FOOTBALL ACADEMY LAUNCH FOR LEGEND ZAGORAKIS | E058 PODCAST
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ABOUT THE GUEST
Theodoros Zagorakis is one of Greece’s most iconic football figures — the captain who led the national team to its historic EURO 2004 Championship, a symbol of leadership, humility, and national pride. Now, his vision continues through the launch of the Z7 Football Academy in Thessaloniki, Greece — a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to shaping the next generation of athletes.
In this special internal episode, George Stroumboulis recaps his experience attending the grand opening ceremony of the academy, where Ideoli Group’s LED stadium lighting was unveiled as part of the new facility. From Ideoli, George, Chris Hartswick, and Kosta Varnavopoulos were there in person to experience this milestone moment as the lights illuminated the new pitches for the very first time.
Joined by Zagorakis himself and his business partners — Kostas Katsaros, Giorgos Proskinitopoulos, and Vagelis Alexopoulos — the episode captures an unforgettable evening of football, friendship, and celebration.
George also reflects on the broader importance of youth sports development in Greece, how programs like Z7 can redefine the future of Greek football, and what it means for Ideoli to play a role in lighting the path for the next generation.
Zagorakis Academy Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zagorakissportscenter/?hl=en
A special episode from George Stroumboulis, reflecting on the incredible opening ceremony of the Z7 Football Academy in Thessaloniki — the vision of Greek legend Theodoros Zagorakis. Featuring insights from Zagorakis and his partners, this story captures how legacy and light come together to inspire the next generation of athletes.
“Beyond creating good footballers, we want to help shape good people — young men and women who can stand tall and face the challenges of the world we live in.”
MEDIA RELATED TO THE EPISODE
George Stroumboulis sits down for an internal episode to share his experience from the Z7 Football Academy launch in Thessaloniki. Led by Greek football icon Theodoros Zagorakis and his partners Kostas Katsaros, Giorgos Proskinitopoulos, and Vagelis Alexopoulos, the event marked a milestone moment for youth development and Ideoli’s role in lighting up the academy’s new fields.
A look back at the official opening of the Z7 Football Academy — where legends, partners, and the future of Greek football came together in Thessaloniki. George Stroumboulis shares highlights from the ceremony alongside remarks from Theodoros Zagorakis and his partners, celebrating collaboration, community, and the power of light.
A night to remember with Theodoros Zagorakis and Kosta Varnavopoulos of Ideoli — surrounded by Greek music, dance, and passion at the opening of the Z7 Football Academy in Thessaloniki. Honored to light up the field where legends inspire the future.
George Stroumboulis, Chris Hartswick, and Kosta Varnavopoulos celebrating a proud Ideoli moment — our LED stadium lighting featured at the Z7 Football Academy in Thessaloniki. Honored to partner with legend Theodoros Zagorakis and contribute to the bright future of Greek youth football.
Honored to spend time with Greek football legend Giorgos Karagounis — a true icon of the EURO 2004 championship team. From the unforgettable Z7 Academy opening to our conversation the following day at the airport, his energy, humility, and passion for the game are unmatched.
Back in the studio, reflecting on an unforgettable trip to Thessaloniki and the grand opening of the Z7 Football Academy. Honored to showcase the signed Greek National Team jersey and books gifted personally by Theodoros Zagorakis — a true legend and friend. 🇬🇷⚽️
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The Invigorate Your Business with George Stroumboulis podcast features casual conversations and personal interviews with business leaders in their respective fields of expertise. Crossing several industry types and personal backgrounds, George sits down with inspiring people to discuss their business, how they got into that business, their path to the top of their game and the trials and tribulations experienced along the way. We want you to get inspired, motivated, and then apply any advice to your personal and professional lives. If there is at least one piece of advice that resonates with you after listening, then this podcast is a success. New episodes weekly. Stream our show on Spotify, YouTube, Apple, Amazon and all other platforms.
ABOUT GEORGE STROUMBOULIS
George Stroumboulis is an entrepreneur to the core, having launched several ventures across multiple industries and international markets. He has held senior-level positions at progressive companies and government institutions, both domestically and internationally, building an extensive portfolio of business know-how over the years and driving profit-generating results. George’s ability to drive real change has landed him in several media outlets, including the front page of the Wall Street Journal. George was born in Toronto, Canada to his Greek immigrant parents. Family first. Flying over 300,000 miles a year around the world puts into perspective how important family is to George’s mental and emotional development. With all this travel to global destinations, the longest he stays even in the most far-out destination is 3 days or less - a personal rule he lives by to make sure he is present and involved in family life with his wife and three daughters. To read about George’s global travels, stay connected with his blog section.
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FULL SHOW TRANSCRIPT - ENGLISH
George Stroumboulis: 0:00
Welcome to another episode of Invigorate Your Business with George Stroumboulis. Today's episode is an internal one. I am going to sit down and recap the opening ceremonies of Zagorakis Sports Academy in Thessaloniki, Greece. I'm going to cover everything from how I first met him, how I got in contact, getting to meet him before the academy was open, having my team involved with the lighting of the space, you know, the lighting studies and getting them the right stadium lighting fixtures, us traveling there with my business partner and members of the ideally team to be there for the opening ceremonies, which was an absolute party. We got to meet several Greek soccer legends, his team, his staff, his partners. He had concerts and it was just unreal. Also, in this episode, you're going to hear official remarks from Thodoris Zagorakis himself, from his business partners as well, and what this Sports Academy means for future generation soccer players, not only in Greece, but across Europe. So enjoy this episode starting now. My name is George Stroumboulis, and I'm extremely passionate about traveling the world, meeting new people, and learning about new businesses. Join me as I sit down with other entrepreneurs to learn about their journeys. This episode of Invigorate Your Business Starts Now. All right, welcome to this internal episode. It's just going to be myself talking with some clips from the official launch ceremony, opening ceremonies of Thodoris Zagorakis Sports Academy in northern Greece. Absolutely incredible experience. Just being there, seeing it firsthand, playing a small part in the actual facility, the construction, the operation of it through my company, Ideoli Group. Very exciting process. And we're going to cover all of that here. We're going to talk about who Thodoris Zagorakis is, what he means to Greece as a nation from a leadership soccer standpoint, what he's doing right now to leave his stamp on future generations. We're going to talk about how we got involved with him and his academy, just the lighting process, right? We're a lighting company at Ideoli Group. We're going to talk about the process from day one, meeting him, letting him know what we're able to do, working with his team of engineers and going through that whole process. We're going to talk about that. Going to talk about taking my family there, my wife and my three daughters, to meet the legend himself over the summer. We were there, and we're going to go through all of that. We're going to talk about the opening ceremony and getting to go there with my business partner, Chris, and our managing director, Costa, and just getting to experience that firsthand. It was such a cool experience, and this guy knows how to throw on a party. And then we're going to hear official remarks from Zagorakis himself, from two of his business partners as well. Unfortunately, we didn't have time to sit down with Thodoris Zagorakis and do a podcast. But on my next trip to Athens, we're going to make that happen. And we're going to talk about the event, the impact that it's having in the local market as well. So this episode is going to cover a lot of that. So to the listener who doesn't know who Thodoris Zagorakis is or doesn't care, you know, let's talk a bit about him. He's not just a soccer player. He was the captain of the team that brought glory to Greece in 2004, right? We're still holding on, but you know, over 20 years ago in 2004, just over 20 years ago, the Greek national team had something like 500 to 1 odds to win the European Championship, right? Up against giants like Spain and Portugal, Germany and just France, all these powerhouse teams. And Greece ended up winning the Euros. And it just brought tears to every Greek within Greece and around the world. And it just showed other countries as well that are underdogs that you have the ability and the potential to do it if little Greece can do it as well. So who is Thodoris Zagorakis? Let's talk about that first. And here's a little intro summary of him, and we're going to throw some B-roll up as well. The guy is something else, right? So Thodoris