Mourning in Greece
Ex-national player dies after motor scooter accident
Updated June 2, 2026 – 10:05 amReading time: 2 minutes
Marios Oikonomou was once considered a great hope in Greek football. Now the former defender has died at the age of 33.
Former Greek international Marios Oikonomou died on Monday as a result of a serious traffic accident. This was announced by his youth club PAS Giannina. “Today the family of PAS Giannina mourns. Marios Oikonomou, a young man who earned the love and respect of all of us, left us far too soon. We experienced together moments of joy, commitment and struggle,” said the club’s statement, which was quoted by several media outlets.
According to media reports, the 33-year-old collided with a car on his scooter in his hometown of Giannina in northwest Greece on May 23 and suffered serious head injuries. Oikonomou was treated in an intensive care unit and placed in an induced coma. However, he was unable to recover from his injuries and died on Monday morning.
“Always with a smile, always with warmth”
Oikonomou started his career at PAS Giannina and moved to Italy to Cagliari Calcio in 2013. He later played for FC Bologna, SPAL Ferrara, Bari, Sampdoria Genoa, AEK Athens, FC Copenhagen and Panetolikos, among others. He played six international matches for Greece. He made his debut on March 24, 2016 under then national coach Michael Skibbe. Oikonomou ended his active career in 2024.
The Greek Football Association expressed sadness at the death of Oikonomou on the X platform. Throughout his football career, he distinguished himself not only through his presence on the field, but also through his integrity, his professionalism and his smile – “characteristics that earned him the appreciation and respect of his teammates, coaches and fans,” it said. UEFA also expressed its condolences to the former football star’s relatives in a post on the platform.