It has been 13 years since Evangelos Marinakis became the leader of OLYMPIACOS FC and, over the years, the club has grown in Greece and Europe at all levels. In these 13 years, OLYMPIACOS has managed to up their game, both on an organisational and a playing standard, winning hundreds of titles in football and amateur sports. Moreover, in every additional year with Evangelos Marinakis at the helm of the club, the social work of the Club grows progressively, offering help to our fellow humans who are in so much need, while giving the opportunity to people with various medical issues to come ever closer to their favourite team, their Legend.
During these 13 years, OLYMPIACOS has sewn four stars on their football shirt, each highlighting the dozens of championships that the team has won throughout its history, now possessing 47 Greek championships – ten of which have been won under the guidance of Evangelos Marinakis. At the same time, the team has reached 28 cups, has realised 18 cup doubles in its history and, in the past 13 years, they also managed to break various records, including record wins in Europe; victories in the biggest European competitions against behemoths, such as Milan, Manchester United, Juventus, Atletico Madrid, as well as a qualification to the Europa League round of 16 against Arsenal in London, in a historic night for the Legend!
Furthermore, under the leadership of Evangelos Marinakis, OLYMPIACOS managed to reach the highest position ever achieved in their history in Europe, specifically 21st place!
An upgrade at all levels
Over the years, OLYMPIACOS has managed to change their status in Europe, placing great importance on the organisational side of things, in addition to the standard of play. As a result, the Legend owns facilities comparable to the big clubs of Europe because OLYMPIACOS is one of them. Evangelos Marinakis has upgraded and invested in the stadium “G. Karaiskakis,” as well as the training centre of Renti, which has been truly transformed; it is one of Europe’s jewels and is characterised as one of the top training centres in Europe.
All these years, the players of the academy of OLYMPIACOS have been training and preparing for the future in these facilities, bringing success to the club, just as this last season. OLYMPIACOS won the Greek Super League U19 Championship in 2022–23, became the Greek Super League U17 Champion, and reached the Super League U15 final. At the same time, the development of the club’s network of football schools continues, having spread throughout Greece and around the world, with schools in the US, Canada, Australia, Dubai, as well as Europe.
A huge multi-sport club around the world
From day one, Evangelos Marinakis stood by the amateur sections of the club, offering tens of millions of euros. With his help, the amateur section of OLYMPIACOS managed to become the absolute emperor in Greece and conquer Europe!
At home, OLYMPIACOS has won countless titles in all departments, while reaching the top of Europe in water polo and volleyball, winning two more European trophies this past season – the Len Trophy Super Cup in women’s polo and the Challenge Cup in men’s volleyball.
In these 13 years, OLYMPIACOS has won a total of 10 European titles in basic team sports. The women’s water polo and volley teams have won 7 and 1 European titles, respectively. The men’s water polo and volleyball teams have won one title each. And, thus, OLYMPIACOS became the largest multi-sport club in the world with successes at all levels. Additionally, under the presidency of Evangelos Marinakis, the club managed to surpass 300 titles in all team sports!
Consistency and hard work, however, are not only seen in the number of titles won, but also in investment and growth. During the presidency of Evangelos Marinakis, other Amateur sections evolved or were even created from scratch, such as women’s basketball and men’s handball, soon bringing new titles and successes to the club.
Social responsibility is part the “red-and-white” daily life
Throughout the years of Evangelos Marinakis as the president of OLYMPIACOS, the club has developed and expanded its social work. The social contribution of OLYMPIACOS has now become the club’s daily life, offering help to our fellow humans, showing that OLYMPIACOS is there for everyone; that this is more than just a sports club.
In 2010, the “8th Fight Against Poverty – Friends of Zidane against Friends of Ronaldo” was held at “G. Karaiskakis.” In 2011 the club contributed to the effort made in rebuilding Japan, following the devastating tsunami. In 2012, and in particular through the non-governmental organisation (NGO) Greece Debt Free, Evangelos Marinakis bought €1,364,000 of Greek debt, offering €168,590 on behalf of the 55 players and employees of OLYMPIACOS FC. In 2013 came the great collaboration with UNICEF to finance the “100% Campaign.” At the same time, Evangelos Marinakis significantly supported the charity Steven Gerrard Foundation.
For many years, OLYMPIACOS has been protecting the life of some very special people, the children with neoplastic disease who are hosted at the Association of Parents of Children with Neoplastic Disease, Flame, while offering continuous moral and financial support to the Association of Friends of Children with Cancer, Elpida.
Since 2016, Evangelos Marinakis has been providing practical support to Harvard University’s work on the Right to Participate in Sports without Discrimination with international dimensions, while in 2017 he sponsored a conference in Athens in collaboration with Harvard University, at “G. Karaiskakis”. At the same time, OLYMPIACOS signed the “Athens Principle for the Right to Participate in Sports.” In 2016, OLYMPIACOS stood by the refugees who resided at the gates of Piraeus port, offering food, water, clothing, and footwear on a daily basis. The food rations exceeded 70,000, while clothing and toys reached 150,000!
At the same time, it should be noted that since 2014, OLYMPIACOS has been one of the major sponsors of the Nikos Kazantzakis Museum in Myrtia, Heraklion, actively supporting its daily operation.
In 2016, OLYMPIACOS started the program Together in Life! – Together with Olympiacos! Students with intellectual disabilities, who attend the Special Schools of Piraeus, trained at the Academy of OLYMPIACOS. In the Ulster University study, the project “The Engagement of Disabled People in European Football – Best Practice Cases”, conducted for UEFA, was named European Best Practice. In addition, in 2017 and 2018, along with Special Olympics Hellas, a Special Olympics 7×7 soccer tournament was organised at the training centre of Renti, in the framework of the Special Olympics European Football Week.
In 2017, in memory of his father, Miltiadis Marinakis, Evangelos Marinakis offered a donation, through OLYMPIACOS FC, to the Association of Northern Greece for People with Congenital Heart Disease, Children’s Hearts, for the purchase of the equipment for the Adult Congenital Heart Disease Clinic of the 1st Cardiology Clinic of “AHEPA” Hospital.
The significant financial assistance to the work of the Holy Metropolis of Piraeus should also be mentioned for strengthening its soup kitchens offered to thousands of people on a daily basis for years, and is naturally continued this year.
OLYMPIACOS significantly strengthened the area of Mandra in 2018 and in particular the area’s flood-affected residents. When the same happened in Crete in 2021, OLYMPIACOS stood by the inhabitants of Crete, specifically in Arkalochori and Kastelli, as well as in Elassona of Larissa; areas that had been afflicted by earthquakes.
In 2021, Evangelos Marinakis supported the residents of Evia, who were severely tested by the fires that broke out during the summer.
Finally, during last season, OLYMPIACOS became the first team in Europe to permanently install the audio description service, for people with visual disabilities, in all matches taking place at the “G. Karaiskakis” Stadium, in cooperation with the Panteion University of Political and Social Sciences. At the same time, a tournament was organised with the participation of 40 unaccompanied children from various institutions, in which athletes from the “red-and-white” academy as well as the network of football schools competed.
