It was an evening of brilliance and absolute recognition—for Olympiacos’ rising star, Christos Mouzakitis, and for Olympiacos itself, which once again surpasses borders and finds itself at the center of the European and global football stage, promoting Greece and Greek football in the best possible way, thanks to the methodical, hard, and persistent efforts of the club’s leader, Evangelos Marinakis, from 2010 to the present.
On Monday evening (1/12) in Turin, at the glamorous gala of the Italian newspaper Tuttosport, Mouzakitis received the Golden Boy Web 2025 award! With nearly half a million votes, he was the fans’ top choice as the best, most talented, and most beloved player under 21 playing for a European club! Just days before turning 19, with Olympiacos’ sporting director Darko Kovacevic and his family by his side, “Mouza” stepped onto the stage and proudly said:
Who do you dedicate this award to, and do you feel proud that you received so many votes?
“First of all, I want to congratulate Tuttosport for organizing this event, and the previous winners who received their awards earlier. I also want to thank everyone who voted for me and is here today. I want to dedicate this award to the people who came here with me—my family, my friends, my team, and my teammates—without whom I wouldn’t have achieved anything”.
We talked about your outstanding performances in terms of numbers, the many people who voted for you, and the love from the fans. How does it feel, at your age, to be an idol to so many people?
“Thank you to everyone who voted for me. It is a great honor for me to serve as a role model, as you said, for those who voted for me, and I want to give a big thank you for that”.
Is there any specific trait you would like to steal from past Golden Boy winners?
“Honestly, when I first entered the event about an hour ago and saw the previous Golden Boy winners on the screens, I felt even better because I realized I stand among some really great players, the kind anyone would want to be like. Each of them has something special, so I can’t pick just one”.
What does it mean to you to play for Olympiacos?
“It was my goal since I was a child. I have been with Olympiacos for ten years, starting from the academy, and growing up in this club, I understood the significance and mentality of a champion. I am especially happy to play for the team I wanted since I was little”.
Just out of curiosity—because if you answer yes, you share this trait with another Golden Boy winner. I’ll tell you who later. Is it true that you’re a table tennis champion?
“I think I could have been even better than I am at football, and if I had competed in a tournament, maybe I would have won”.
Because you should know that a player who won the Golden Boy in 2014, when he was still a child—he was 10 years old—had to choose between table tennis and football. Fortunately, he chose football, but he was also very good at that. His name was Paul Pogba.
“I never faced this dilemma at a young age. From an early age, I chose football. I’m hearing this about Pogba for the first time now, and honestly, if I thought about it now, it would be a big dilemma”.
Christos Mouzakitis’ journey with Olympiacos over the past two years is everything young footballers dream of achieving. In the 2023-2024 season, he won the UEFA Youth League with Olympiacos and scored the opening goal in the victorious final against AC Milan! It was a European season in which he scored six goals and provided one assist in eight matches, becoming the second top scorer in the UEFA Youth League, while also winning the Greek Youth Championship with Olympiacos. A few months later, he joined Olympiacos’ first team and quickly became a key player in the club’s domestic double in Greece, making a total of 36 appearances with two goals and five assists during the 2024-2025 season.
Thanks to his charisma, authentic presence on and off the pitch, and steadily rising football trajectory, he surpassed major global football stars in Tuttosport’s voting. It is a football fairy tale for Christos Mouzakitis, which began when he was 10 years old—entering Olympiacos’ training center doors—and within eight years reached the pinnacle of European football wearing the honored red-and-white striped jersey, earning worldwide recognition with the Golden Boy Web 2025 award!
Congratulations, Christos! Keep on dreaming! You made the entire Olympiacos family so proud!