Zagorakis was born in Kavala, Greece. He rose from humble beginnings to become one of the country's most celebrated athletes. As a midfielder, he built a reputation for grit, leadership, composure, earning 120 caps with the Greek national team and leading them to the unthinkable 2004 UEFA European Championship in Portugal. As team captain, Zagorakis not only lifted the trophy, but was also named UEFA Player of the Tournament, cementing his place as a national hero. At the club level, he wore the shirts of PAOK, AEK, Leicester City, and Bologna, showcasing his consistency and skill across Europe's top leagues. Beyond football, Zagorakis has been equally impactful, serving as president of PAOC, later leading the Hellenic Football Federation, and even representing Greece as a member of the European Parliament for 10 years. But his story continues. Today, Zagorakis is still giving back to the sport and to the next generation. Through his autobiographical work and personal reflections, he's sharing the lessons of leadership, resilience, and teamwork that shaped his personal journey. Most importantly, he's building the future with the launch of the Zagorakis Academy, a state-of-the-art football academy designed to inspire and train the next wave of talent in Greece. So it's absolutely an honor for me to be able to partner with someone like this, right? The guy is a legend in Greece. Following all these legends, right, over the years from day one, it's household names in our house growing up, you know, since 2004, it's like Charisteas, Nikopolidis, Karagounis, uh, Zagorakis, you know, there's Bassinas, there's a bunch, Katsouranis, you name them, right? So we've always seen them as legends. And over the years, you've always seen that these guys are very humble. You never hear about scandals, you never hear anything. And I personally got to see uh some of the legends interact over the course of four or five hours of hundreds of kids just coming up to them at any given time and seeing how they made every kid feel special, right? Like just important, included, photos, smiling blew my mind, absolutely blew my mind that 20 years later they still make the time and they appreciate it, just shows the type of character that these guys are. Um, just unbelievable. So, how we got in contact with uh Zagorakis, right? So, following on social media, I had seen a female soccer player by the name of Tomai Vardali, who plays for the women's Pauk professional team. She is a rock star. She's also played on the Greek national women's team as well. She's incredible. So on one of her socials, she had posted her and Thodoris Zagorakis at his up-and-coming academy that he was building. And it was kind of a teaser video just showing some grass. And I had reached out to her and asked her, hey, would love to get in contact. I think there's a play here where we can supply my company's lighting for his facility. So long story short, she's like, Yeah, absolutely. Put us in contact, and that was that. Fast forward a few weeks, I get a call on my WhatsApp from Mr. Zagorakis himself. Our conversation later, it's like I knew the guy my entire life. And I quickly realized that this guy truly is a captain, a leader in whatever he does, whether it was on the soccer pitch, which I never experienced firsthand, to his political life, to leading a soccer club, um, to now operating an academy. Like you, you know, this guy is just a leader, right? So that that was really exciting. And then from there, we talked about how my company can help with the lighting and so on. So that was that. During this process, when my team at Ideoli was engaging with their team and their engineers and doing the photometric studies and letting them know how many fixtures we need to get the right coverage on the fields, making sure that it's optimal for any recording that they're going to be doing so there's no flickering and really covering all that. So we'll we'll get into those details. But while we were going through that process, I was fortunate enough to be able to bring my family, my wife and my three daughters, to the academy before it launched. And we met Mr. Zagorakis himself there, and we spent the afternoon with him and his team, incredible team. And it was a dream come true, right? So we were sitting there. Uh we got to have a coffee with him and just shoot the shit, right? Just talk to him like he's a normal dude because he is a normal dude. And talking about 2004, talking about life, talking about parenting, and the guy is hilarious. He's got this great humor and also giving, right? So my 10-year-old, my seven-year-old, and my four-year-old daughters, he's giving out, you know, uh shirts and branded Zagorakis backpacks, like here, children's books that he wrote, um, his autobiography, absolutely incredible. And he gave me this jersey right here that you see, signed by all the 2004 legends, which is incredible. It's gonna be hung up in my office here as well, and it represents so much. But having that, and then the the coolest part was seeing my 10-year-old daughter who plays club soccer here and absolutely loves the sport, being able to play pass with Zagorakis himself, right? And we're gonna put up the footage, but just playing pass back and forth, and he's telling her, switch your legs, try with your left, and just making her feel so good. It's like this guy, if he can do that and make my 10-year-old daughter feel special, like imagine what he can do with hundreds and hundreds of kids that are gonna come through his academy. You know, it's absolutely incredible. And he's the guy that needs to do this, right? It it's it's absolutely needed for the next generation and the next generation and building that foundation. So much so that we flew out of Thessaloniki later that day, and my daughter put on the Zagorakis jersey, and immediately she said, she goes, Can you please ask my coach back in California if I could switch from number 30 to number seven to represent Zagorakis? She wasn't even born, she wasn't even a thought, right, in 2004 when this happened. So just seeing that interaction and the impact that, you know, that uh one, two hours we spent with him had on my daughter, my family, and just the legend, right? So that was that. So during this whole process, we have our team talking with Zagoraki's team and you know, uh, Yorgos and Costas from his team and their engineers and just going back and forth. And what we wanted to do was give them the lighting that they needed to extend the hours of play, practice, games, and just be associated with a legend, with a leader. Um, that's that, right? And from a company standpoint, it was officially our entry into stadium lighting, which we're doing a lot of sports facilities across Europe and North America. And being able to have this associated with a legend is something that I'm extremely proud of. So, fast forward to the opening ceremony of the facility, we're gonna hear a few remarks. First, you're gonna hear just from myself and what it means to be there. Um, this was filmed on site the night, the day of the ceremony where I traveled there with my team. Um, so let's just take a listen right now. Okay. So, extremely excited to be here in Thessaloniki, Greece. Uh, the ideoli team flew in from Athens and from the United States, and it's kind of a dream doing lighting for uh a hero, right, when it comes to soccer, Zagwarakis. We reached out and told them that we wanted to be part of this, and he was explaining his vision here and what he wants to do here for the youth and build an academy. So, with our amazing team, we started designing layouts on what our lighting would look like and lighting all these fields, and to be able to be here today for his opening, the guy is truly just changing what the future of soccer looks like here in Greece. We're extremely excited to be here and just be a small piece of what he's building here. Hundreds of people showed up today, and it just shows the power and influence that he has, and to be able to be here and just be a part of it is uh absolutely incredible. So, when we uh when we were looking at this, you know, Zagwarakis has been, I've been a fan of him since 2004 and before, you know, a leader of the Greek national team when they won in 2004. And to be able now, 21 years later, to be partnering with him and his team, we got to experience firsthand that he truly is a captain. He gets people motivated, even on the business side, and for us to partake with the lighting. He's incredible. He has a great reputation here in Thessaloniki and across Greece, and even to the Greek diaspora and Canada, the United States. Uh, the guy's a legend. Look what he's put together tonight. Hundreds of people came out tonight to support him. We flew in from the United States to support this as well. Now we're just excited to be associated with a powerhouse brand like Todoris Zawarakis. From an ideoli standpoint, this is monumental for us, right? There's seven football fields here lit with our products, but it opens up so many new markets for us to get into soccer stadiums, football stadiums, all types of stadium lighting with quality LED lighting engineered by our team, lighting studies, and really just being able to step into different realms and provide cutting edge lighting technology. This is absolutely incredible, incredible to be here. And we're we're just gonna enjoy the night. It's got music, food. Let's go have a good time. After okay, so quick summary there. Now we're gonna hear from my business partner and co-founder at Ideoli, Chris Hartwick. He was also on site with us. He got to experience firsthand. And then Chris is our chief technology officer as well. And so he's brilliant when it comes to the technology, what's needed. Um, so let's hear some of Chris's remarks as well on site at the opening ceremonies.
