–24 season.{{Cite web |date=14 June 2024 |title=Στον ΟΦΗ μέχρι το 2026 ο Χατζηθεοδωρίδης |url=https://www.oficretefc.com/genika/ston-ofi-mechri-to-2026-o-chatzitheodoridis/ |access-date=14 June 2024 |website=Ofi FC |language=en-US}}
= OFI =
International career
Chatzitheodoridis was an unused substitute for the Greece U21 team during two 2019 UEFA European U21 Championship qualifiers in October 2018.
Career statistics
{{Updated|match played 17 May 2025}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition | ||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|National cup{{efn|Includes FA Cup, Greek Cup}} !colspan="2"|League cup{{efn|Includes EFL Cup}} !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| rowspan="3"|Brentford
|2016–17{{soccerbase season|96918|2016|access-date=8 August 2017}} |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2017–18{{soccerbase season|96918|2017|access-date=14 June 2017}}
|Championship |0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| colspan="2"|Total
!0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| Cheltenham Town (loan)
|18 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2" |— | 18 | 0 | |||
| rowspan="5"|Panathinaikos
|20 | 3 | 5 | 1 | colspan="2"|— | 25 | 4 | ||
| 2019–20
|Super League Greece |23 | 0 | 3 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 26 | 0 | ||
| 2020–21
|Super League Greece |6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 8 | 0 | ||
| 2021–22
|Super League Greece |6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 7 | 0 | ||
| colspan="2"|Total
!55 | 3 | 11 | 1 | colspan="2"|— | 66 | 4 | ||
| Panathinaikos B
|Super League Greece 2 South |1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2" |— | 1 | 0 | |||
| rowspan="3" |Panetolikos
|Super League Greece |18 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 19 | 0 | ||
| 2023–24
|Super League Greece |26 |2 |5 |1 | colspan="2" |— |31 |3 | ||||||||
| colspan="2" |Total
!44 !2 !6 !1 ! colspan="2" |— !50 !3 | ||||||||
| OFI
|2024–25{{WorldFootball.net|id=ilias-chatzitheodoridis}} |Super League Greece |29 |0 |6 |0 | colspan="2" |— |35 |0 | ||||||||
| colspan="3"|Career total
!147 | 5 | 24 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 174 | 7 |
{{notelist}}
Honours
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{soccerbase|96918|name=Ilias Chatzitheodoridis}}
- {{UEFA player|id=250077330}}
{{OFI Crete F.C. squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chatzitheodoridis, Ilias}}
Category:Greek men's footballers
Category:Brentford F.C. players
Category:Men's association football fullbacks
Category:Greek expatriate men's footballers
Category:Greek expatriate sportspeople in England
Category:Cheltenham Town F.C. players
Category:English Football League players
Category:Panathinaikos F.C. players
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in England
Category:Super League Greece players
Category:Footballers from Katerini
Category:Panetolikos F.C. players