The football season kicked off this year with champion Olympiacos sidelined as its opponent in the opening week was one of the Super League teams being investigated as part of a wide-ranging match-fixing scandal involving several teams and over fifty matches. The investigation, touched off earlier this year by a Uefa complaint, has played into Greek fans' cynicism about the match-result adulteration. But even top-tier teams weighed down by debts and plagued by bickering among board members, management, and players, the sport hasn't lost its magic. Christos Kassimeris helps us understand why by looking at the links between Greek culture and football.
Not entirely dismissing the apparent merit of assessing a club's background, it is of paramount significance to determine those explicit, yet undefined, features that so dramatically epitomize the sheer substance of such a colorful entity. What is definitely uncharted territory are the emblems that so expressively decorate the shirts of all football players, regardless of the level of competitiveness, which every so often denote uncommon symbolic significance and convey copious amounts of historical and cultural information that evidently necessitates a scientific approach. From the symbolic connotations of the much cherished sphere-shaped object, through the gradual development of the game, to its global diffusion and commendable popularity, football is redolent with allegories of all kinds.
A clear reflection of society to all intents and purposes, the acknowledged magnetism of the game of football was definitely not attained by accident. Incarnating the most treasured characteristics of civilization is the undisputed king of sports, benefiting from its prominent standing in popular culture, as the game often rivals the mystical enthrallment of religion. Its popularity is commonly attributed to the simplicity of the game, yet such an unsophisticated elaboration would undermine, without question, the unique properties of football. Quite the opposite, the mass appeal of the game ascribes to a seemingly revered association with society that defies coherent scientific explanation. The mesmerizing effect of the popular game is widely recognized; however, it is imperative to elucidate a club's apparent association with a particular community.
The essence of a locale is fundamental to all football clubs not merely because it constitutes an obvious and steady supply of fans, even though exponents of commercialism would eagerly disagree, but for the reason that the game engenders a bizarre sense of tribalism that is otherwise unattainable. Reserved almost exclusively for the sheer necessity of both sustaining and reinforcing a community's collective identity, certain football clubs decided to embrace the most symbolic feature of their immediate environment, therefore, evoking memories of a common past.
The Greeks were introduced to football in the early twentieth century, particularly, after the Asia Minor catastrophe and the subsequent waves of migrants to Greece. While facilitating the urbanization of Athens and Thessaloniki, those immigrants set up clubs to commemorate the lost homelands, as is the case of AEK, Apollon Smyrnis and Panionios GSS in Athens, and PAOK, Iraklis, Aris, and Apollon Kalamarias in Thessaloniki, to name a few. The origins of AEK Athens can be traced back to 1875 when a sports club named Hermes was founded in the Greek section of Galata in Constantinople. The main aim of the club was to cultivate a sense of collective identity among those that comprised the local Greek community and to promote Hellenism. Nevertheless, the club's life was abruptly shortened by the Asia Minor catastrophe, forcing most of its members to escape to Greece. Those who fled to Athens decided to resume their sporting activities and formed AEK Athens. While the initials of the club stand for Athlitiki Enosis Konstantinoupoleos, meaning Athletic Union of Constantinople, the badge of the club features a double-headed eagle with spread wings against a yellow background, therefore, maintaining some sort of historical, as well as spiritual, connection with the lost homeland. As it happens, the double-headed eagle is traditionally associated with the Byzantine Empire, symbolizing the religious and secular authority of the emperor. Similar to the conditions facing the refugees that founded the club, AEK Athens is currently 'homeless', playing its matches at the Olympic stadium of Athens.
While the badge of Panionios Gymnastikos Syllogos Smyrnis bears little heraldic significance or otherwise, the club's name makes reference to the historical land of Ionia, where Smyrna-zmir in Turkish-is located in contemporary history. The city of Smyrna in Asia Minor was home to a sports club named Orfeas Smirnys, as mentioned above. When the Greek population of the city was forced to repatriate, some former members of the club formed Panionios GSS. The club's emblem displays its colors, a red shield with a diagonal blue stripe displaying its initials, with its name near the top of the shield and the year of founding at the bottom. The club was founded in 1890, thus claiming the title of the oldest Greek football club.
Similar was the fate of one of Panionios's footballing neighbors. A club called Orfeas Smyrnis was formed in 1891 to serve the needs of the local Greek community and promote the Hellenist culture and values. The club's activities came to a sudden end, however, due to the Asia Minor catastrophe of 1922. The impact on the Greeks residing in the area was certainly devastating, forcing most of them to flee to Greece. Some of the club's former members settled in Athens and decided to form Apollon Smyrnis, one of the oldest sports clubs in Greece. Originally, the crest of the club displayed a symbol that closely resembled that of swastika. Once the second world war had come to an end and sporting activities in Greece resumed, the club's emblem was suitably re-placed with Apollo's head on a blue-and-white background, similar to the colors of the Greek national flag.
