I am an alien, a legal alien, sings Sting in Englishman in New York. Nothing to be with being a Greek striker in Lisbon, where Hellean tops stand up. Vangelis Pavlidis had not yet turned six on July 4, 2004 when Greece defeated Portugal in Da Luz in the Eurocup final. Angelos Charisteas, who had already scored Spain in the first phase already France in the quarterfinals, in Alvalade, also in Lisbon, scored the only goal of the match to sink the hosts, favorites, and bring ecstasy to his country.
Twenty years later, Pavlidis is the one who celebrates goals in Da Luz with Benfica, who begins to see the 18 million paid in summer to Az Alkmaar for the Salaónica striker, Pichichi of the last eredivisie with 29 goals.
The figures
Last year the Salonica striker was Pichichi Eredivisie with 29 goals and Benfica paid 18 million for him
More than one was already regretting that price when Barcelona arrived in Lisbon on January 21. Pavlidis had scored seven goals in the first five months of competition but that night it just took 30 minutes to take advantage of Szczesny’s mistakes and celebrate his first Hat-trick With Benfica. It could be a poker because Araújo scored in his own door when the Greek already had the cane prepared to finish off a center from the left. “He is a very good player, with his quality. We will have to have your eyes wide open to monitor him, ”said Pau Cubarsí, one of those in charge of stopping him.
The game did not end well for local interests with the final removal of Barça and Pavlidis spoiled his best European performance. He had a face similar to Pantic’s when he scored four goals at Camp Nou but did not earn him for the comeback with Pizzi’s famous goal.
In streak
In 2025 the Greek has 11 goals, the same as Lewandowski with Barça at this start of the year
That triplet has spurred the striker, who in 2025 has begun to see with 11 goals in the last nine games, including one to Juventus to win in Turin on the last day of the Champions League, one to Monaco in Louis II and another to Los Monegasco in the Tour of the Playoff to put the Portuguese in the round of 16.
“The end is now one of its virtues but it was not always like that,” recalls Pol Llonch at the forefront. The Catalan midfielder, now in the Interity, met Pavlidis in January 2019 at Willem II. “It arrived very young, with another Greek, one end of the dribbles, Marios Vrouusai. He was a very reserved and humble kid but, with the weeks, we realized that he was him, ”says Llonch. “I saw that he who would play the Champions League would be Pavlidis, especially for his way of working.”
In 2021 the Willem II played permanence and “Vangelis scored the best goal I have seen,” explains Pol Llonch
That Willem II had another player who pointed out. “The center forward was Isak and Vangelis was playing behind the 9 or the band,” Llonch explains about those beginnings. It was with the march of the Swedish to the Royal Society when he takes all the prominence in attack. “He gave us a lot of play outside the area and with the pressure, but it was hard for him to make goals. But the best thing has is your mentality and that is very hardworking. He started working with a personal coach after training. And now it is one of its virtues, ”he says.
Llonch lived good times with the Greek. “The Cup final, the classification for the Europa League and, the third year, the salvation on the last day” in which Willem II received Fortuna Sittard. “He scored the best goal I have seen. No Willem fan will forget that goal, ”he says. Pavlidis drunk four defenses before making a vaseline to the goalkeeper. A filigree behind another. The goal was the finalist to the Puskas Award of 2021.
In football there are associations that work, which are usually guarantee, such as Barça with Netherlands. Benfica noticed Pavlidis just as after the Greek miracle of the Eurocup was made with two of the champions, Katsouranis and Fyssas, and more recently hired goalkeeper Vlachodimos, sold to Newcastle. From Charisteas, a Greek in Lisbon is always a good idea.
#Pavlidis #heir #Charisteas
