Marios Mavridis, tattoo artist at SAKE Tattoo Crew, speaks to SKWEEK about the striking tattoo—and the even more striking story behind it—that he created for a 27-year-old Olympiacos fan, depicting Evan Fournier holding the EuroLeague trophy.
For a 27-year-old Olympiacos fan, the club was not simply a sporting passion. It was the bond he shared with his father—a reason to spend more time together and experience powerful moments side by side.
The two watched the Final Four final together, and Evan Fournier’s MVP performance gave him one more reason to turn that experience into something permanent: an impressive tattoo of the French star lifting the EuroLeague trophy.
The person tasked with bringing that personal story to life was tattoo artist Marios Mavridis, who spoke to SKWEEK about the challenges, the emotion and the seven hours it took to complete the piece.
Seven hours of work on a demanding area
The tattoo was completed in a single day, following seven straight hours of work. The 27-year-old chose his inner thigh, a particularly difficult area for a tattoo artist, as there is no bone directly underneath to provide a stable surface.
The biggest challenge, however, was faithfully capturing Fournier’s likeness. When the central figure of a design is a real and recognisable person, every line, expression and shade matters even more.
“I really love sports. While I was working on the tattoo, I constantly felt like adding one more detail. Detail creates perfection, even if many people may not notice it,” Marios said.
“Because it was Fournier, a real person, the piece was even more demanding. I wanted to pay close attention so the result would look as realistic as possible.”
“When he told me the story, I got goosebumps”
This tattoo stood out for far more than its technical quality. The reason the 27-year-old decided to get it also had a profound effect on the artist himself.
“When he first told me the story, I got goosebumps. That made me want to pay even more attention to it. When I saw him becoming emotional during the process, it really got to me,” Marios revealed.
The most powerful moment came after the tattoo was finished. The fan’s father saw the piece and was thrilled, before personally calling Marios.
“He called me and said: ‘I’ve never seen my father this happy.’ That gives you enormous motivation. You feel that you have offered something truly meaningful to someone.”
That, ultimately, is the real power of this tattoo. Behind Fournier and the trophy lies more than just a major Olympiacos moment—it is the story of a father and son whose relationship became even stronger through their shared love for the club.
His most successful post—Fournier has not seen it yet
The reveal of the completed piece on social media received a greater response than any previous post by Marios.
“As a tattoo, it is my best post. So many people sent me messages to congratulate me,” he said, while making clear that he does not pay much attention to negative comments.
The only person who has not yet seen the piece is Evan Fournier himself. At least for now.
From Michael Jordan to Tsimikas and Chiquinho
Sport is one of Marios’ biggest sources of inspiration. Having grown up around it, he particularly enjoys creating designs featuring athletes.
In the past, he has depicted Michael Jordan in the same iconic pose he used for Fournier, while he has also created artwork featuring Christos Mouzakitis, Kostas Tsimikas, Ahmed Hassan and Chiquinho, among others. He is currently preparing a new piece for Rodinei.
Chiquinho personally asked him to create a design for him, while something similar happened with Tsimikas during the 2020 lockdown. Both footballers have since displayed the respective works in their homes.
“I feel great joy and gratitude when an athlete sees my work and wants to own one of my pieces. When you learn that they have hung it in their home, you think: ‘Okay, I must be doing something right.’”
Although athletes are among his favourite subjects, Marios has not yet tattooed a professional athlete. It is something he would very much like to do in the future.
Where tattoo art meets sport
Marios also spoke about SAKE Tattoo Crew’s partnership with Panathinaikos, through which special offers are available on the club’s official app. As he explained, the collaboration is progressing very well, while players such as Juancho Hernangomez, Jerian Grant and T.J. Shorts have visited the studio.
He also highlighted Sake’s long journey, having started at BCC alongside Lektikos Epexergastis before creating one of the most recognisable names in the tattoo industry.
From portraits of elite athletes to a tattoo carrying the story of an entire family, Marios shows that this art form is not limited to an image on the body. It can turn an emotion, a triumph or a shared moment between a father and son into a memory that remains forever.