The Greek club that was founded in 2017, has almost no fans and grows strong with six Argentines

The Episkyros was an ancient ball game Greece which FIFA recognized as one of the first forms of football. Around 2000 BC the ancient Hellenic civilization developed this skill, which also had similarities to rugby and American football. It is known, the Greeks attached great importance to sport and physical exercise. Visceral, passionate, sometimes violent in their stands, more here in time it is recognized that football in this country is lived in an intense way. And always prone to delivering quirks, the latest news of the Greek Super League is the Volos NFC: a modest club, full of Argentines, who founded in 2017 and in two years went from the third to the first division.

Volos is an institution that has practically no fans and that has six footballers born in this country as pillars: Nicolás Martínez, Franco Ferrari, Salvador Sánchez, Rodrigo Colombo and Julián Bartolo. Just a handful of weeks ago the list was added Fausto Grillo, former defender of Vélez. This is the basis for being one of the revelations of the current championship.

The stadium where the team plays is Panthessaliko. The venue (with a capacity for 22,000 spectators) was inaugurated on July 30, 2004, ahead of the Olympic Games. There, of course, he received both male and female soccer matches. “We play on the city court, which is municipal. Honestly, the stadium is huge, because some people go to see us, but they are fans who want to watch football. And they get closer when the big teams come to the city to face us “, explains Martínez, 33 years old and trained in the lower Velez.

Volos is an entity with its roots still very new and it is worth moving to 2017 to know its origin. In that year the Greek businessman Georgios Spyridopoulos decided to absorb Pydna Kitros and thus created a new institution. After buying the place in the third division, the great dream that arose was to reach the top to be measured with Olympiacos, PAOK and AEK Atenas, for example. Although they never imagined it would be so fast. They bet on the Spanish coach Juan Ferrando and for a gradual growth based on young soccer players. Always with several Argentines in their ranks, the promotion was brilliant and in a couple of years they climbed to the top division.

“We are talking about a very new club, which has barely played about 100 games. It is humble and well organized. They make us feel comfortable. It is a kind of family and they are more united than other big clubs in Greece” explains Martínez, brother of “Burrito” Juan Manuel.“It is true, it is small, although they have expectations to continue growing. We aim to continue in first class and we dream of finishing in positions to enter a European cup,” adds Ferrari, a 28-year-old from Rosario who emerged in Federal Shot. “Personally, they have fulfilled everything that the contract stipulated. It is an interesting club with many comforts in the day to day work. The great goal is to have a chance to qualify for the Europa League. It is the great goal of the season “, contributes Colombo, 28, who arrived in Greece from Independiente Rivadavia, Mendoza.

Curiously, the two clubs with the longest tradition in the city, Niki Volos and Olympiakos de Volos, They are currently active in the third division after various financial problems. Even Olympiakos suffered a debacle after being sanctioned for match-fixing. Thus, in 2017, under the shadow of the “greats” of Volos, the third institution of the city was born. Small, it is true, but with firm steps.

320 kilometers from Athens and 219 from Thessaloniki, Volos (150,000 inhabitants) is the capital of the province of Magnesia (Thessaly) and one of the largest commercial ports in Greece. It is considered one of the most beautiful places in this country. “The city is beautiful, very quiet and with beaches. People also live at a pace far from the capitals. I had lived in Thessaloniki, the largest city after Athens, and it is totally different. Now I am in a house in the outskirts, facing the sea, and I have a lot of peace to live with my family “, describes Martínez.

Volos is located at the deepest point of the gulf that bears that name, at the foot of Mount Pelion (the land of the Centaurs). Mountains, forests, beaches and the sea combine to create a dreamlike landscape. Sánchez (25 years old, from Chacarita) is another of those in charge of describing it. “I love it. It has a coastline from end to end. It is clean, orderly and mainly quiet. The central part has many shops and places to have a good time and on the coast there is a cafe next to each other. A view of the sea that It’s incredible. And the whole bay is surrounded by mountains, “he says. “The people are also very cordial. What surprised me most about Volos is the safety with which you can walk on the street. At any time of the day you go very quiet, without problems,” adds Bartolo, 24, who until mid from 2020 he played in Acassuso.