The origins of Panthessalonikios Athlitikos Omilos Konstantinoupoliton (founded in 1926) are traced to Hermes as some members of the Greek club in Constantinople fled to Thessaloniki. The original badge of the club featured a shamrock, with the club's initials on each of the four leaves, and a horseshoe, both symbolizing the people's desire for a better, auspicious, future. When PAOK merged with local rivals AEK Thessalonikis, also a migrants' club, the badge was changed to the present-day double-headed eagle with folded wings in black-and-white, black symbolizing the mourning of the lost homeland and white representing hope. Another club founded by Greek refugees in the same area is Apollon Kalamarias. Founded in 1926, its badge features the ancient Greek god Apollo, since the club was formed by Pontians of Greek origin that settled, primarily, in northern Greece after the population exchange between Greece and Turkey. The club was initially more of a cultural society aimed at reviving the Pontians' traditions in Greece, but soon a football section emerged that dominated all other activities. Although Apollo's name gave the club a festive image, its colors were anything but cheerful. Purposefully selected, the red-and-black colors of the club symbolize blood and mourning respectively. They represent the blood of those who suffered at the hands of the Ottoman Turks and the sorrow for the lost homeland.
Despite being one of the most celebrated Greek football clubs, Olympiacos Syndesmos Filathlon Pirea claims humble origins. The club emerged through the merger of Piraeus FC and Piraeus Fan Club to create Olympiacos SFP. Playing the role of Cassandra, the famous destiny teller, the founders of Olympiacos SFP decorated the club's badge with the slightly bent head of a seemingly young adult crowned with laurel wreaths, thus symbolizing success in Olympian terms. The club was founded in 1925 and plays at the Georgios Karaiskakis stadium, named after a national hero of the 1821 revolution against the Ottoman Turks. Bitter rivals Panathinaikos Athlitikos Omilos, founded in 1908 by English bankers, sports a badge that features a shamrock of unknown origins. The club entertains its fans at the Apostolos Nikolaidis stadium.
The origins of Iraklis (Heracles or Hercules) can be traced back to the very end of the nineteenth century when Olympia-a sports club-and the Friends of Art Club (Λέσχη Φιλότεχνων), comprised of the local intelligentsia, played an instrumental role in Thessaloniki's cultural life. The two merged in 1908 and formed one of the city's most popular football clubs. However, the club was originally known as Othomaniko Elliniko Somateio Irakli Thessalonikis, that is, Ottoman Hellenic Club Iraklis Thessalonikis. Naturally, the badge of the club features the mighty Heracles, son of Zeus, on a blue-and-white background-the colors of Greece. A few years later another club sprung in the city, Aris Thessalonikis. Founded in 1914, the club is named after the ancient Greek god of war, Aris, which was, apparently, purposefully selected to oppose local rivals Iraklis, given that the two are presented as bitter enemies in Greek mythology. The team's colors, yellow-and-black, derive from those of the Byzantine Empire.
Initially known as Kerkyraikos, Athlitikos Omilos Kerkyras was formed in 1967 after Aris Kerkyras, Hellespontos, and Asteras Kerkyras decided to merge. The club plays in the red-and-blue colors of the island of Kerkyra or Corfu, just as the trireme of the legendary Faiakes, which happens to be the symbol of the island too, dominates its badge. Also based on an island is Ergotelis. Formed by migrants that left Asia Minor and settled in Iraklion on Crete, the name of Ergotelis derives from an islander famous for his record in the Olympic games of 472 B.C.E. Fittingly, the badge of the club displays an athlete in the club's colors supporting two laurel wreaths.
Unlike most other Greek football clubs discussed here, the badge of Athlitiki Enosi Larisas was not formed by Greek migrants and neither does it pertain to lost homelands. The club's emblem features an impressive horse raised on its back two legs in a, presumably, restless and defiant posture. Historically, early settlers in the wider area of Thessaly dominated their surrounding environment almost effortlessly by making good use of horses. Given that the first horse-riders in ancient Greece originate from the same region, it is hardly surprising that the mythical centaurs have a similar background. In fact, Greek mythology dictates that centaurs and Lapiths, a human tribe that shared the same land with the former, were considered bitter enemies for the centaurs had the nasty habit of getting drunk and, then, abducting Lapith women. Yet the emblem of AE Larisas is not the only one in Europe featuring a centaur; the badge of ΦΚ Khimki in Russia features a centaur too.
Interestingly, classical Greece has been an inspiration for many clubs around the continent. Those not entirely familiar with the geographic position of Cyprus could be easily confused by the badge of Ethnikos Achnas, considering the national links between Greece and Cyprus and the aspirations of quite a significant section of the population for union with the apparent motherland. The emblem of the club comprises the map of Greece, featuring Cyprus on top of Crete, as if an integral part of the Aegean Sea. Certainly, that is far from the island's actual location. Along similar lines, the badge of Enosis Neon Paralimniou features the Parthenon-the jewel of the Acropolis in Athens-and a Greek soldier blowing a horn. The type of soldier depicted on the club's crest denotes the period of time when the Green revolutionary forces fought for the independence of the nation against the Ottoman Turks. The topographical inaccuracy of the badge's main elements notwithstanding, the remaining part features the club's initials and year of foundation.