Chris Hartswick: 14:02
All right. Hey everybody, Ideoli here coming to you from just outside of Thessaloniki, Greece. We're here at this open launch party for Zagoraki's new academy. It's an amazing facility, as you can see here behind me. We got our lights up, lighting both fields, the two main fields. In the far background, we got the Legends game going on. It's just such an exciting time to be here, see everybody out here, the kids, next generation coming up. It's just it's unbelievable to be here right now. Super excited and couldn't be more proud. Fields you see behind me, we did extensive studies on. We really wanted to make sure with the new opening of this facility for the kids' academy that we had everything lighted properly. So we did full photometric layouts, working with the team and the engineers installing the poles, making sure everything was set to the right limits. And uh it's just it turned out better than we could have imagined. We're super excited to be here. We have the newest lights lighting these fields, new heat sinking, new LED technology, so we're actually able to keep the fixtures physically smaller. On top of that, based on the photometrics we were able to run, we added lasers on top of the fixtures to help with the aiming so that way we could ensure that the installation process was as seamless as possible. We really wanted to make it easy so that way we could expand as the academy expands as well. We're really excited here. This is our first stadium facility we've done with our new lights. Coming here from the US, getting this opportunity with Zagarakis himself has been the most exciting experience we could have had. Knowing he's expanding, expanding across the European Union and just around the world as well with new stadium opportunities. Couldn't be more excited having this be our first facility.
George Stroumboulis: 15:38
So that's Chris giving his summary, his thoughts on the opening ceremonies, the technology, and what it looks like. Um, now we're gonna hear from Thodoris Zagorakis himself. This clip uh is from the actual opening ceremony that he gave to hundreds of people. The opening ceremony was absolutely incredible. He had hundreds and hundreds of people, students, right, at his academy, local government officials, people from FIFA, UEFA, people from the European government, you know, his family, soccer legends, professionals, like you name it. Everyone came out to show the support for this local legend in there. So let's let's hear what this academy means to Zagorakis himself with this clip.
Theodoros Zagorakis: 16:32
Was this necessary? That’s the difficult part, Mr. President. First of all, I would like to thank each and every one of you personally for honoring me with your presence and for being here in this new endeavor of ours. I don’t want to say much. Most of the people here — if not all — are involved in sports, so we can understand each other: what we’re going to do and what we want to achieve. Going back to my days as an active footballer, we players often asked ourselves, “When we stop, what are we going to do?” I won’t call it a dream, because you dream when you’re young — when you grow up, you set goals. Thankfully, many of my dreams came true during my career, and when the time came to decide what to do after football, I always said that I wanted to create a sports center for young children — a place where I could pass on all the experiences and lessons I gained from the game. Life, of course, had other plans. I spent five years working behind the scenes and then another ten years alongside Mr. Androulakis in the European Parliament. As Mr. Tzortzoglou would say, “Better late than never.” What I wanted finally came to life several years later, and I truly believe that all of us — and I say this with teammates like Giorgos Karagounis and others from the Euro team and beyond present — have a duty when we stop playing football to pass on what we’ve learned to the next generation. That is the main goal I’ve set for myself and for my colleagues. Beyond creating good footballers, we want to help shape good people — young men and women who can stand tall and face the challenges of the world we live in. Thank you once again. We’ll continue with a match later, so take care — and thank you.
George Stroumboulis 18:52
Ζαγωράκη explaining what this means to him and the potential and what the future holds. Absolutely exciting. Now we're gonna hear from one of his business partners who's involved there. We've been dealing with Mr. Katsaros, Costa Katsaros from day one. Extremely responsive, encouraging, positive. This guy's got great energy. So let's hear some of his remarks as well.
Kostas Katsaros: 19:17
We didn’t eat breakfast this morning because we were too nervous — Zagorakis and I just had a cheese pie and a coffee. Good evening, and welcome to the Zagorakis Sports Center, which officially opens today. This is an 80-acre complex with seven natural grass pitches — no synthetic turf — maintaining an ecological footprint surrounded by trees, open outdoor spaces, and two free parking lots. The facility includes six natural grass pitches and seven multipurpose training areas, offering everything needed for modern football development. It’s a magical moment, almost twenty years after 2004, when our great leader took us to the streets waving the Greek flag after winning the European Championship. Today, we’re joined by friends like Giorgos Karagounis, Dimitris Salpingidis, Pantelis Kafes, and many others who support this incredible effort. Alongside this, we’ve already established Zagorakis FC and the Z7 Football Academy, a non-profit organization created by friends of Thodoris Zagorakis. The academy already counts over 160 registered young athletes. We’re very proud to have strong supporters, including the lighting company Ideoli Group, whose contribution has been invaluable. These supporters are not only essential — they are partners we hope will continue to stand by us as we aim to achieve great things. Ideoli is our biggest supporter, and we are deeply grateful for their collaboration and the world-class lighting they have brought to this facility. That’s all I wanted to say. I hope everyone enjoys this special evening and the wonderful laiko program we’ve planned to celebrate afterward. Thank you very much.
