Eternal Derby

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Lore & Background

The rivalry between the two top Greek clubs can be traced back to social, cultural and regional differences. Panathinaikos, founded in 1908, comes from Athens and was considered the classic representative of the high class and old Athenian society of the Greek capital. On the other hand, Olympiacos was founded in 1925 and comes from the port city of Piraeus, thus attracting supporters from the surrounding working class areas. Both cities have played a major role in Greek history since classical antiquity. These class differences between the people in the homelands of the two clubs offered further reasons for the animosity between their fans. Olympiacos' early success provided a way for the people of Piraeus to express their contempt for the wealthier classes. Furthermore, Olympiacos attracted fans from all over Greece who believed themselves to be victims of social and political unfairness. Football hooliganism is a very common phenomenon between their fans in recent years, featuring anything from breaking seats and fighting to fireworks and street rioting. Both clubs have been in the top flight of Greek football since 1929, among the longest spells on the Continent. Their football departments attract the most fans, but the rivalry also extends into other team sports such as basketball, volleyball and water polo. Domestically, Olympiacos is the most successful football club in Greece, having won a record 84 major official titles compared to Panathinaikos' 44 titles and also being the most successful in their head-to-head fixtures. Until 2024, Panathinaikos boasted of their better performance in European competitions. Their greatest success is the participation in the European Cup final in 1971, two semi-final appearances in the UEFA Champions League (1985, 1996) and four quarter-final appearances in the UEFA Champions League (1992, 2002) and UEFA Europa League (1988, 2003). This changed in 2024, when Olympiacos won the UEFA Conference League, becoming the first Greek team to win an official UEFA title. Other top performances are their campaign to the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League in 1999 and their campaign to the quarter-finals of the 1992–93 European Cup Winners' Cup.

In Their Own Story

Record wins define the extremes of this derby. In the pre-Alpha Ethniki era, Panathinaikos crushed Olympiacos 8–2 at Leoforos Alexandras Stadium on 1 June 1930. Olympiacos answered with a 6–1 home win at the Neo Phaliron Velodrome on 16 February 1936. In the Alpha Ethniki era, Olympiacos recorded a 4–0 home win on 26 February 1967 (Vasiliou 17', Sideris 20', 35', 62') and a 4–1 away win at Leoforos Alexandras Stadium on 16 May 2021 (Maurício 53' – Masouras 7', 12', El-Arabi 38', 72'). Panathinaikos' biggest Alpha Ethniki win was 3–0 at the Athens Olympic Stadium on 26 January 1992 (Marangos 18', Saravakos 30', Warzycha 78'). In the Greek Cup, Olympiacos won 6–1 away at Leoforos Alexandras Stadium on 13 November 1932 (Sachlikis 28' – V. Andrianopoulos 16', 68', 88', Ragos 24', Vazos 69', 70'), while Panathinaikos won 4–0 at the Athens Olympic Stadium on 28 May 1986 (Vlachos 24', Dimopoulos 52', Saravakos 57', 72%). The largest recorded attendance was 74,452 for a 0–0 draw at the Athens Olympic Stadium on 18 November 1984.

Reader's Guide

The derby is contested between Olympiacos and Panathinaikos. Key records include: Panathinaikos' record win over Olympiacos is 8–2, achieved on 1 June 1930 at Leoforos Alexandras Stadium. Olympiacos' record win over Panathinaikos is 6–1, achieved on 16 February 1936 at Neo Phaliron Velodrome. In the Alpha Ethniki era, Olympiacos' record home win is 4–0 (26 February 1967) and away win is 4–1 (16 May 2021). Panathinaikos' record home win is 3–0 (26 January 1992) and away win is 4–1 (24 July 1960 and 8 November 1987) and 3–0 (2 March 2014). In the Greek Cup, Olympiacos' record home win is 4–0 (13 April 1983 and 16 January 2008) and away win is 6–1 (13 November 1932). Panathinaikos' record win on a common field is 4–0 (28 May 1986), home win is 3–2 (13 January 1982), and away win is 3–2 (1 March 1995). Attendance records at Athens Olympic Stadium include 74,452 for a 0–0 draw on 18 November 1984.

Did You Know?

• The derby is also known as the Mother of All Battles.
• Olympiacos won the UEFA Conference League in 2024, becoming the first Greek team to win an official UEFA title.
• Panathinaikos' record win over Olympiacos is 8–2, achieved on 1 June 1930.
• The derby has been ranked among the world's top 10 greatest football derbies by international media.