In neighboring Italy, Hellas Verona Football Club are influenced by the della Scala family; however, the club's name, Hellas, means "Greece". Apparently, when the club was formed in 1903, its players, all schoolboys, unable to come up with a name asked their Greek teacher who simply said 'Hellas'. Another 'Greek' club of Italy's is Atalanta BC. Named after the mythical figure of Atalanta, the badge of Atalanta Bergamasca Calcio fittingly displays the head of this phenomenal female. According to Greek mythology, Atalanta was left to die in the woods while still a new-born baby, her grave mistake being that her uncompassionate father simply preferred a son. Goddess Artemis appears to have rescued the defenseless baby by summoning a forest bear to raise her, until the young child was, eventually, found and nurtured by some wandering hunters. Having received the wisdom and skills of her saviors, an adult Atalanta became known as a fine huntress herself, claiming a number of epic victories over mythical creatures such as the Calydonian Boar, while also playing an instrumental role in the story of King Oeneas, an otherwise romantic tale.
Some football clubs in the Netherlands share a rather peculiar trait that reflects an equally bizarre admiration of past civilizations. Though clearly a minority in Dutch football, the presence of such clubs-named after ancient Greek heroes, demigods, and historical sites-manifests the role, somewhat limited mind you, of the local intelligentsia. For example, Sparta Rotterdam (the first ever club in the football history of Netherlands) and Heracles Almelo (named after the son of Zeus) are two obvious examples. Without any shadow of doubt, nevertheless, their most prominent representative is, evidently, AFC Ajax from Amsterdam. From its very inception to 1928, the badge of Amsterdamsche Football Club Ajax featured the supposed pictured of a football player. The emblem of the club was then modified to incorporate the well-known head of the Greek hero named Ajax. What is certainly remarkable is the fact that the design of the head of Ajax is made up of eleven asymmetrical lines to represent the number of players that comprise a football team. The great hero Ajax, cousin of Achilles, features in the famous Iliad of Homer and is mentioned for his impressive figure, as well as the fighting skills and bravery demonstrated during the Trojan War. A less impressive club that shares the same name with the Dutch football giant is Ajax Leiden. As it happens, the oldest football club in the Netherlands too, Sparta Rotterdam, belongs to the same group of clubs that take pride in making good use of a name that pertains to classical Greece. The legendary city-state of Sparta was better known for the austere conditions her citizens lived in, the rigid political regime she employed and the fearless military machine that defended her ideals and safeguarded her interests.
Ljubljana's symbol ever since the Middle Ages is a green dragon, though its origins can be traced further back in time. According to a local legend based on Greek mythology, having cunningly removed the Golden Fleece from King Aetes' possession, Jason and his Argonauts camped at a nearby lake on their way back to Greece. There they encountered a fierce mythical creature that resembled a dragon, which met a glorious death at the hands of mighty Jason. As it happens, a dragon standing upon the top of a castle's main tower comprises the coat of arms of the city. The only dragons available, nevertheless, can be found on the Dragon Bridge, serving as a reminder of the dragon's connection to Ljubljana. This remarkable piece of architecture, dated from 1901, was designed by Jurij Zaninovi and built by Professor Josef Melan, a well-known engineer of his time and an expert in this sort of structures. Four dragons adorn the bridge, all produced at Vienna. Such is the impact of the symbol that the two local football clubs, Nogometni Klub Ljubljana and Nogometni Klub Olimpija Ljubljana, could do nothing but display it with pride on their badges. However, only the emblem of NK Olimpija Ljubljana somehow matches the arms of the city, as that of NK Ljubljana merely features Ljubljana's symbol.
Finally, a club that certainly commands our attention is ΦΚ Spartak Moscow. It is noteworthy that its founder, Nikolai Starostin, proposed the name of the club and also designed its badge. Deriving from Spartacus, the famous Thracian who led a slave uprising in the Italian peninsula against the Roman establishment during the first century B.C.E., the name of the club would soon come to signify the defiant character of the club against the Soviet authorities. The badge displays the red-and-white colors of the club, the initials of its name and a gold star on the top. What was known as the 'people's team', ΦΚ Spartak Moscow is still a very popular football club in Russia exactly because it succeeded in maintaining its independence from the Soviet authorities.
The list of Greek and foreign clubs discussed herein because of their apparent links to Greek culture and civilization is certainly not exclusive. Rather, it is a mere sample given the nearly half a million registered clubs that play their football throughout Europe. The main purpose of this article, therefore, was not to fully address all such clubs but to indicate that Greek football is not all about fixed matches and financial scandals. It is a clear reflection of all things Greek.