Western Thessaloniki is famous for their originality, football tradition and overwhelming PAOK support. It’s the place where Iordanis and Kyriaki Kitsiou brought their second son, Stelios, into this world on 28 September 1993.

In such an environment, the three sons of the family couldn’t escape the football virus. Iordanis started taking his offsprings to Toumba, while Stelios joined Eantas Evosmos while at elementary school. Later he moved to his district’s club, A.S. Menemeni, and decided to make a living out of football as a player of Iones Diavata. His coach there, Panagiotis Deligiannidis, detected his talent early on.

Next stop, Pavlos Melas: a cult outfit in Greek football, renowned for their dynamic style. At the age of 14, Stelios started to mature in Stavroupoli.

He was tried out at Aris who were interested to sign him and then at PAOK, who wasted no time and moved to snatch him for their B team. Stelios was free to choose his own future and his family was discreet yet instrumental in his decision. In PAOK U20s he got to feature in all positions save goalkeeper and central defender. His adjustment skills were remarkable, but he seemed more at ease in midfield.

As a midfielder he signs his first professional contract and takes part in the seniors’ preseason in the summer 2012. He made some sporadic appearances in the following season and he feels the blood rush through his veins. Not 20 yet, he believed that he could help the team further.

In the Super League play-offs of last season, PAOK entered their last match at Giannina with the UEFA Champions League qualifiers at stake. Dimitris Konstantinidis –his teammate at the U20s- picked up an elbow injury. Giorgos Georgiadis (his coach at the U20s when he was tried out and acquired in 2008) came off the bench midway in the first half. The youngster converted his nerves to energy and proved a vital piece of the team as they won and topped the play-off standings.

When filing his report for the current roster to Huub Stevens, Georgiadis suggested that Kitsiou should not be shipped on loan, but at least participate in the preseason, taking also into account that Konstantinidis was engaged with Greece U20s in the World Cup.

Stelios snatched the opportunity and established himself as a regular in the new team built by a great coach! A dream come true! Stevens trusts in him completely, Stelios becomes a regular in Greece U20s and recently extended his contract with PAOK.

Kostas Katsouranis is his mentor and roommate – the experience midfielder knowing a thing or two about guiding younger players. He iniciates him in extra gym practice, conveys to him a more professional mentality, changes his view on football, helps him in Stelios’ first matches, corrects his positioning. Therefore Kitsiou considers Katsouranis a very important person in his young life.

He is not that into money. When he got paid after the contract extension, he bought a new car. His previous car is a bunch of metal right now, after his recent crash. The young player survived a near-death experience and exited his car thanking God that he was still alive.

It was one of the few times he got scared. Nothing seems to unsettle him. He melts only when embracing his 9-year old brother Marios (Christos is the eldest of the Kitsiou siblings). He never considered leaving his favourite neighbourhood and rented his first home at Menemeni!