George Stroumboulis: 20:51
Και finally, we're gonna hear from Yorγω Προσκητόπουλο. We've been working with Yorγos from day one. When we were in contact with Zagorakis and his team, he's been nothing but encouraging, responsive as well, and then just getting us what we need to be able to get them what they need, and in real time giving us updates and support, just very, very positive energy overall from the entire team. So let's hear some remarks from…
Giorgos Proskinitopoulos: 21:21
Good evening. We are here at the Zagorakis Sports Center — a project we began this year, which first opened its doors to the public and to our academy, the Z7, on August 25. It’s an effort that started among friends, led by the captain of our national team, Thodoris Zagorakis, who had a dream to create a sports center and an academy where he could pass on his knowledge and experience from professional football to young children. Our connection began in the village of Kardia, where Thodoris lives. Together with Kostas Katsaros, Vagelis Alexopoulos, and Thodoris, we formed a team and started this entire project, which we are inaugurating today. Our goal is to build a modern sports facility that meets European standards — one that can host not only our own academy but also other academies, major tournaments, and international teams looking for quality training grounds. There is a real shortage of natural grass pitches like ours in Thessaloniki, so we hope to fill that gap and promote football and sport in general. Our aim is to host both local and high-level teams. We already welcome clubs such as Apollon Kalamarias, Agios Nikolaos Chalkidikis, Chania, and Kalamata, who have trained here. We want to see more teams come through — even European clubs visiting Thessaloniki for matches — and choose our center for their training. Our goal is to fill the facility with smiles and sports from morning until night, fulfilling the captain’s dream. When we arrived, the grounds were in poor condition — the pitches were neglected, there was no lighting, the changing rooms were inadequate, and there was no café for families to relax and watch training. We’ve improved these things significantly, installing lighting on several of the pitches, with plans to illuminate all seven fields so they can be used at night. As for my role, I am a man of football. I have been coaching youth and amateur teams for many years, which is how I met Thodoris. Today, I serve as the technical director of the academy and also coach one of the groups, specifically the K14–15 age category. Regarding our collaboration with Ideoli, I want to express our immense gratitude. Ideoli provides the lighting for our stadiums and truly makes night feel like day. They helped us tremendously with the floodlights and selected modern lighting that leaves no shadows — the result is outstanding. From the moment we met the Ideoli Group, our collaboration has been flawless. They were always available whenever we needed support, offered valuable advice on how to achieve optimal lighting results, and guided us with professionalism and care. We thank them sincerely for that partnership.
George Stroumboulis: 25:06
So, those are the opening remarks that we had from the actual opening ceremony. The rest of the night was incredible. They had musicians, famous singers, actors, performers, you name it. Everyone was there to support this launch of this new academy. We had an absolute incredible time only in Thessaloniki for a day and a half, right? We flew in to show our support and got back to where we need to be. But uh I hope you enjoyed this internal episode. On the upcoming future episodes, we're gonna have Mr. Zagorakis himself sitting down, giving us his story, his life story, next plans. Uh very exciting and interesting man. So I hope you enjoyed this uh episode. Make sure to subscribe, share, comment, and uh we'll see you on the next one. Thanks for listening to this episode of Invigorate Your Business with George Stroumboulis. Please hit the subscribe and like buttons and follow me on all the main podcast streaming channels. Also, please share your comments when you can. I appreciate your help in expanding this network to a worldwide audience. Until next time, stay invigorated.
FULL SHOW TRANSCRIPT - GREEK
Γιώργος Στρουμπούλης: 00:00
Καλωσορίσατε σε ένα ακόμη επεισόδιο του Invigorate Your Business with George Stroumboulis. Το σημερινό επεισόδιο είναι ένα εσωτερικό επεισόδιο, όπου θα κάνω μια ανασκόπηση των εγκαινίων της Αθλητικής Ακαδημίας Ζαγοράκη στη Θεσσαλονίκη, Ελλάδα. Θα μιλήσω για το πώς γνωριστήκαμε, πώς ήρθαμε σε επαφή, τη συνεργασία της ομάδας μου στην εγκατάσταση του φωτισμού, τα φωτομετρικά σχέδια, την επιλογή των κατάλληλων φωτιστικών για το στάδιο, καθώς και το ταξίδι μου εκεί μαζί με τον επιχειρηματικό μου συνεργάτη και μέλη της ομάδας της Ideoli για τα εγκαίνια — που ήταν πραγματικά μια μεγάλη γιορτή. Γνωρίσαμε πολλούς θρύλους του ελληνικού ποδοσφαίρου, την ομάδα και τους συνεργάτες του Ζαγοράκη, ενώ το γεγονός περιελάμβανε συναυλίες και καλλιτεχνικά δρώμενα που δημιούργησαν μια απίστευτη ατμόσφαιρα. Σε αυτό το επεισόδιο θα ακούσετε και τις επίσημες δηλώσεις του ίδιου του Θοδωρή Ζαγοράκη και των συνεργατών του, καθώς και τι σημαίνει αυτή η Ακαδημία για τη νέα γενιά ποδοσφαιριστών στην Ελλάδα και σε όλη την Ευρώπη. Ονομάζομαι Γιώργος Στρουμπούλης, και έχω πάθος με τα ταξίδια, τη γνωριμία νέων ανθρώπων και την εξερεύνηση επιχειρήσεων σε όλο τον κόσμο. Ελάτε μαζί μου καθώς συνομιλώ με άλλους επιχειρηματίες για τις διαδρομές και τα οράματά τους. Αυτό το επεισόδιο του Invigorate Your Business ξεκινά τώρα. Ήταν πραγματικά μια απίστευτη εμπειρία να βρίσκομαι στη βόρεια Ελλάδα, να βλέπω από κοντά το έργο και να συμμετέχω έστω και λίγο στην υλοποίησή του μέσα από την εταιρεία μου, την Ideoli Group. Θα μιλήσουμε για το ποιος είναι ο Θοδωρής Ζαγοράκης, τι αντιπροσωπεύει για την Ελλάδα ως ηγέτης και ποδοσφαιριστής, καθώς και για τη συμβολή του στη νέα γενιά. Θα αναφερθούμε στη συνεργασία μας, στη διαδικασία φωτισμού, στην εμπλοκή της οικογένειάς μου όταν επισκεφθήκαμε την Ακαδημία το καλοκαίρι, και φυσικά στα ίδια τα εγκαίνια, όπου παρευρεθήκαμε μαζί με τον συνεταίρο μου Κρις και τον διευθυντή μας Κώστα. Ήταν μια μαγική εμπειρία και μια γιορτή που θα θυμόμαστε για πάντα. Ο Θοδωρής Ζαγοράκης, γεννημένος στην Καβάλα, ξεκίνησε από ταπεινές ρίζες και εξελίχθηκε σε έναν από τους πιο εμβληματικούς αθλητές της χώρας. Ως μέσος, έχτισε φήμη για το πάθος, την ηγεσία και την ψυχραιμία του, κατακτώντας 120 συμμετοχές με την Εθνική Ελλάδας και οδηγώντας την στο αδιανόητο — την κατάκτηση του EURO 2004 στην Πορτογαλία. Ως αρχηγός της ομάδας, σήκωσε το κύπελλο και αναδείχθηκε UEFA Player of the Tournament, χαρίζοντας στην Ελλάδα δάκρυα συγκίνησης και περηφάνιας. Αγωνίστηκε σε ΠΑΟΚ, ΑΕΚ, Leicester City και Bologna, αποδεικνύοντας τη σταθερότητα και το ήθος του σε κορυφαία ευρωπαϊκά πρωταθλήματα. Εκτός γηπέδων, υπηρέτησε ως πρόεδρος του ΠΑΟΚ, ως επικεφαλής της ΕΠΟ και ως Ευρωβουλευτής για 10 χρόνια, συνεχίζοντας να προσφέρει στη χώρα και τον αθλητισμό. Σήμερα, μέσα από την Ακαδημία Ζαγοράκη, δημιουργεί το μέλλον του ελληνικού ποδοσφαίρου, επενδύοντας στα παιδιά, στις αξίες και στην ηγεσία. Είναι τιμή μας να συνεργαζόμαστε με έναν τέτοιο άνθρωπο.
