Apostolos Stamatelopoulos and his girlfriend adopted a street cat during their time in Rhodes and couldn't bear to leave it behind when they left. So, they spent $10,000 to bring the cat back with them to Australia. See Video
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Stamatelopoulos’ next move – signing for Greek second-tier side Rodos – really opened his eyes to the world of football.
“You go from being very comfortable in Australia, where everyone in your squad are best mates, you never really fight, to going somewhere where you’re fighting for your life, you’re fighting to get paid,” the striker explained.
“If you don’t win games, you don’t get paid. But to be honest, I loved it. I loved that side of going in and fighting for your life every single day.”
Unfortunately for Stamatelopoulos, fighting for his life, or rather his ability to put food on the table, became a reality as his Greek odyssey almost turned into a tragedy.
“Honestly, with Greece, I could write a book on my two years there; it’s just crazy,” laughed the 24-year-old as he recalled some of his dealings with club officials.
“I’d scored six goals in four games whilst I was playing centre forward (at Rodos), and then Greece stuff happens where we’re conceding some very suspect goals.
“I’d already secured a move to go to the first division team (PAS Giannina) from January and I tried to leave because the team hadn’t paid me in four months. So I refused to play because my president didn’t pay me and he wasn’t letting me leave.
“The day I was meant to terminate my contract and move on to the other team, my president paid me my full money to keep me at the club. Then, the next two or three months, he didn’t pay me again.”
And it wasn’t just financial issues Stamatelopoulos and his teammates had with their club president, who had now become a regular and unwanted presence in the dressing room at half-time during matches.
“He did it every game,” said Stamatelopoulos. “He’d come in and abuse people, and nobody could do anything because he had his bodyguards around him.
“If you do anything, you’re screwed. That’s just the reality of a second-division team, then.”
Stamatelopoulos eventually secured safe passage to PAS Giannina, but his one season in the Greek Super League proved unsuccessful, prompting his return to Newcastle Jets on a two-year deal—but now he couldn’t be happier.
Newcastle Jets' Apostolos Stamatelopoulos Makes First International Appearance
Apostolos Stamatelopoulos on making his first international appearance.
The Jets attacker featured off the bench in Australia’s 5-0 victory against Palestine.
Newcastle Jets striker Apostolos Stamatelopoulos made his international debut as the Socceroos cruised past Palestine 5-0 at HBF Stadium in Perth on Tuesday night.
On the day his club side secured its future with Maverick Sports Partners unveiled as new owners, Stamatelopoloulos was introduced in the 64th minute for Adam Taggart.
Wearing the No.4 shirt, Stamatelopoulos became Socceroo 644 and the first Jet to play for the Socceroos since Dimi Petratos in 2018.
The Socceroos finished the second stage of Asian qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup with six wins and a total scoreline of 22-0.
The next round of qualifiers starts in September.
