Nikos Papadopoulos

Nikos Papadopoulos (; born 5 October 1971) is a Greek professional football manager and former player, who is the current manager of Cypriot First Division club APOEL.

He is mostly remembered for his 9.5-year spell in OFI. He has also played for Aris, Skoda Xanthi and Apollon Kalamarias in the top tier. In the later stages of his career he played in several clubs in the lower divisions. As a manager, he has coached several clubs in Greece and Cyprus.

Playing career After playing youth football, for the club of his village, Apollon Mavroneriou, he moved to nearby professional club Kilkisiakos in 1988. He moved to OFI in the winter transfer window of 1989-1990. Totally he appeared in 213 matches for the club and scored 11 goals. His impact for the club was so high that in an internet polling of a local Heraklion website in 2011 Papadopoulos was voted among the all-time best XI of OFI.

After leaving OFI he moved to Aris where he stayed for 4.5 years. He also had spells with Agrotikos Asteras and Thermaikos and finished his playing career with Apollon Kalamarias. Midway through the season he moved to Ethnikos Achna and he was removed from his position early in the next season. After his spell in Cuprus he signed for Kavala and Panachaiki in the Greek Football League. On 20 April 2014 he was appointed as the manager of Iraklis. In February 2016, Papadopoulos received the best manager award of the North Group of the 2014–15 Football League by the Greek Professional Footballers Association.

Following coaching spells with OFI (2017–2019), Apollon Smyrnis (2019–2020), Panachaiki (2021), and Chania (2021–2022), Papadopoulos was appointed head coach of the Greece U21 in 2022. He remained in charge until 2024 and also served as interim head coach of the Greece national football team in 2024.

In 2024, Papadopoulos took over at Levadiakos, where he remained until 2026. During his tenure, he established the club as a competitive side in the Super League Greece, earning recognition for his organized tactical approach and ability to maximize the squad's potential.

In June 2026, Papadopoulos was appointed head coach of APOEL on a two-year contract running until 2028. His arrival marked the beginning of a new era for the club, with APOEL entrusting him to lead the team domestically and in European competitions. He became one of the few Greek coaches to take charge of the Cypriot giants, bringing extensive experience from both club and international football.

Honours Player

Ergotelis Beta Ethniki: 2005–06

Manager

OFI Football League: 2017–18