Κρις Χάρτσγουικ: 14:02
Χαιρετισμούς από τη Θεσσαλονίκη! Είμαστε εδώ στα εγκαίνια της νέας Ακαδημίας Ζαγοράκη. Το μέρος είναι εντυπωσιακό — πίσω μου βλέπετε τα δύο κύρια γήπεδα που φωτίζονται με τα νέα μας φωτιστικά Ideoli. Η ατμόσφαιρα είναι μαγευτική, γεμάτη παιδιά, οικογένειες και παίκτες. Για αυτό το έργο κάναμε εκτεταμένες φωτομετρικές μελέτες για να διασφαλίσουμε ότι κάθε σημείο του γηπέδου έχει τέλειο φωτισμό, χωρίς σκιές ή τρεμόπαιγμα, ιδανικό για αγώνες και τηλεοπτικές λήψεις. Χρησιμοποιήσαμε νέα τεχνολογία LED και ειδικά συστήματα στόχευσης με λέιζερ, ώστε η εγκατάσταση να γίνει με απόλυτη ακρίβεια. Είμαστε περήφανοι που αυτή είναι η πρώτη μας εγκατάσταση σταδίου με τα νέα μας φωτιστικά και που συνεργαστήκαμε με τον ίδιο τον Ζαγοράκη — έναν αληθινό ηγέτη εντός και εκτός γηπέδου.
Γιώργος Στρουμπούλης: 15:38
Αυτό λοιπόν ήταν ο Κρις, δίνοντας τη δική του σύνοψη, τις σκέψεις του για τα εγκαίνια, την τεχνολογία και το πώς όλα υλοποιήθηκαν. Τώρα, θα ακούσουμε τον ίδιο τον Θοδωρή Ζαγοράκη. Αυτό το απόσπασμα είναι από την ομιλία του κατά τη διάρκεια της επίσημης τελετής των εγκαινίων, μπροστά σε εκατοντάδες ανθρώπους. Η τελετή ήταν πραγματικά απίστευτη — εκατοντάδες άτομα, μαθητές της Ακαδημίας, τοπικοί αξιωματούχοι, εκπρόσωποι από τη FIFA και την UEFA, μέλη της ευρωπαϊκής κυβέρνησης, η οικογένειά του, θρύλοι του ποδοσφαίρου και επαγγελματίες από όλη τη χώρα. Όλοι βρέθηκαν εκεί για να στηρίξουν αυτόν τον τοπικό ήρωα. Πάμε λοιπόν να ακούσουμε τι σημαίνει αυτή η Ακαδημία για τον ίδιο τον Θοδωρή Ζαγοράκη μέσα από αυτό το απόσπασμα.
Θοδωρής Ζαγοράκης: 16:32
Έπρεπε να γίνει αυτό; Αυτά είναι τα δύσκολα, πρόεδρε. Καταρχήν θα ήθελα να σας ευχαριστήσω έναν έναν προσωπικά που με τιμάτε με την παρουσία σας, βρισκόμενοι εδώ σε αυτή τη νέα μας προσπάθεια. Δεν θέλω να πω πολλά. Οι περισσότεροι εδώ, αν όχι όλοι, είστε άνθρωποι του αθλητισμού, οπότε μπορούμε να καταλαβαίνουμε ο ένας τον άλλον: τι πάμε να κάνουμε και τι θέλουμε να πετύχουμε. Θα πάω λίγο στο παρελθόν. Όσο ήμουν ποδοσφαιριστής, λέγαμε όλοι: «Όταν σταματήσουμε, τι θα κάνουμε;». Δεν θα το πω όνειρο, γιατί ονειρεύεσαι όταν είσαι μικρός· όταν μεγαλώνεις, θέτεις στόχους. Δόξα τω Θεώ, πολλά από τα όνειρά μου πραγματοποιήθηκαν στη διάρκεια της καριέρας μου και, όταν ήρθε η ώρα να αποφασίσω τι θα κάνω αφού σταματήσω, έλεγα τα τελευταία 2–3 χρόνια ότι ήθελα να αποκτήσω ένα αθλητικό κέντρο για μικρά παιδιά, ώστε να τους μεταδώσω ό,τι εμπειρίες απέκτησα από το ποδόσφαιρο. Η ζωή, βέβαια, τα έφερε λίγο αλλιώς: ασχολήθηκα πέντε χρόνια παραγοντικά και άλλα δέκα στο πλευρό του κ. Ανδρουλάκη στο Ευρωκοινοβούλιο. Κάλλιο αργά παρά ποτέ. Αυτό που ήθελα έγινε τελικά αρκετά χρόνια μετά και πιστεύω πως είναι υποχρέωσή μας — και των συμπαικτών μου από το Euro και άλλων επαγγελματιών που είναι εδώ — όταν σταματάμε, να μεταδίδουμε τις εμπειρίες μας στα νέα παιδιά. Αυτός είναι ο κύριος στόχος που έχω θέσει πρώτα για τον εαυτό μου και μαζί με τους συνεργάτες μου. Πέρα από το να γίνουν καλοί ποδοσφαιριστές, θέλουμε να γίνουν καλοί άνθρωποι, ώστε στη δύσκολη κοινωνία που ζούμε να μπορούν να σταθούν και να αντεπεξέλθουν σε κάθε πρόκληση. Σας ευχαριστώ πολύ. Θα συνεχίσουμε αργότερα με έναν αγώνα, να είστε καλά. Ευχαριστώ.
Γιώργος Στρουμπούλης: 18:52
Ο Ζαγοράκης εξηγεί τι σημαίνει για εκείνον αυτό το έργο, τη δυναμική που έχει και τι επιφυλάσσει το μέλλον. Πραγματικά συναρπαστικό. Τώρα θα ακούσουμε έναν από τους επιχειρηματικούς του συνεργάτες, ο οποίος συμμετέχει ενεργά στην Ακαδημία. Από την πρώτη μέρα συνεργαζόμαστε με τον κύριο Κώστα Κατσαρό — πάντα άμεσος, ενθαρρυντικός, θετικός, με απίστευτη ενέργεια. Ας ακούσουμε λοιπόν και μερικές από τις δικές του δηλώσεις.
