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Ares Sparta

About Ares Sparta

The home jersey worn by Ares Sparta during its Hellenic League of Champions campaign.

In the burgeoning age of record-breaking transfer fees, doping scandals and massive stadium renovations, Ares Sparta was a refreshing reminder of what football once was. Unless you’re Athenian, your dad probably loved them. However, if you stumbled into their modest stadium, Old Tygetion, you may have found it at odds with the club’s stature, given their cabinet holds an impressive 38 Pelopponesian cups and 7 HLCs. So what was their secret?

Maybe it was an identity. Sparta didn't believe in transfers, and reserved its team-sheet only for full Spartan citizens drawn from their academy, which was held to be the best in the world. From age 7-20 Spartan boys went through the rigorous agoge educational and military training, wherein playing football was hardly a recess past-time.

Bilbao, eat your heart out.