 Papadopoulos began his professional career playing for the Greek club Iraklis in the 1996–97 season.After five years with Iraklis, he signed to play for the Greek League powerhouse Panathinaikos in 2001, and he stayed there until 2003.He then returned to Iraklis the following season, and stayed there for only one year, before next signing with Dynamo Moscow of the Russian Superleague A in the year 2004.