Κώστας Κατσαρός: 19:17
Καλησπέρα και καλωσορίσατε στο Zagorakis Sport Center που σήμερα έχει τα εγκαίνιά του. Πρόκειται για έναν χώρο 80 στρεμμάτων, με επτά γήπεδα φυσικού χόρτου — χωρίς πλαστικό — με οικολογικό αποτύπωμα, δέντρα, υπαίθριους χώρους, δύο υπαίθρια και ελεύθερα πάρκινγκ, έξι γήπεδα φυσικού χλοοτάπητα και επτά πολυχώρους/χώρους προπόνησης. Είναι μια μαγική στιγμή, σχεδόν είκοσι χρόνια μετά το 2004, όταν ο μεγάλος αρχηγός μας μας έβγαλε στους δρόμους υψώνοντας την ελληνική σημαία στο Euro. Σήμερα είναι μαζί μας φίλοι όπως ο Καραγκούνης, ο Σαλπιγγίδης, ο Καφές και πολλοί ακόμη που στηρίζουν την προσπάθεια. Παράλληλα, έχουμε ήδη στήσει τη Zagorakis FC και την Ακαδημία Z7, ένα μη κερδοσκοπικό σωματείο που δημιουργήθηκε από φίλους του Θοδωρή Ζαγοράκη. Η Ακαδημία Ζ7 έχει ήδη 160 εγγεγραμμένα μέλη. Είμαστε πολύ χαρούμενοι που έχουμε πολλούς υποστηρικτές — μεταξύ αυτών την εταιρεία φωτισμού Ideoli, τον μεγαλύτερο υποστηρικτή μας — και τους ευχαριστούμε θερμά. Αυτούς τους υποστηρικτές όχι μόνο τους χρειαζόμαστε, αλλά θέλουμε να είναι πάντα δίπλα μας, γιατί φιλοδοξούμε να κάνουμε σπουδαία πράγματα. Εύχομαι να περάσουμε όλοι όμορφα με το ωραίο λαϊκό πρόγραμμα που έχουμε αμέσως μετά. Ευχαριστούμε πάρα πολύ.
Γιώργος Στρουμπούλης: 20:51
Και τέλος, θα ακούσουμε τον Γιώργο Προσκηνητόπουλο. Συνεργαζόμαστε με τον Γιώργο από την πρώτη στιγμή. Από τότε που ήρθαμε σε επαφή με τον Ζαγοράκη και την ομάδα του, ήταν πάντα υποστηρικτικός, άμεσος στις απαντήσεις του και εξαιρετικά συνεργάσιμος, παρέχοντάς μας σε πραγματικό χρόνο ό,τι πληροφορίες και υποστήριξη χρειαζόμασταν για να προχωρήσουμε αποτελεσματικά. Πολύ θετική ενέργεια από τον ίδιο και από ολόκληρη την ομάδα. Πάμε λοιπόν να ακούσουμε μερικά λόγια από τον ίδιο.
Γιώργος Προσκυνητόπουλος: 21:21
Καλησπέρα σας. Βρισκόμαστε στο Zagorakis Sport Center, ένα αθλητικό κέντρο που ξεκινήσαμε φέτος και άνοιξε τις πύλες του για πρώτη φορά στις 25 Αυγούστου, τόσο για το κοινό όσο και για την Ακαδημία μας, τη Ζ7. Είναι μια προσπάθεια που ξεκίνησε σε φιλικό κλίμα από τον αρχηγό της Εθνικής μας, τον Θοδωρή Ζαγοράκη, ο οποίος είχε το όνειρο να δημιουργήσει ένα αθλητικό κέντρο και μια ακαδημία για να μεταλαμπαδεύσει στα μικρά παιδιά τις γνώσεις και τις εμπειρίες του από το επαγγελματικό ποδόσφαιρο. Η γνωριμία μας ξεκίνησε στην Καρδία, το χωριό όπου μένει ο Θοδωρής, και μαζί με τον Κώστα Κατσαρό και τον Βαγγέλη Αλεξόπουλο φτιάξαμε μια ομάδα και ξεκινήσαμε όλο αυτό το πρότζεκτ που εγκαινιάζουμε σήμερα. Στόχος μας είναι μια σύγχρονη αθλητική εγκατάσταση στα ευρωπαϊκά πρότυπα, ικανή να φιλοξενεί όχι μόνο τη δική μας Ακαδημία, αλλά και άλλες ακαδημίες, μεγάλα και διεθνή τουρνουά, καθώς και ομάδες για προετοιμασία. Υπάρχει έλλειψη γηπέδων φυσικού χλοοτάπητα σαν τα δικά μας στη Θεσσαλονίκη και θέλουμε να καλύψουμε αυτό το κενό, προάγοντας το ποδόσφαιρο και τον αθλητισμό γενικά. Ήδη φιλοξενούμε τοπικές ομάδες όπως ο Απόλλων Καλαμαριάς και ο Άγιος Νικόλαος Χαλκιδικής, ενώ έχουν περάσει και τα Χανιά και η Καλαμάτα. Θέλουμε να έρχονται όσο το δυνατόν περισσότερες ομάδες, ακόμη και ευρωπαϊκές όταν αγωνίζονται εδώ, και να επιλέγουν το κέντρο μας για προπόνηση. Στόχος μας είναι από το πρωί μέχρι το βράδυ ο χώρος να γεμίζει με χαμόγελα και αθλητισμό — αυτό είναι το όνειρο του αρχηγού. Όταν πρωτοήρθαμε, ο χώρος ήταν παραμελημένος: χωρίς φωτισμό στα γήπεδα, χωρίς τις κατάλληλες υποδομές στα αποδυτήρια και χωρίς sports café για τους συνοδούς. Αυτά τα έχουμε ήδη βελτιώσει και έχουμε φωτίσει 3–4 από τα 7 γήπεδά μας, με άμεσο στόχο να αποκτήσουν όλα φωτισμό ώστε να λειτουργούν και το βράδυ. Είμαι άνθρωπος του ποδοσφαίρου: προπονητής για χρόνια σε αναπτυξιακές και ερασιτεχνικές ομάδες — έτσι γνώρισα τον Θοδωρή. Αυτή τη στιγμή είμαι τεχνικός υπεύθυνος της Ακαδημίας Ζ7 και προπονώ τμήμα Κ14–Κ15. Θέλω επίσης να πω ένα τεράστιο ευχαριστώ στην Ideoli: έκανε τα γήπεδά μας «τη νύχτα μέρα» με σύγχρονο φωτισμό που δεν αφήνει σκιάσεις· το αποτέλεσμα είναι καταπληκτικό. Από την πρώτη στιγμή η συνεργασία μας με το Ideoli Group ήταν άψογη — ήταν δίπλα μας σε κάθε δυσκολία και μας συμβούλεψαν για το πώς θα πετύχουμε το καλύτερο δυνατό αποτέλεσμα. Τους ευχαριστούμε θερμά.
