100 years of Greek football: A proud past and a promising future
Sunday, September 13, 2026
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As the Hellenic Football Federation prepares to celebrate its 100th anniversary, we look back at the key moments that have defined the growth and development of Greek football.
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How it all began
Football had been trying to find its official place in Greece since the end of the 19th century, when Athens hosted the first modern Olympic Games in 1896. However, it would take another r30 years, until 1926, when the clubs of Athens, Piraeus and Northern Greece (Makedonia and Thrace) joined forces to create the Hellenic Football Federation (HFF). Their inaugural meeting, on 14 November, signalled the dawn of organised football in the country.
Then, a succession of firsts – Greece's debut international match came on 7 April 1929 (a 1-4 loss to an Italy B team), first victory on 26 January 1930 (2-1 over Yugoslavia in Athens), and the first Greek Cup final on 8 November 1931 as AEK prevailed 5-3 over Aris. The HFF became a FIFA member on 2 July 1927 and was one of UEFA's founding 31 associations in June 1954.
After various versions of a league system that would satisfy everyone, the first National Category (A’ Ethniki Katigoria) kicked off in 1959/60, with the first professional championship inaugurated in 1979/80.
The promising 1970s
Decades passed until Greece had a national team ready to claim a spot in the finals of a major competition. The squad vying to qualify to Mexico 1970 World Cup included four of the greatest Greek players ever – and legends of its four biggest clubs: Mimis Domazos of Panathinaikos, Giorgos Sideris of Olympiacos, Mimis Papaioannou of AEK and Giorgos Koudas of PAOK.
Unfortunately, they just missed out in 1970, but the dream of a major finals would come true ten years later, as Greece made it to Italy for the 1980 European Championship, under the guidance of Alketas Panagoulias. The same coach would later take Greece to their first ever World Cup at USA '94.
The miracle of 2004
To fully grasp how unlikely Greece’s triumphant run at UEFA EURO 2004 was, one must put their participation into context.
It was only their third major tournament, after the 1980 European Championship and the 1994 World Cup. They had yet to celebrate a victory and had just one goal to show for from six matches, a strike by Greece’s all-time top scorer Nikos Anastopoulos against Czechoslovakia on 14 June 1980. Therefore, various players admitted to feeling embarrassed and uncomfortable when they landed in Portugal in June 2004 and saw the message on the team bus: "Ancient Greece had 12 gods, modern Greece has 11".
Little did they know that, a few weeks later, they would bring the whole country to a standstill with their feats, achieving immortal status back home.
"Ancient Greece had 12 gods, modern Greece has 11"
The foundation for this fairytale story was laid three years earlier in 2001, when three-time Bundesliga champion, Otto Rehhagel, took the reins of the team. The German tactician brought discipline to the squad and, despite a 5-1 defeat on his debut against Finland, and kicking off EURO 2004 qualification process with two losses against Spain and Ukraine, he did not deviate from his plan.
Rehhagel quickly masterminded a plan based on his players’ characteristics and strengths: aggressive defence, tight lines and set-piece mastery. It was a recipe for success and opponents could find little answer: Spain could only draw, EURO holders France were eliminated in the quarter-finals, the impressive Czechs in the semis and Portugal were beaten twice, in the opening game of the tournament and the final.
European giants crowned in Greece
In 1971, the HFF hosted its first UEFA final, .as Chelsea lifted their first European silverware. A draw in the first match at the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium meant the final was decided by a replay two days later with the Blues eventually emerging 2-1 winners over Real Madrid.
Two years later, Thessaloniki's Kaftanzoglio Stadium welcomed AC Milan and Leeds in the same competition, with the Italians lifting the trophy.
The construction of Athens’ Olympic Stadium in the early ‘80s saw the European Cup final come to Greece for the first time, as Hamburg lifted Europe's top club prize for the only time in their history at the expense of favourites Juventus. As for Milan, they won two of their seven Champions League cups in this venue, beating Barcelona in 1994 and Liverpool in 2007.
Success to savour
Until 2024, a Greek team had never won a UEFA club trophy. Even reaching a final was a tall order, with only Panathinaikos in 1971 having reached a European final, when they were beaten in the European Cup final by Johan Cruyff-inspired Ajax.
More than half a century later, it was Olympiacos who would eventually break the duck. First with their Under-19s, who impressed on their way to claiming the UEFA Youth League in April 2024, with a 3-0 win against Milan in the Nyon final.
A month later, the senior team, led by Spanish coach José Luis Mendilibar and Moroccan striker Ayoub El Kaabi, got their hands on the UEFA Conference League trophy, beating Fiorentina 1-0 in the final. By chance, the final was held in Athens -needless to say the party in the Greek capital and the port of Piraeus lasted until sunrise, with the achievement coming ten months before Olympiacos' 100th anniversary.
Growing the women's game
Women's football took its time to take off in Greece, but the huge success of recent tournaments worldwide has captured attention and given the game a major boost.
The Women's Football Clubs Association was established in 2023 and, two years later, it took over the organisation of the country's top division, where PAOK currently lead the way with 20 titles.
However, the biggest change regarding Greek women’s football is in the national team, with solid improvements taking them to League B of the UEFA Nations League, preparing for a two-legged clash against reigning European champions England in the World Cup play-offs.
The side has improved considerably in recent years – not only through talent and improved coaching, but also thanks to the efforts of the HFF and their decision to move the team's matches to Crete, where the Heraklion fans have embraced the team and turn up in impressive numbers to support.
A look to the future
It has been 12 years since Greece participated in a major men's tournament, and 14 since their last UEFA EURO appearance, where they reached the quarter-finals.
Looking to put that right, the HFF has developed arguably the most talented generation in the national team’s history and are aiming to reverse the tide soon.
They signaled their intent with a spectacular performance at Wembley in October 2024, beating England 2-1 before cruising to a 3-0 win against Scotland at Hampden Park the following March.
Big European clubs took notice and this summer, several of them sealed big moves: 24-year old Christos Tzolis to Arsenal, 23-year old Giannis Konstantelias and 18-year old Konstantinos Karetsas to Borussia Dortmund, 23-year old Konstantis Tzolakis and 19-year old Christos Mouzakitis to Hull City, 22-year old Konstantinos Koulierakis to Roma.
Strikers Tasos Douvikas and Vangelis Pavlidis continue to impress at Como and Benfica respectively, with opportunities to come in the UEFA Champions League and Europa League respectively.
Greece kick off their maiden League A campaign in the UEFA Nations League this month, as Germany, Netherlands and Serbia await. The pupils of Ivan Jovanović will be eager to demonstrate once again that they have what it takes to eventually restore Greece’s place in the finals’ lineup of a major competition.