Rio Ave’s coach, Sotiris Sylaidopoulos, shared all the details of his journey—from being a player to now, for the first time in his career, sitting on the bench of a foreign club, Rio Ave—in the well-known Coach Voice.

The 46-year-old spoke about how an injury helped him discover a tumor and how he caught it early, undergoing chemotherapy for several months afterward. He also explained the reasons why he prematurely ended his playing career and how he decided to pursue coaching.

He then recounted how he went from playing for a team in Kos to Panathinaikos—where he was supposed to take over the second team, although that never materialized—the collaboration with Olympiacos, and his path from the worst league position in the club’s history to winning the Youth League.

Finally, he talked about his choice to take on his first job abroad at Rio Ave and shared an anecdote involving José Mourinho.

The Story of Sylaidopoulos’ Life

“When Greece won Euro 2004 on Portuguese soil, I was on the island of Kos, where I grew up.

I could never have imagined that, 21 years later, I would be in Portugal coaching Rio Ave in the Primeira Liga—and facing football icons like José Mourinho.

It feels special to me that Rio Ave was the place where the Greek national team trained during that unforgettable summer of 2004. For me, that was like a sign. Rio Ave is my first coaching experience outside Greece, after my entire football career as a player here and the beginning of my coaching journey in Greek football.

Unfortunately, my years as a player were marked by many injuries. One of those injuries, however, ended up saving my life.

When I was 28, I needed shoulder surgery, but the pre-surgery tests revealed something much more serious than a fracture. Doctors discovered a rare malignant tumor in my chest—a malignant tumor in the thoracic area that none of us expected. Within a few days, football was replaced by six months of chemotherapy. It was a huge shock, but I would do it all again because of what came afterward. The tumor was removed, and thankfully today I am healthy, carrying with me the perspective that experience gave me.”

Closing

“I began to see life more clearly and left behind things that didn’t matter. That period shaped my character and taught me to put everything in proper perspective during tough times.

Another lesson from that chapter of my life is that anything is possible if you truly believe and keep fighting. Football and life share many similarities—they hold the same values, both in success and in failure.”