Γιώργος Στρουμπούλης: 25:06
Αυτές λοιπόν ήταν οι αρχικές τοποθετήσεις από τα επίσημα εγκαίνια της Ακαδημίας. Η υπόλοιπη βραδιά ήταν απλά απίστευτη — μουσικοί, γνωστοί τραγουδιστές, ηθοποιοί, καλλιτέχνες, όλοι παρόντες για να στηρίξουν την έναρξη αυτής της νέας ακαδημίας. Περάσαμε φανταστικά, αν και μείναμε στη Θεσσαλονίκη μόλις μιάμιση μέρα. Πετάξαμε εκεί αποκλειστικά για να δείξουμε τη στήριξή μας και επιστρέψαμε πίσω στις υποχρεώσεις μας. Ελπίζω να απολαύσατε αυτό το εσωτερικό επεισόδιο. Στα επόμενα επεισόδια θα έχουμε μαζί μας τον ίδιο τον Θοδωρή Ζαγοράκη, να μιλήσει για τη ζωή του, την πορεία του και τα επόμενα σχέδιά του — ένας πραγματικά συναρπαστικός και εμπνευσμένος άνθρωπος. Ελπίζω να σας άρεσε το επεισόδιο· φροντίστε να κάνετε εγγραφή, κοινοποίηση και σχόλια. Ευχαριστώ όλους εσάς που βοηθάτε να μεγαλώσει αυτό το δίκτυο και να φτάσει σε παγκόσμιο κοινό. Μέχρι την επόμενη φορά — μείνετε γεμάτοι ενέργεια και έμπνευση!
CONTENTS OF THIS VIDEO
00:00:00 Setting The Stage for Zagorakis & Ideoli Pod
00:01:46 Why Zagorakis Matters
00:04:12 Family Visit And Personal Moments
00:06:47 How Ideoli Joined The Project
00:10:15 On-Site Reflections From Stroumboulis
00:13:58 Tech Deep-Dive With Chris Hartswick
00:17:20 Zagorakis’ Vision In His Words
00:20:15 Partners On Building The Academy
00:23:05 What’s Next And How To Support
what is the z7 zagorakis sports academy and why is this significant
The Z7 Zagorakis Sports Academy is a new, state-of-the-art football academy founded by Theodoros “Thodoris” Zagorakis, the legendary captain who led Greece to its historic EURO 2004 Championship victory.
Located in Thessaloniki, Greece, the academy’s mission is to develop the next generation of footballers by combining elite athletic training with strong values of teamwork, discipline, and community. It’s designed not only as a training center but as a hub for youth development, equipped with professional-level pitches, modern facilities, and — now — world-class stadium lighting provided by Ideoli Group.
🌍 Why It’s Significant | Led by a National Hero
Theodoros Zagorakis is one of the most iconic figures in Greek sports history. His leadership and humility make the academy a beacon of hope and pride for Greek football.
Ideoli’s European Breakthrough
This project represents Ideoli’s first full-scale sports-lighting installation in Europe, marking your entry into a new vertical: stadium and athletic-facility illumination.
Technological Excellence
Ideoli supplied and installed broadcast-grade, flicker-free LED sports lighting designed for televised matches, training sessions, and international tournaments — setting a new standard for local academies.
Cultural and Emotional Resonance
The opening ceremony wasn’t just an event; it was a celebration of legacy — attended by football legends, artists, community leaders, and partners who see how lighting can literally and symbolically illuminate future generations.
Partnership and Friendship
Your collaboration with Zagorakis goes beyond business. It’s built on trust, friendship, and shared purpose — showing how Ideoli connects innovation with human stories.
what does youth football (soccer) development look like in greece and how are things improving
🏛 Current Landscape: Youth Football in Greece
1. Structure & League System
The Superleague Greece runs official youth leagues (U-15, U-17, U-19, etc.), where infrastructure teams tied to professional clubs compete.
Many professional clubs (like PAOK, Olympiacos, Panathinaikos) run academies and satellite training centers across Greece.
Local “football schools” or smaller youth academies feed into these bigger systems; they often cover ages 5–15 as introductory development hubs.
2. Types of Academies / Operating Models
Commercial Academies: Privately run, sometimes with better facilities and pay-for-play models. These tend to emphasize rapid technical development.
Public & Voluntary Academies: Often focused more on increasing access, broad participation, and talent identification rather than fast-track performance.
Differences in resources, coaching, and support services among academies remain significant.
3. Challenges & Weaknesses
Resource constraints and inconsistent funding (especially in lower-tier or rural clubs) limit infrastructure, coaching quality, and technology adoption.
Many academies historically have lacked scientific training methods, sports science support, nutrition, psychological development, and analytics.
Geographic disparities: access is much stronger in Athens, Thessaloniki, and larger urban centers; smaller towns often lag.
Some programs lean too heavily on match play rather than structured, progressive training phases.
🌱 Areas of Improvement & Momentum
1. National “Renaissance” Grassroots Program
The Hellenic Football Federation (EPO) has launched a grassroots development program called “Renaissance” to better organize youth academies, improve coaching standards, and streamline talent pipelines across regions.
Inside World Football
They’re also planning to build a modern training center to serve national youth teams, signaling investment in infrastructure.
Inside World Football
2. More Emphasis by Clubs on Youth Development
Clubs are increasingly prioritizing their academies to produce talent for first teams and for transfer revenues.
PAOK Academy, for example, runs many training centers and has a network of local affiliate academies (PAOK “Football Prints”) to scout regionally.
3. International Partnerships & Academy Models
Some international clubs have extended their brand/academy models to Greece (e.g. VCF Academy Greece, Valencia CF’s youth program) to bring new coaching philosophies and structures.
Local academies and clubs are seeking cooperative models with foreign schools to raise training standards.
4. Rise of Recognized Youth Talent
A new generation of Greek players is beginning to attract international attention (e.g. Tzimas, Kostoulas) — signaling success of improved scouting & training.
Greek youth sides and infrastructure teams are performing better in European youth competitions.
5. Upgraded Facilities & Investment
Clubs like AEK have developed modern training centers (Spata Training Centre) including fields, rehab, gym, sports science support.
Youth academies are increasingly adopting scientific training methods: fitness testing, periodization, video analysis, nutrition, etc.
🧠 Relevance & What It Tells Us (For Your Podcast / Project)
The Zagorakis Academy is entering at an opportune moment: the ecosystem is primed for transformation.
By bringing top-tier lighting, infrastructure, and global partnership, you help elevate not just a single academy, but raise the bar for the entire youth development environment in Greece.
Your work becomes symbolic — it’s not just lighting the field; it’s illuminating the pathway for future Greek talent.
how important is it to have development programs for all youth sports
⚽️🏀⚾ Why Youth Sports Development Programs Matter
1. They Build the Foundation for Future Talent
Every great athlete starts with access — to coaching, structure, and opportunity.
Development programs give young athletes a clear path to learn, grow, and excel at their own pace.
The earlier and more structured the environment, the better the long-term technical, physical, and mental outcomes.
2. They Teach Life Skills That Last Beyond Sports
Youth programs teach discipline, teamwork, resilience, accountability, and leadership.
Kids learn how to win humbly and lose gracefully — lessons that stay with them for life.
