Steve Pantelidis (born 17 August 1983) is a former Australian
soccer
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...
player who plays as a
central defender
In the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to stop attacks during the game and prevent the opposition from scoring.
Defenders fall into four main categories: centre-backs, full-backs, sweepers ...
.
Club career
Early career
Pantelidis was reportedly a keen football player who showed plenty of potential competing against other schools. After excelling in the state championships, representing his home state Victoria, Pantelidis was selected to represent the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS). After completing his apprenticeship he joined Altona East Phoenix in the Victorian premier league. In his second year at the club he was voted player of the year.
Denmark
Pantelidis moved overseas at the age of 19 years and signed for
FC Aarhus
Aarhus Fremad (, "Aarhus Forward") is an association football club located in Aarhus N, the northern part of Aarhus, Denmark. The club will compete in the Danish 1st Division, the second tier of the Danish football league system in the 2025–26 ...
, after his successful year at Altona East Phoenix.
Return to Australia
After finding it hard to settle in Denmark, Pantelidis returned to Australia after 6 months and signed for Melbourne Knights in the National Soccer League (NSL). During his time at Melbourne Knights he was selected to represent Australia at Under-20 level. He subsequently went to the World Cup in the United Arab Emirates where Australia reached the quarter final. During the period where Australia's national football league was being reformed, Pantelidis played both for Oakleigh Cannons and Heidelberg United in the Victorian Premier League.
Melbourne Victory
After excelling in the Victorian Premier League,
Melbourne Victory FC
Melbourne Victory Football Club is an Australian professional soccer club based in Melbourne, Victoria (Australia), Victoria. Competing in the country's premier men's competition, the A-League Men, under North American professional sports leag ...
snapped Pantelidis up for the start of the
A-League
A-League Men, also known as the Isuzu UTE A-League for sponsorship reasons, is a professional soccer league in Australia and New Zealand and the highest level of the Australian soccer league system. Established in 2004 as the A-League by the ...
where he spent 4 years. During his time at Melbourne Victory FC he was awarded 'The Age young player of the year' and won two A-League Championships with the club.
Gold Coast United
In 2009, he signed a 2-year deal with the new franchise in the A-League,
Gold Coast United FC
Gold Coast United Football Club is an Australian Association football, soccer club based in Gold Coast, Queensland. The earliest incarnation of the club formed in 1966 and its home ground was at Nikiforides Family Park in Broadbeach. The first ...
. Pantelidis played 49 games for Gold Coast FC.
Medan Bintang FC
After a successful and productive 2 years at Gold Coast United FC, Pantelidis was approached by Medan Bintang FC in the newly formed Liga Primer Indonesia, where he signed a 2-year deal. After only two weeks at the club he was made captain by former Bundesliga coach Michael Fichenbiger. Unfortunately, the league collapsed and Pantelidis returned to the A-League where he signed for Perth Glory FC.
Perth Glory
After returning from Indonesia and signing with Perth Glory on the eve of the start of the season, Pantelidis had an outstanding year. After breaking into the side he played 22 straight games cementing his spot as a no-nonsense and clever centre back. Steve helped Perth Glory reach the Grand Final narrowly losing to Brisbane Roar 2 -1 after a controversial decision by the referee. He signed a 2-year extension after the final which will see him in Perth till the end of the 2013–14 season.
Selangor
At the end of 2013, Pantelidis left Perth Glory to join
Malaysia Super League
The Malaysia Super League (), known simply as the Super League (), is the men's top professional Football in Malaysia, football division of the Malaysian football league system. Administered by the Football Malaysia Limited Liability Partnersh ...
team
Selangor FA, joining former
Melbourne Victory
Melbourne Victory Football Club is an Australian professional soccer club based in Melbourne, Victoria. Competing in the country's premier men's competition, the A-League Men, under licence from Australian Professional Leagues (APL), Victory ...
coach
Mehmet Durakovic
Mehmed or Mehmet is the most common Turkish form of the Arabic male name Muhammad () (''Muhammed'' and ''Muhammet'' are also used, though considerably less) and gains its significance from being the name of Muhammad, the prophet of Islam. Origina ...
.
Honours
With
Melbourne Victory
Melbourne Victory Football Club is an Australian professional soccer club based in Melbourne, Victoria. Competing in the country's premier men's competition, the A-League Men, under licence from Australian Professional Leagues (APL), Victory ...
:
*
A-League Championship:
2006–2007,
2008–2009
*
A-League Premiership:
2006–2007,
2008–2009
''The Age'' Young Player of the Year A-League 2006–2007
References
External links
Gold Coast United profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pantelidis, Steve
1983 births
Australian people of Greek descent
Sportspeople of Greek descent
A-League Men players
Liga 1 (Indonesia) players
Malaysia Super League players
Melbourne Knights FC players
Melbourne Victory FC players
Gold Coast United FC players
Perth Glory FC players
Selangor F.C. players
Altona East Phoenix SC players
Oakleigh Cannons FC players
Australian expatriate men's soccer players
Expatriate men's footballers in Indonesia
Expatriate men's footballers in Malaysia
Soccer players from Melbourne
Living people
Men's association football central defenders
Australian men's soccer players
Australian expatriate sportspeople in Indonesia
Expatriate men's footballers in Denmark
Australian expatriate sportspeople in Denmark
Australian expatriate sportspeople in Malaysia
21st-century Australian sportsmen