Agis Meremetis
2026
In modern football, the difference between a coach and a true mentor lies in the ability to question what one already knows. Agis Meremetis is the perfect embodiment of this mindset. After nearly a decade within the elite structure of Panathinaikos FC, one of Greece's most prestigious academies, Agis decided that to understand the future of the game, he had to immerse himself in the roots of other footballing cultures.
We sat down with Agis at a pivotal moment for youth Greek football. While the national team continues its journey to regain its spot in major tournaments, the foundation is stronger than ever. Greece has shown a remarkable resurgence, climbing from League C to the promotion playoffs for League A in the UEFA Nations League with a squad younger than ever. According to TransferRoom data, the number of UEFA-licensed grassroots coaches in Greece more than doubled in just two years, jumping from 685 in 2019 to over 1,500 by 2021.
This massive investment in human capital—combined with top academies like Panathinaikos consistently competing in international tournaments across Europe—is already yielding historic results, such as Olympiacos—Panathinaikos' greatest rivals—recently winning the 2024 UEFA Youth League.
In this article, Agis recounts his personal and professional journey through the world's talent epicenters. From the mystic passion of Argentina and Uruguay—countries that, alongside Spain, lead the world in exporting coaches according to CIES—to his deep dive into Spanish methodology.
In Spain, Agis focuses on two regions with unquestionable influence: the Basque Country and Catalonia. It is no coincidence that the Premier League is currently shaped by Basque minds like Unai Emery, Mikel Arteta, and Andoni Iraola, or the Catalan vision of Pep Guardiola. Through his eyes, we discover what makes Lezama and La Masia truly unique places in the world.
All that I know most surely about morality and obligations, I owe to football. This Albert Camus quote can pretty much sum up my connection to football, the love and respect I have for this sport and all the experiences it has given me.
Running after a ball on any possible surface took me from the small island of Paros to Athens and afterwards to many places over the world, connecting with people who share the same passion as me, the loyalty to “the round Goddess” as we say in Greece.
After playing as an amateur for many years, and most importantly, after deciding to study “Foreign Affairs, Translation and International Studies” in order to follow a different path other than football, life and destiny lured me back onto the pitch.
A good friend of mine asked for some help while coaching our neighborhood club’s academy in the south of Athens, and one situation led to another so fast that after 3 years I ended up working for my boyhood club, for which my great-grandfather played, the renowned Panathinaikos Football Club.
This was something I never believed that would happen, the moments I lived while wearing the green and white uniform were unforgettable and this is what I intend to talk about.
Working with elite players, facing great clubs in tournaments all over Greece and Europe, witnessing greatness (professional contracts, debuts in the Greek Super League or European competitions, big money transfers) from boys I used to scout, select and train has given me so many lessons, changed my criteria and made me fall even more in love with youth football, which to me, is an endless ocean of emotions.
Watching what type of players stand out, what characteristics make the scouts go crazy about a new gem that popped out of nowhere in a small village on the top of a mountain or on a small island the ferry rarely stops by, made me realize that sometimes, football surprises you when you least expect it.
After adapting to the top level of Greek football, I traveled throughout Europe and South America in order to visit some of the best academies out there, with FC Barcelona, Athletic Club of Bilbao, Boca Juniors and Penarol being the ones I studied the most, while exchanging opinions and ideas with other clubs from Denmark, England, Germany, Holland, Italy etc.
The famed La Masia was a huge shock to me in many ways, for reasons you all understand. At that time, Xavi Simons played for the U16s alongside Ansu Fati, Pau Cubarsi and Lamine Yamal played for the U12s, Gavi was impressing everyone in the U15s, just to name a few.
People there were willing to help me evolve, answering all my questions, which made me understand that they were not insecure and wished to share their knowledge, since applying their methods to any other club would be close to impossible, and they knew that well.
Teaching their extremely talented kids to evaluate every situation before deciding, playing football in a smart and efficient way, keeping possession at all times and treating the ball as their treasure are the main takeaways I noted from the Catalan giants, who never cease to amaze us with the players they produce time and time again.
The magical place of the Basque Country which is named Lezama, Athletic Club’s training center, was the next important milestone in my journey. The football club that uses players that have been born or raised exclusively in the northern part of Spain (Basque Country), or can prove their DNA connection to them, always sounded like an intriguing case to me.
I have never encountered such a warm and cozy environment, a sense of belonging, a family-like place to be like the one I experienced in the rojiblancos’ facilities. This club is like a religion to all of the people living around this small city, their tradition is huge, smaller only to their pride in having a relative or a kid of their own shared blood playing in La Catedral, as they call their stadium, San Mamés.
This club taught me that scouting can be like a safari, searching in every width and length of the Basque Country, which is inhabited by less than 2,5 million people, for kids that may become the next Julen Guerrero, Joseba Etxeberria or Iker Muniain.
Their methodology of focusing on the individual improvement of the boys and girls in their academy was incredible, setting up whole teams in order to help some players reach what they think their potential is faster, and debuting in the first team of course.
Last but not least, I would like to state some of the lessons my trip to Argentina and Uruguay handed out to me. To begin with, the passion with which they love, live and express themselves about football comes second to none.
Everyone follows their beloved club, the matchday experience is amazing and lasts hours before and after each game, and all kids sleep and wake up with a ball close to their feet.
Every kid I saw in Boca Juniors seemed to have a huge personality, a God-given technique and a passion so intense that made me wonder if the people there have the magic potion Obelix drank when he was a baby and gave him superpowers.
The society there, like Uruguay too, forces boys to become men very soon, having to win or face rejection, sitting on the bench for many games in a row, receiving heavy criticism from grown-ups when you don’t perform and being asked not to be soft or scared, even though you may play for the U6 or U8. In Buenos Aires and Montevideo I saw some really dangerous tackles flying in, and everyone celebrating them like goals, I heard parents shouting to their boys to “grow some eggs, get inside and win” and U6s play in totally organized leagues with points and champions, facing each other in an 11-a-side format.
When I asked some questions about a few things, many times the argument was “we have produced some of the world’s best players, which means our methodology works just fine”. How could I doubt that? The truth is I couldn’t.
Being able to travel to so many beautiful and interesting places and talk about my biggest passion, which became my profession and formed me as a man, our beloved football, is by itself a blessing and a reason to smile everyday.
Running after a ball, shouting “goal” with my arms hugging the air and a smile on my face will always be my life partners, and this love is exactly what I try to transmit to the kids I now coach. And I hope I will be able to do so for many years to come.
At Run The Ball, we love sharing stories like Agis’s because they resonate with our core mission. We don’t just bring elite methodology to the players of tomorrow; we believe that the future of football is built upon the education of its coaches. They are the architects of not just athletes, but of human beings.
Agis’s journey teaches us that learning doesn’t end at your home club—it begins when you dare to cross borders. In our programs, we strive for that: creating a genuine exchange where coaches can expand their vision, challenge their methods, and return home with a toolkit full of new perspectives.
If you also feel that drive to evolve and want to experience a high-level formative journey in Spain or Portugal, we are here to open those doors for you.
Contact us — because, as Agis’s career proves, in youth football, it doesn’t matter where you come from, but where you are headed.
