Olympiacos FC announces the appointment of renowned Portuguese professional Paulo Noga as Academy Director. Born on 3 September 1970, he played professional football in Portugal for 12 years before building a strong academic background through studies in sport and football. From January 2013 to December 2017, he served as Academy Director at Porto, while from January 2017 to May 2018 he held the same position in China with Shandong Luneng Taishan.
He then served as Technical Director of Paris Saint-Germain’s Academy from 2018 to 2019, before joining Sporting CP, where he worked from July 2020 to February 2025 as Head of Strategy, Talent Assessment and Development. During his tenure, the Lisbon club developed into one of Europe’s leading producers of football talent. His final position before taking charge of the “Red-and-White” Academy was at CSKA Sofia, where he worked as the club’s Sporting Director.
Paulo Jorge dos Santos Noga, as his full name is, holds a degree in Physical Education and Sports Sciences, specialising in football, a Sporting Director diploma from the Portuguese Football Federation, as well as a postgraduate qualification as a Technical Director.
Alongside Deputy Head of Academy Nikos Topoliatis, Paulo Noga will be assisted by Francisco Velez de Lima, who has worked at Portugal’s Vitória Sport Clube, including as the official responsible for the strategic planning of the youth development departments and as team manager of the Under-19 side. He holds a master’s degree in Sports Management and a degree in Business Administration and Management.