The warmth and treatment of the citizens of Volos are some of the aspects that stand out the most for the Argentines who live in this city. “They treat us wonderfully. An example is the family of the place where I rent. They are at our service all the time, they ask us if we are well, comfortable, if we need something. They are pending every minute and I know that it happens with my Argentine colleagues The same thing. That makes everything more bearable. This makes it a bit easier for us to be very far from home, “explains Colombo.

Greece football acts as a hook for Argentines in recent times. Historically, both countries have maintained a close relationship, which has deepened over the years due to the economic crisis in our country. Thus, the opportunity to earn in euros and improve the quality of life helped for the exodus. According to the latest report published by the portal AXEM (Argentinos por el mundo), there are currently 35 Argentines in the Greek Super League. “Without a doubt, here is a very good job opportunity. Things are not good in Argentina, so when the possibility of being able to leave the country arises one does not doubt it. In Greece you can live well,” explains Bartolo.

“Further, it’s a good job opportunity because it opens the doors of Europe to you. This is a Super League and a first division tournament. We dream of this and it is a good window to show ourselves and climb in our career “, adds Colombo.

“Today the job opening is outside of Argentina although it pains me to say it. Our country is in a tailspin and unfortunately those who must help raise it are sinking it more and more. Greece gave me this possibility and here I am, very grateful. I love my country and I would love to be able to live there as we live here, but economically and socially Argentina is very bad today, “emphasizes Sánchez.

“In terms of work it was an important step, both in sports and economics. The quality of life here is much better if we compare it with Argentina. And in Volos there is no insecurity”, underlines Ferrari.

“Besides, we are doing better economically than in Argentina because we charge in euros and the currency does not devalue. In our country one can arrange a good contract, but if the dollar rises that link loses a lot of value. Greece has its economic problems, from now, but they are not as noticeable as in Argentina. Its people are more relaxed and do not accumulate stress, “says Martínez.

Usually, Greece not only receives players from the highest category of Argentina, since it is also a frequent destination for footballers who worked here in the promotion. “The smaller Greek clubs look for many players from the different categories of our country. Here they are fast and fast, but tactically they are a bit messy. So, the South Americans usually give them that order that a team needs,” analyzes Ferrari . “It’s a great place to jump. I turned 26, had a good season, and then Olympiacos bought me for four years. Later I was on loan at various clubs, but economically everything was good for me. If there are players of the ascent who had the chance to come to Greece very young, here they could give a great boost in all aspects “, Martínez details.

For the Argentines of Volos, the possibility of measuring themselves against the Greek powers is a challenge. There appear Olympiacos, Panathinaikos, AEK, PAOK and Aris, among others. Behind, in the current tournament, the humble Volos fights. “For example, here I had the chance to face Federico Macheda in a 1-1 draw against Panathinaikos. We are talking about a forward who was at Manchester United at the time and played alongside Cristiano Ronaldo. That is why I value the experience of competing in a first division of Europe. It is the reality: they are footballers that I saw distantly on television, “says Colombo.

What is the Albiceleste contribution from the coach’s eyes? “I understand very well the mentality of the Argentines. Generally, of the starting eleven, almost all are starters. It is very positive to have them. They learn, they improve, they care. We play modern, European football, we put the defense line beyond the midfield and they respond very well. Honestly, they are important footballers for the team as they are part of the spine. I am delighted with them both professionally and personally, “explains Ángel López Pérez, 37. Despite his youth, the Spaniard has already led the Equatorial Guinea national team and Delfín, from Ecuador, in his country.

A custom, a break, a relaxation. Of course, the Argentine barbecue ritual is part of the group of Argentine players in the paradisiacal Volos. Colombo explains it. “We meet once a week to drink mate and eat. And every time we can, when it is not too late with the schedule, we meet to watch the games of the Libertadores, the Sudamericana and, of course, the national team in the qualifying rounds. question of not losing our roots with our football “.