Portugal's perfect stage

EURO 2004 will stand alone as the greatest football festival the world has seen if it goes halfway to fulfilling the hype that has fuelled the build-up to this latest celebration.

Claims that winning the championship is more demanding than lifting the World Cup itself has only ever been challenged with any conviction in South America. Even Brazil are likely to admit the general level of competition is uniformly more searching than the global event.

Yet even a preparation as meticulous and as efficient as Portugal's cannot guarantee success. Speculation on the possible disfigurement of a sports festival as joyous and as spectacular as this by the lunatic fringe of England followers has figured too consistently to allow for any casualness.