Chris Ikonomidis
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Christopher Ikonomidis | ||
| Date of birth | 5 May 1995 | ||
| Place of birth | Cronulla, Sydney, Australia | ||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||
| Playing position | Attacking midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
Current team | Lazio | ||
| Number | 70 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Cronulla RSL | |||
| –2012 | Sutherland Sharks | ||
| 2012–2013 | Atalanta | ||
| 2013– | Lazio | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2015– | Lazio | 0 | (0) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2013–2015 | Australia U20 | 9 | (5) |
| 2014– | Australia U23 | 2 | (0) |
| 2015– | Australia | 1 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 16 March 2015. † Appearances (Goals). | |||
Christopher "Chris" Ikonomidis (Greek: Χριστός Οικονομίδισ, Italian: Chris Oikonomidis) is an Australian international footballer who plays for Serie A side S.S. Lazio as an attacking midfielder, usually on the left wing or in an attacking midfield role. He is notable in being capped by his senior national team despite not yet having played a single senior game at club level at the time.[1]
Club career
Chris Ikonomidis, who came from a family who had always played football, started playing himself when he was four years old in Sydney at local team Cronulla RSL.[2] Aged 14, he went to London to trial at Arsenal, who continued to keep tabs on his development. He went on to play youth football for NPL NSW side Sutherland Sharks. In 2010, Ikonomidis' Sutherland Sharks U15's squad won the Oceania zone of the Manchester United Premier Cup, qualifying for the finals in England. His performance in England, including four goals in a 7–0 defeat of a Wigan Athletic youth side,[3] won the attention of Atalanta B.C..
After scoring several goals on trial with Atalanta, including one against Chelsea, Ikonomidis was offered a youth contract on his 16th birthday.[2] Chris was helped in his acclimatisation to life in Italy by fellow Australian James Troisi, who was a senior player at Atalanta at the time.
Lazio
In 2013, after 18 months at Atalanta, Ikonomidis was offered a three year youth contract by S.S. Lazio.[4] Strong performances with Lazio's Primavera (U20's) squad led to attention from Serie B clubs for a loan deal, however Lazio were keen to develop his talents in-house,[5] and by 2015 his performances were rewarded with callups to the senior squad for games against Torino FC on 14 January in the Coppa Italia, and in the semi-final against Napoli on 4 March, and also against AC Cesena on 1 February in Serie A, however he stayed on the bench for all three games.
International career
Ikonomidis is of Greek heritage and is eligible for senior honours with both the Socceroos and Greece, although he has turned down Greece in favour of Australia, being quoted in 2013 saying "I was approached by the Greek federation 12 months ago, but I said no. I am 100 per cent playing for Australia if given the chance".[4]
In 2013 he was called up by Paul Okon to the Australian U20's for the COTIF Tournament in Valencia, and again in the 2014 AFC U-19 Championship, where he played one game against the UAE.[6] He was also called up to the Olyroos for the 2013 AFC U-22 Championship in Oman (which was actually held in 2014), where he played against Kuwait[7] and Japan.[8]
On 11 March 2015, Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou named Ikonomidis in the senior squad for friendlies against reigning World Champion Germany and Macedonia to be held that month.[1] He was substituted on replacing Nathan Burns in the game against Macedonia in Skopje on 30 March to earn his first senior Socceroos cap.[9]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Socceroos squad to face Germany FourFourTwo
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Interview: Chris Ikonomidis Talks to Young Roos Young Roos
- ↑ Sutherland Sharks ready for Manchester United Premier Cup in England Football NSW
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Unknown teenager Chris Ikonomidis on verge of breakthrough in Italy The Australian 03/08/2013
- ↑ Why Lazio Management Are Buzzing over Aussie Whizkid Chris Ikonomidis Tribal Football
- ↑ Australia v UAE AFC Match Report
- ↑ Australia v Kuwait AFC Match Report
- ↑ Australia v Japan AFC Match Report
- ↑ Socceroos Stalemate in Skopje The World Game, SBS, 31 March 2015
External links
- Chris Ikonomidis Soccerway
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