Valbuena latest in line of French stars at Olympiacos

Mathieu Valbuena has become the latest in a line of French players to have made their mark at Olympiacos.

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While they may not be many in numbers, French footballers have enjoyed memorable spells with Greek side Olympiacos. The latest French star is Mathieu Valbuena, who has had a terrific season since coming to Piraeus last July. 

AGONAsport takes a look at the top players from France to have excelled in Greece with the Erythrolefki as well as those others whose time with the club was not as successful. 

Mathieu Valbuena (2019-)

Valbuena has raised the bar for French stars in Greece with his fantastic first season at Olympiacos. The veteran playmaker has been an integral part of Olympiacos’ successful season from the start, both domestically and in Europe. The statistics do not lie as Valbuena has eight goals and 21 assists in 31 matches this campaign in all competitions. His performances on the pitch, along with his leadership abilities, have led to a contract extension.

Eric Abidal (2014-15)

Abidal’s time in Greece was short-lived, featuring just a four-month stint for Olympiacos. While he did not offer much on the field, he still managed to be a successful ambassador for the club and was one of the more high-profile players the team managed to sign in the last decade.

Francois Modesto (2010-13)

Modesto was a true fan favorite and a versatile midfielder/defender who was one of the top early signings of the Evangelos Marinakis era. Modesto won two league titles and a Greek Cup with the club in three seasons and had some fine European campaigns with the Erythrolefki, including a run to the Round of 16 in the 2012 Europa League. Modesto remained with the club after his playing career was finished, becoming a scout before going on to find a position with Nottingham Forest last year as their technical director. Nottingham Forest is also owned by Olympiacos supremo Marinakis.

Didier Domi (2006-10)

Domi came to Greece from Espanyol in Spain in 2006. The left-back picked up three league titles in Greece, two of which coincided with league/cup doubles. Olympiacos’ performances in Europe during the 2007/08 and 2008/09 campaigns were impressive, and Dome was ever-present in that side. 

Christian Karembeu (2001-04)

Karembeu remains one of the highest-profile players to have come to Olympiacos and Greek football in general. His transfer to Olympiacos caused shockwaves in 2001 as he was a former World Cup, Champions’ League, World Club Cup, and La Liga winner. He turned out for Olympiacos nearly 100 times in three seasons, with the club winning two league titles. He was a much-loved player, and the bond between Karembeu and the organization became incredibly strong. So much so that today, Karembeu is still with the club in a role as the Strategic Advisor.

Other Notables

Other players through the years have come and gone without as much impact as the aforementioned names. In recent years, the likes of Claude Dielna and Aly Cissokho joined Olympiacos, but both were unable to make their mark on the team.

That does not, in any way, lessen the impact of French players for Olympiacos in the club’s history. Before Karembeu, the last French player to feature for the team was Rolland Courbis in 1973/74. The links between Olympiacos and France began with the French-Greek duo of Yves Triantafyllou and Romain Argyroudis in the early 1970s. These two players would go on to become true legends in the team’s history. 

Image Source: sportime.gr

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