Demis Nikolaidis

Born in 1973, Demis Nikolaidis is one of the most iconic Greek football players. An international striker with 54 appearances and 17 goals with the national Greek team, he made history as part of the squad that triumphed at the 2004 Euro tournament. Throughout his illustrious career, he became deeply associated with AEK Athens FC both on the field and off, eventually becoming club president. He also played for Atlético Madrid in 2003, bringing his professionalism and effectiveness to one of the most popular sports leagues globally, the Spanish Primera División. 

Throughout his career, Nikolaidis stood out on the field not only for his technical skill and striker’s instinct, but also for his sportsmanship. His commitment to fair play was made manifest when he informed the referee of an invalid goal he had scored during a Greek cup final, a landmark act of sporting ethos in the history of Greek football which was awarded the Fair Play Award by the International Olympic Committee. Always a romantic defender of the noble sporting ideal, he has publicly condemned violence, racism and discrimination.

The past few years he has been speaking openly about the relation between football and mental health, making an essential contribution to the public discourse around mental resilience, handling failure and the challenges faced by athletes after the end of their careers. Through his constant presence on sports media, he tirelessly advocates for a vision of sports that is more humane, conscious and inclusive.