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From Cyprus side Pafos FC are set to make their maiden UEFA Champions League debut this Wednesday – only eleven seasons since the club’s formation.

Over the past few years, the organization has created a stir by competing in Europe for the first time last season, reaching the Conference League last 16 and winning their inaugural top-flight trophy.

Now, they have reached yet one more huge feat by surviving three stages of elite European preliminaries to enter the main competition – among just two clubs, alongside Kazakh team Kairat Almaty, to enter the competition newly.

Israeli side Maccabi, Ukraine’s Dynamo and Belgrade were all overcome by Pafos during the entry phase.

The prize is eight matches in the group stage, featuring a fixture on their turf against Bayern Munich and an away trip to Chelsea, but they begin with a fixture in Hellenic soil against Greek side Olympiakos this midweek.

"The whole team celebrated wildly," commented ex- Brazil and Blues player Luiz, who signed for the squad in last month, on the instant Pafos secured entry.

"Everybody was overjoyed because we achieved something incredible. No one predicted us to qualify for the UCL this campaign."

"I’m delighted to be here because I can experience this feeling, with everyone’s desire, to achieve something significant."

Founded in 2014: A Brief History

Pafos were established in 2014 when a pair of teams from the area merged – Kouklia FC and Paphos AFC – who in turn had been set up in a merger in 2000 of additional sides in the region.

They commenced in the second tier and alternated the second and elite league until the acquisition in 2017 by a Russian entrepreneur, a investor with UK passport who was once as Portsmouth FC chairman in 2011.

"Our vision was straightforward – we wanted to build something new, something able to challenge, something sustainable – not just a soccer side but one that could return value to the public," he remarked in a recent interview.

"The nation is a country with such a love of football and, in Pafos, we believed that we had an possibility to develop something from the very beginning."

It wasn’t overnight achievement, nevertheless.

"The investment group have completely changed the team, 100%. It was a side that had difficulty to remain in the elite league."

"Across the Mediterranean, the passion is over the top. So, if the team goes well, all will visit the ground. If the squad fails, not a lot of people will go. You won’t find in the average."

"There were some wrongs, spending that didn't give them results. They have been investing since 2017. It involved learning from mistakes to come to this point."

Coaches from Britain Try Their Hand

Scottish the former defender, currently Dundee manager, had 19 games in control in six years ago.

Welshman the coach had 21 games in that campaign.

England's the experienced manager coached the squad for a brief period in 2021.

A couple of former Blackburn Rovers stars took charge, too – one-time Manchester United player the Norwegian and once at Madrid defender the Spaniard, who was sporting director but also had two interim periods.

On the field, ex-Premier League player the Englishman was at Pafos from three seasons.

Success Starts Under Former Arsenal Assistant

Fortunes shifted with the coming of Spaniard Carcedo in last year. He had been the Aston Villa boss’ assistant manager at six different teams, among them Arsenal.

He led UD Ibiza and Zaragoza before switching to the island.

Carcedo's initial term in charge ended with the team’s maiden honor – the last season’s Cypriot Cup, with a comprehensive win over Nicosia-based Omonia, who were hosting the final for the match.

The following campaign Pafos navigated three rounds of Europa Conference League qualifying, finishing in the top half in the group stage and then securing victory in the play-offs before losing to Djurgårdens IF in the round of 16.

They ended the term as Cypriot title winners for the first time – claiming the title by a comfortable gap and creating a route to the Champions League.

The midfielder’s stoppage-time strike in Pafos' fixture on their ground against Crvena Zvezda to make it a draw (3-2) confirmed their spot in the main competition.

"The president of Cyprus the official is a huge Pafos FC supporter who visits the ground."

"He watched the game. He followed it with nerves. At the final whistle he was ecstatic like a youngster. He was overjoyed. There was a online footage of him cheering like a kid."

"It feels like winning the title in Cyprus, it's that big a deal."

"It is a milestone you place next to your name – one championship, one cup and one league phase presence. It's a very big issue here."

'I Think We Can Achieve Greatness'

This summer, Pafos secured the shock acquisition of centre-back David Luiz, who at the 38 years old had been playing for {Fortaleza|Fort