Former Greece international footballer Marios Oikonomou has died at the age of 33, per reports from The Mirror and other outlets.
The former defender passed away on June 1, began his professional career with PAS Giannina before moving to Italy, where he played for Cagliari and later enjoyed one of the most important periods of his career with Bologna.
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He also had spells with AEK Athens, FC Copenhagen, Sampdoria and Panetolikos before retiring from professional football.
At international level, Oikonomou represented Greece national football team six times after making his senior debut in 2016 and spent much of his career playing in top European leagues.
Following the news of his death, the Greek Football Federation released a statement that read:
“The president of the federation, Maquis Gkagkatsis, executive secretary Domna Tsioni and the members of the Executive Committee of the Federation express their deep sadness and sincere condolences to the family and loved ones of Marios Oikonomou, who left this life prematurely at just 33 years old.”
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How did Marios Oikonomou die?
Oikonomou died from injuries suffered in a motorcycle accident that took place in Ioannina, Greece, on May 23, 2026.
Reports said he was involved in a collision near Hatzikosta Hospital and was taken for emergency medical treatment with serious head injuries.
According to local reports, the crash occurred when his motorcycle collided with another vehicle on a road close to the hospital. Emergency services arrived at the scene before he was transported to hospital in critical condition.
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Doctors performed emergency surgery, including a decompressive craniectomy, a procedure used to relieve pressure on the brain after severe trauma. He remained in an induced coma and under specialist supervision, but was unable to recover from the injuries.
Greek outlet Gazzetta reported that Oikonomou suffered extensive brain injuries in the accident and underwent a lengthy operation shortly after arriving at the hospital. Despite the efforts of doctors and medical staff over the following days, his condition remained critical.
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He died nine days after the accident.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Jun 1, 2026, where it first appeared in the Soccer section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
