Yourkas Seitaridis

Georgios "Giourkas" Seitaridis (Greek: Γιούρκας Σειταρίδης) born June 4, 1981 in Piraeus), also known as Giourkas Seitaridis (Giourkas means "George" in the Greek Pontic dialect, pronounced "yurkas", is his grandfather's name, which he uses in both Greece national football team and Atlético Madrid shirts), is a member of the Greece national football team of his country, Greece. He is also currently one of the best players Greece has to offer. Seitaridis was one of the few youngsters who shone at the 2004 European Football Championship. He used to play at PAS Giannina (until 2001) and Panathinaikos in Greece, but signed with Portugal side and then UEFA Champions League winner FC Porto, after constant rumours about a possible change of course to Real Madrid, following his success at Euro 2004. Seitaridis had a great tournament at Portugal, leading some to even comment that he was the player of the tournament. UEFA did indeed recognize his contribution to Greece's success and named him as part of the 23-man UEFA All-Star squad, together with four other Greek players. On May 23 2005 he was sold to Russian side Dynamo Moscow for a fee approaching £7m.

On May 31 2006 he was transferred to Atlético Madrid for a transfer fee of €12 million euros.

Yourkas speaks Greek, Russian, Portuguese and Spanish. He wears the number 2, which he also uses for the Greece national football team. He usually plays as a right-back but can move into the position of a right midfielder or even as a center-back, if required by the team formation implemented. He played his first game for Greece on February 13, 2002 against Sweden national football team, and later that year participated in the UEFA U-21 Championship 2002 final round in Switzerland.

Seitaridis scored his first goal for Atletico Madrid, a stunning strike scored from over 30 metres away, in an important away game against Gloria Bistriţa.

Honours

- Promotion in Alpha Ethniki: 1999/2000 with :
- Alpha Ethniki: 2003/2004 with -
- Greek football Cup: 2003/2004 with -
- 2004 UEFA European Football Championship: 2004
- 2004 UEFA European Football Championship: UEFA Team of the Tournament
- Intercontinental_Cup_(football): 2004 with -