Greek soccer hero helps refugees win battle against boredom

Soccer fans of a certain age may still remember Antonis Nikopolidis for his resemblance to American actor George Clooney and as the goalkeeper who helped Greece become surprise European Champions in 2004.

Now the country's national youth team coach, Nikopolidis is helping refugees stranded in Greece regain a sense of purpose. The soccer team he helped build, named Hope (Elpida in Greek), is made up of players who fled warzones in Syria, Yemen, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Most of Hope's players live in Skaramangas, an industrial zone west of Athens where metal containers have been turned into shoebox-shaped homes. They compete in an amateur league on Sundays, facing teams made up of lawyers, telecom workers and accountants.

Nikopolidis, a soft-spoken 46-year-old whose hair has turned silver in retirement, says team practices and matches provide a welcome...