The new Greek gods

Portugal 0 Greece 1

How else can you explain this most unlikely of victories. How else can you ponder the fact that Greece were 80/1 outsiders before the first ball was kicked in this tournament.

Of course, Greece were not the fashionable winners that UEFA and all those who fantasised about the beautiful game wanted. In a sense they were unwelcome guests at this party, but in a very real sense, their victory and the manner in which it was achieved, epitomised the enduring attraction of sport.

You cannot legislate for human nature, certainly not in sport. For while it is inevitable that Greece’s historic first championship win will be attributed first to the depth of their tactical planning and to the thoroughness of their preparation, this explains only part of the story.

We have referred already in this tournament to a side of Greece that falls someway short of being the manifestation of sport at its grandest, but it would be unworthy of anybody not to acknowledge the very manly qualities of their remarkable success on this memorable, sun-filled day in a heaving, emotional stadium.

How they contributed to the glorious extravagant scenes at the game’s dramatic denouement. Their joy matched the brilliant, spectacular presentation ceremony and the lavish firework display that marked an end to one of sports’ great festivals.

Twelve years ago Denmark received a late invitation to the European Championship final in Sweden because of political problems that kept Yugoslavia out of the competition. The Danes interrupted their vacations and earned compensation for their sacrifices by winning.

This triumph in many ways matched that for bravura, for bravado, for the extraordinary raw courage of a performance that defied convention, contradicted logic and was awesome in its chutzpah. For, the truth be told, Portugal out-footballed Greece in all the finer points of the game but were fatally flawed in their lack of an effective goalscorer.

But Greece seemed unmoved by the atmosphere and it was early obvious that their desire lent them wings. They were big, athletic, flexible, and their confidence was so high it not only lent them courage, it imbued them with a great calm.

What a contrast to edgy Portugal. They were betrayed by their anxiety, their judgment blunted by their craving. Their problems were the product of the old saying - more haste, less speed.

Perhaps their win on opening day over Portugal had bolstered Greece’s security still further for their first-half performance was the best they produced in this championship. They were wise to every Portuguese ruse, proof against their every initiative.

They man-marked Portugal’s skilful raiders and did so with persistent success. They directed them down blind alleys, denied them the space they sought to work their magic and hit them so hard on the rebound that they always looked capable of snatching the one goal you always suspected would be enough to win.

It was early evident that Portugal had difficulties for they could not open a pathway to Nikopolidis’ goal. Their difficulties stemmed from the poor form of Deco, who played too far forward in attempting to support Pauleta, and in the presence of too many ball-carriers in the team.

They had serious need of a playmaker, somebody to slow the manic tempo of their play, somebody to change the direction of attack, to widen the spread of their attack and stretch the Greek’s defence. They needed Rui Costa.

That need reached crisis point when Greece stole another critical goal from a set-piece. A corner from the right wing by Basinas found Charisteas driving hard through a crowded goalmouth to knock it in with his head ... shades of the marvellous headed goal he produced to beat champions France! Suddenly Portugal were wracked with worry, their composure frazzled by Greece’s decisive strike and manager Luiz Felipe Scolari must have known he should have moved earlier to change the pattern. Now, too late as events proved, he changed things by introducing Rui Costa and Nuno Gomes for the ineffective Pauleta.

Rui Costa made a huge difference but by now Greece were rock-solid in their belief that this was their day, their championship, their fulfilment, their odyssey. So what if Portugal came into the final dramatic contest with all the style and swagger of a team of thoroughbreds, Greece believed and that, allied to their resourcefulness and competitive spirit saw them through.

The scenes at the final whistle will live in the memory. Eusebio, seemingly in tears as he presented the silver medals to his compatriots, the players distraught, their faces streaked with the pain of the effort.

The contrast in the blue-and-white corner was quite something else. The Greeks had invaded the city from early morning, their fleet of charter planes bringing a colourful, boisterous army of supporters who crowded the open-top tourist buses all day and filled this attractive and historic city with their joy and their singing. They earned their place in history.

PORTUGAL: Ricardo, Miguel (Paulo Ferreira 43), Andrade, Ricardo Carvalho, Nuno Valente, Maniche, Costinha (Rui Costa 60), Ronaldo, Deco, Figo, Pauleta (Nuno Gomes 74).

GREECE: Nikopolidis, Seitaridis, Kapsis, Dellas, Fissas, Zagorakis, Katsouranis, Basinas, Giannakopoulos (Venetidis 76), Vryzas (Papadopoulos 81), Charisteas.

Attendance: 62,865

Referee: Markus Merk (Germany).