Ex-international footballer combating for his life after horror bike crash
A former international footballer suffered severe head injuries in a crash involving his motorbike and a car driven by a 63-year-old motorist
Marios Oikonomou in action for AEK Athens(Image: VI-Images via Getty Images)
An ex-international footballer has been left fighting for his life after his motorbike was involved in a crash with a car.
Former Sampdoria and Greece defender Marios Oikonomou reportedly collided with a car driven by a 63-year-old motorist. The 33-year-old, who also played for Serie A sides Cagliari and Bologna, along with Greek giants AEK Athens and Danish outfit Copenhagen, was seriously injured.
Emergency crews and traffic police rushed to the scene in Ioannina, in the Epirus region of north western Greece, on Saturday, May 23, near the entrance to the city’s Hatzikosta Hospital. Oikonomou was taken to Ioannina University Hospital with severe head injuries.
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Doctors carried out emergency surgery, including a decompressive craniectomy – a life-saving operation in which a surgeon temporarily removes a large section of the skull to relieve pressure – before placing the retired footballer in intensive care, still in critical condition.
Greek authorities said the circumstances surrounding the crash, on a central road described by local media as particularly dangerous, remained under investigation.
Oikonomou earned six caps for Greece between 2016 and 2018 and spent much of his career playing in Italy. The centre-back also played for clubs including SPAL and Bari during his time in Serie A and Serie B.
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He retired in 2024 after a spell with Panetolikos in his native Greece. AEK Athens released a message online.
They said: “The AEK Athens family stands by Marios and his family, with the hope that he can emerge victorious from the most difficult battle of his life.”
Italian club Bologna also posted a message of support for their former player, writing: “Come on Marios, we are all with you.”
Doctors had not yet issued a prognosis and further updates on Oikonomou’s condition were expected in the coming hours.