Organized sports build confidence and decision-making skills in ways classrooms can’t replicate.
3. They Strengthen Communities
Sports bring people together — families, neighborhoods, schools, and local businesses.
A strong development network keeps kids engaged, active, and connected, reducing isolation and risk behaviors.
In many communities, sports academies or clubs become safe spaces for belonging and mentorship.
4. They Drive National and Economic Growth
Countries with deep youth programs (like France, Spain, and the U.S.) continually produce world-class athletes because they invest early.
Development systems create coaching jobs, facility improvements, and local economies centered around sport.
It’s an investment that pays off in pride, tourism, and international recognition.
5. They Build Healthier Generations
Youth programs combat sedentary lifestyles, obesity, and mental health issues.
Physical activity improves focus, academic performance, and emotional regulation.
Children who play sports early are far more likely to remain active throughout adulthood.
6. They Create Legacy and Hope
For nations like Greece, youth academies aren’t just about sport — they’re about reviving national spirit and identity.
Programs like the Z7 Zagorakis Football Academy symbolize the idea that the next generation can dream bigger, play harder, and lead stronger.
BLOG POST
Lighting the Legends
From Thessaloniki Nights to Future Goals: Inside the Zagorakis Sports Academy Launch
This is how a Greek football hero turned a dream into a living academy—and how our team helped light the fields
Seven pitches, zero egos, one captain who still runs the show
What does leadership look like 20 years after glory?
Glory ages; purpose doesn’t. We traveled to Thessaloniki for the opening of the Zagorakis Sports Academy and witnessed how a captain’s legacy becomes a campus where kids learn craft, confidence, and character. This is a ground-level look at what it takes to turn a dream into a place: seven natural-grass fields, thoughtful design choices, and a team obsessed with doing things the right way.
We start with the why. Theodoros Zagorakis—Euro 2004 captain, UEFA Player of the Tournament, club stalwart, federation leader—now channels experience into a training center built for the next wave. You’ll hear his vision in his own words: pass on hard-won lessons, shape good players and better people, and create a space that stays busy from morning until night. Along the way, we share the human moments that make it real: a signed jersey from the 2004 legends, a quick left-foot lesson for a young player, and the humility of heroes who still greet every kid with time and warmth.
Then we dig into the build. Our team at Ideoli explains the lighting backbone behind the academy: full photometric layouts for even coverage, high-frequency drivers for flicker-free recording, compact fixtures with advanced heat sinking, and laser-guided aiming for precise, scalable installs. The result is visibility that serves performance and safety—clean sightlines, consistent levels, and fields that feel alive after sunset. With partners like Kostas Katsaros and Giorgos Proskinitopoulos, the academy is set to host local clubs, international friendlies, and youth tournaments, bringing elite standards to a community hub.
If you care about leadership, youth development, football culture, or the craft of building world-class facilities, this story belongs on your playlist. Subscribe, share with a friend who loves the game, and drop a review to tell us what part inspired you most.
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The story begins with a simple truth: legacy is not a trophy you store; it is light you pass forward. That spirit runs through the launch of the Zagorakis Sports Academy in Thessaloniki, where a national hero turned an old dream into a living place. The night felt like a festival—musicians, families, local leaders, legends of 2004—and yet the energy was focused on one thing: building a home where kids can learn to play, to lead, and to carry themselves with pride. We traveled to Greece to be part of this moment, not as spectators, but as collaborators who helped solve very real problems—how to extend safe play into night, how to eliminate shadows on the ball, how to ensure cameras capture every touch without flicker, how to make the grounds feel welcoming and modern. The academy’s scale surprised even those who knew the plan: seven natural-grass pitches, outdoor spaces, and a clear pathway for expansion. It looked like joy with a blueprint.
Before the opening, we made a family visit to the grounds and spent an afternoon with Theodoros Zagorakis. The handshake felt familiar, like greeting a coach you’ve known for years. He joked, listened, asked about the kids, then took our eldest onto the grass for a quick passing session. “Try your left,” he smiled, and something shifted: technique, yes, but also confidence. This is what role models do—they compress time. In minutes, a decade of admiration connects with the present, and a child decides to change her jersey number on the flight home. That is the quiet power behind the academy: not just creating elite players, but instilling standards—humility, patience, composure—that last as long as the memories of 2004. Watching hundreds of children line up for photos and autographs, and seeing the legends give each one a moment of undivided attention, it was clear why this project resonates. Character is the curriculum.
Our team’s role centered on lighting, and lighting is more than lumens. It is sightlines, safety, and storytelling. We approached the site like an open book: field geometry, pole positions, aiming angles, glare control, and spill limits into neighboring areas. We ran full photometric studies to find even coverage across the pitches, balancing horizontal and vertical illuminance so players track the ball cleanly and coaches read body shape from distance. For modern academies, video capture is essential; that means high-frequency LED drivers to eliminate flicker for slow-motion recording and broadcast-ready refresh rates. We engineered compact fixtures with improved heat sinking to reduce mass and visual clutter on poles, then added integrated lasers to speed and standardize aiming during installation. This single detail—aiming repeatability—pays off when you expand from two fields to seven, or replace fixtures years later and need consistent results.
Partnerships carry projects across the finish line. From early WhatsApp calls to fieldwalks with engineers, the academy team, led by Zagorakis and supported by leaders like Kostas Katsaros and Giorgos Proskopoulos, moved with intent. They wanted natural grass, real training surfaces, and a campus that could host youth teams, senior clubs, and international friendlies. They spoke about ecology, access, and the daily rhythms of families who would spend evenings at the grounds. Our job was to make the campus usable from dawn to late night without fatigue or glare. Lighting uniformity reduces eye strain, helps coaches keep sessions tight, and supports the “flow state” that makes practice feel shorter and more productive. When the final tests ran and the fields lit up evenly, the place felt complete—alive after sunset, ready for long seasons and longer memories.
What makes this academy special is the clarity of its aim. It is not chasing a single star; it is building a constellation. The captain who lifted a trophy two decades ago now lifts a ladder for others. His remarks at the ceremony were direct: share knowledge, shape character, and help kids stand tall in a complex world. That message echoes across Europe’s football cultures, where the greatest teams blend talent with discipline, collective work, and emotional resilience. In practical terms, the academy plans to host local and international tournaments, welcome clubs for preseason preparation, and serve as a hub for training education. Infrastructure matters here: reliable lighting expands usable hours, supports filming for analysis, and enables safe community events so the grounds operate as a social center, not just a sports site. Great facilities draw people; great management keeps them coming back.
There is a business story too. For us at Ideoli, this project marks a formal entry into stadium lighting across Europe and North America. We learned again that innovation is less about shiny spec sheets and more about fitting design to purpose. Kids need consistent light levels to learn first touch and passing angles. Coaches need contrast managed so the
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A special episode from George Stroumboulis, reflecting on the incredible opening ceremony of the Z7 Football Academy in Thessaloniki — the vision of Greek legend Theodoros Zagorakis. Featuring insights from Zagorakis and his partners, this story captures how legacy and light come together to inspire the next generation of athletes.