Former Uruguay and Olympiacos midfielder Milton Viera dies at age 80

Arrival in Greece and Olympiacos dominance

Former Uruguayan international midfielder Milton Viera died at the age of 80, Olympiacos FC announced on Monday. Known to supporters by the nickname Tornillo, Viera arrived in Greece in 1972 at the age of 26 alongside compatriot Julio Losada. He joined Olympiacos under club president Nikos Goulandris following a recommendation from Nikos Sklavounos, after earlier considering moves to other European leagues where transfer windows had already closed. Viera became one of the first South American players to join the Greek championship directly without acquiring naturalised status. Over a five-year stay in Piraeus between 1972 and 1977, he registered 112 appearances and scored 11 goals. During that span, he won three consecutive league titles in 1973, 1974, and 1975 under coaches Lakis Petropoulos and Giorgos Darivas, alongside Greek Cup victories in 1973 and 1975.

World XI selection and European exhibition

Viera's performances with Olympiacos earned him an invitation to represent the World XI on 26 March 1975 in an exhibition match against Belgian club Anderlecht. He participated in the fixture alongside club teammate Giorgos Delikaris and shared the pitch with football figures including Pelé, Johan Cruyff, and Eusebio. Operating as a central playmaker referred to in Greek football circles as a midfield metronome, Viera spoke often in later life of that match in Brussels. His selection alongside Delikaris marked a rare joint call-up for Greek club players to an international all-star squad. The appearance followed three consecutive title-winning campaigns with Olympiacos that established his standing across European football.

Transfer to AEK Athens and domestic trophy tally

In 1977, Viera signed with AEK Athens, where he spent two seasons until 1979 and made 33 competitive appearances. During his tenure with the yellow-and-black club, he added two more Greek league championships in 1978 and 1979, as well as the 1978 Greek Cup. Across his seven total seasons in Greek football, Viera accumulated five league titles and three national cups between the two Athens-area clubs, making him one of the most decorated foreign players in the competition's history. Olympiacos confirmed his passing at age 80 after receiving notification from Uruguay with a one-day delay, issuing an official condolence message to his family.

Olympiacos FC bids farewell with sadness to Milton Viera, a footballer who wore the red-and-white shirt with pride and was loved by the supporters.

South American career and family legacy

Before moving to Europe, Viera built his professional foundation in South American football with Nacional, Peñarol, and Boca Juniors. He won two Uruguayan league titles with Nacional in 1963 and 1966 and earned five senior caps for the Uruguay national team. At the age of 20, he played as a starter for Uruguay at the 1966 World Cup in England, becoming the first player with World Cup finals experience to later compete in the Greek league. After departing Greece in 1979, Viera returned to South America to play for Bella Vista, where he retired from professional competition in 1981. His family maintained lasting ties to Greece, where his son Maximiliano grew up from the age of four before later coaching Greek club Kozani, while his younger son Lucas was born in Greece during Viera's tenure at AEK.