If you have ever asked: Which is the best football team in Greece, then you have come to the right page. In this post, I will be ranking the top 5 best soccer clubs in Greece, and you will learn:
- The most successful team in Greece
- The club that has the most fans base in Greece
- The biggest club in Athens
That said, here are the:
Best Soccer Clubs In Greece
- Olympiakos
- AEK
- Panathinaikos
- PAOK FC
- Aris Thessaloniki FC
Let’s get to it.
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1. Olympiakos
Olympiacos Club is part of the larger multi-sport organization called Olympiacos CFP.
The team was founded in 1925 and has grown to be the most successful club in Greek football history, having recorded 47 League titles, 28 Cups (18 Doubles), and 4 Super Cups, all of which are records.
The club’s name and emblem are inspired by the ancient Olympic Games, symbolizing the Olympic ideals of Ancient Greece.
They play their home matches at the Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus, with a capacity of 32,115 spectators. Olympiacos’ dominance in Greek football is proof of their numerous achievements.
They have won 79 trophies, making them the 9th most successful football club in the world. Also, they hold the record for the most consecutive Greek League titles, winning seven in a row on two occasions (1997–2003 and 2011–2017).
They also achieved the remarkable feat of winning five consecutive championships five times in their history, a record recognized and praised by FIFA. The club is nicknamed Thrylos, meaning “The Legend” in Greek.
Olympiacos reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League In the 1998–99 season and the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup in 1992–93.
In fact, they are the highest-ranked Greek club in the UEFA rankings. In addition, Olympiacos won the Balkans Cup in 1963, becoming the first Greek club to win an international competition victory.
However, Olympiacos enjoys immense popularity in Greece, particularly in Athens, where they are the most supported club. They also have a strong fan base among Greek communities worldwide.
The club has a significant number of registered members, reaching 98,000 in 2014. They share a fierce rivalry with Panathinaikos, and their matches, known as the “derby of the eternal enemies,” are considered one of the most classic and well-known football derbies.
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2. AEK Athens F.C.
AEK Athens Football Club, also known as AEK, is a professional football club based in Nea Filadelfeia, a suburb of Athens, Greece.
The club was established in 1924 by Greek refugees from Constantinople following the Greco-Turkish War. And they are one of the most successful teams in Greek football, along with Olympiacos and Panathinaikos.
They have achieved 30l titles and hold the record of winning all competitions organized by the Hellenic Football Federation, including 13 Championships, 15 Greek Cups, 1 League Cup, and 2 Super Cups.
AEK was also the first Greek team to reach the European Cup quarter-finals in the 1968-69 season and UEFA Champions League group stage in the 1994-95 season.
3. Panathinaikos F.C.
Panathinaikos Football Club, popularly known as Panathinaikos or PAO, is a Greek professional football club based in Athens.
Founded in 1908 as “Podosfairikos Omilos Athinon” (Football Club of Athens) by Georgios Kalafatis, and they are considered one of the most successful clubs in Greek football.
They have won 20 Greek Championships, 19 Greek Cups (achieving the Double eight times), and 3 Greek Super Cups.
The club holds the fear of being one of only two teams to win a Greek championship undefeated, accomplishing this feat in the 1963-64 season. Panathinaikos is renowned for its success in European competitions.
They reached the final of the European Cup (now called the UEFA Champions League) in 1971, losing 2-0 to Ajax. Additionally, the club also reached the semi-finals twice, in 1985 and 1996.
They were the first Greek team to play in the Intercontinental Cup in 1971. Panathinaikos has also reached the Champions League quarter-finals twice (in 1992 and 2002) and UEFA Cup twice (in 1988 and 2003).
In 1977, they won the Balkans Cup. The club is a member of the European Club Association. Panathinaikos has a rich tradition of developing talent through its renowned academies, contributing players to both the club and the Greek national football team.
They have historically played their home matches at the Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium, considered their traditional home ground, as well as the Athens Olympic Stadium.
Panathinaikos ranks as the second most popular football team in Greece, behind Olympiacos. They also share a fierce rivalry with Olympiacos, and their matches are famously referred to as the “derby of the eternal enemies.”
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4. PAOK FC
PAOK FC, also known as PAOK Thessaloniki, is a Greek professional football club based in Thessaloniki, Macedonia.
The team was established in 1926 by Greek refugees from Constantinople, and it is one of the top clubs in Greece and boasts the third-largest fan base in the country, particularly in Northern Greece.
The club plays its home games at the Toumba Stadium, which has a seating capacity of 29,000. PAOK has achieved significant success in Greek football, winning the top-flight Super League three times (in 1976, 1985, and 2019).
They have also won the Greek Cup eight times (in 1972, 1974, 2001, 2003, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2021).
PAOK holds the distinction of being one of the three teams that have never been relegated from the top division in Greek football.
In 2019, they achieved the “Double” by winning both the league title and the Greek Cup, going unbeaten in the national round-robin league tournament.
PAOK has participated in the UEFA Europa League multiple times but has yet to reach the group stage of the UEFA Champions League.
They have reached the quarter-finals of a European competition twice, in the 1973-74 European Cup Winners’ Cup and the inaugural 2021-22 UEFA Europa Conference League.
The club has a positive win-loss record in European competitions, with 80 wins, 62 draws, and 76 defeats as of July 28, 2022.
The club achieved its largest victory in European competitions with a 7-0 away win over Locomotive Tbilisi in the UEFA Cup on September 16, 1999, marking the biggest win by a Greek football club.
In addition, they are also known for its emblem featuring a Byzantine-style double-headed eagle with retracted wings, which pays tribute to the Byzantine Empire and the people and places associated with it.
The club has a strong following on social media and is considered the most popular Greek football team in terms of social media engagement.
5. Aris Thessaloniki F.C.
Aris FC, also known as Aris Thessaloniki FC or simply Aris, is based in Thessaloniki, Macedonia. Having been founded in 1914, Aris is one of the oldest and most prominent teams in Greece.
The club’s colors are golden/yellow and black, representing the culture of Macedonia and reflecting the Byzantine heritage of Thessaloniki.
The club is named after Ares, the ancient Olympian “God of War,” symbolizing courage and masculinity. The image of Ares is depicted on Aris’ logo, inspired by the Ludovisi Ares sculpture.
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Aris Thessaloniki enjoyed popularity in Greece during the interwar period. They have been crowned Greek champions three times (in 1928, 1932, and 1946) and won the Greek Cup once (in 1970).
However, the club held an undefeated home record in European competitions for 28 matches from 1968 to 2020, until their loss to Kolos. That said, the team plays their home games at the Kleanthis Vikelidis Stadium.
Arguably, Aris is one of the biggest teams in Greece, with an interesting history and a large fan base. The club is a huge presence in Greek football due to their achievements and culture.
Conclusion
According to statistics, Olympiakos, AEK, Panathinaikos, PAOK FC, Aris, and Thessaloniki FC are the best and most successful football clubs in Greece. And these teams boast huge supporters with interesting histories.
Kenneth is a an avid soccer follower, fan and writer. He is a consistent follower of the sport and is a fan of Chelsea FC.