STORE 
MY BEACH SOCCER 
As the Euro Winners Cup celebrates its 10th consecutive edition in Nazaré, Rostocker Robben and Napoli Patron remain the only two foreign clubs to have featured in every tournament held on the iconic Portuguese beach. Vasileios Papazafeiris has been a constant presence in Nazaré, as the Euro Winners takes the city by storm.
Q: Ten years of the Euro Winners Cup in Nazaré, and only two foreign teams have been here every year: Rostocker Robben and Napoli Patron. What does this mean for your club and for you personally?
VASILEIOS PAPAZAFEIRIS: It’s very important for us. When we first came here in 2017, we never imagined that we would be able to come back ten years in a row. Nazaré is an amazing place and the competition is fantastic. I think it is the best place in Europe to play beach soccer.
Over all these years, our team, Beach Soccer Worldwide, the players, the staff and the supporters have all worked hard to help the sport grow. For us, this tournament means something very special because we have an extra reason to play. It is for our teammate and friend, Spyros, who passed away in 2017. He played here in Nazaré once, and after what happened to him, we made it our mission to keep coming back and to keep his dream alive.
Q: And for you, what makes Nazaré so special?
VP: I think Nazaré is unique because of its natural beauty: the sea, the Atlantic Ocean, the sand. You can watch three matches at the same time, and you have the Euro Winners Challenge, the Euro Winners Cup and the women’s competition all taking place together.
Everyone is staying close to one another, and it feels like one big family. People are playing at different times throughout the day, with so many matches taking place. For us, this is a true celebration of beach soccer.
Q: As you mentioned, you have come here every year trying to do your best. You have still not reached the quarter-finals. What has been missing for the team to break that barrier and get into the top eight?
VP: I think what has been missing is the number of matches we play during the Greek championship. As you know, we have very few matches and the season is quite short. However, I believe that in the next two or three years we can make it happen and reach that level.
Q: You have come here with some strong signings, such as Kuman and André Jordan. What are your objectives for this season?
VP: Our first objective is to qualify for the Round of 16. After that, we will take it step by step and try to improve on our performances from previous years.
I believe in this team and I believe in the coach. Coach Kuman has been fantastic and the players have helped us a lot. I believe that this year, or perhaps next year, we can reach the quarter-finals, maybe even the semi-finals. And then, who knows?
Q: During these ten years, you have experienced both highs and lows, including reaching the Euro Winners Challenge final. Of all the memories you have collected here, what is the most special one for you?
VP: Reaching the Euro Winners Challenge final (Against Rosh Hayin in 2022) is definitely the most special memory for us. We lost the trophy on penalties, as you know, but it remains our greatest achievement.
At the same time, it gave us the motivation to continue working with young players and to keep our dream alive. It made us believe that we are capable of achieving great things.
Q: Tell us a bit more about Napoli Patron. You come from Patras. What is the connection with Napoli? And, of course, there is also the special connection with Spyros Avramis.
VP: The name Napoli Patron was created in 2014. “Napoli” comes from the ancient Greek term Neapolis, meaning “new city”. The city of Naples in Italy has the same origin. In Patras, we also have a district called Neapoli, so we decided to name the team Napoli Patron after that part of our city.
I think Patras is a city that truly loves beach soccer. We have a lot of supporters and many young people who want to play the sport. I believe that, together with these young players and with the support of Beach Soccer Worldwide, we can achieve great things for beach soccer in our city.
Q: And you also have that special connection with your late friend Spyros, whose memory continues to inspire the team.
VP: Of course. I think that is the most important thing for us. It is our main source of motivation. We want to keep Spyros’ dream alive and inspire young players to continue our work and help the sport grow.
Q: Finally, if you had to describe the Euro Winners Cup in Nazaré in one word, what would it be?
VP: Amazing!
Q: Why?
VP: Because this venue can host so many pitches, so many players and so many people. It brings together some of the best beach soccer players in the world in one compact location. That is what makes it so special.
