Figo considers his international future

Luis Figo has insisted he will take his time before deciding whether to retire from international football.

The 31-year-old Real Madrid midfielder was devastated after Portugal’s 1-0 defeat to Greece in the final of Euro 2004 but he may stay on until the 2006 World Cup.

Figo said: “Now is not the moment to talk about my future. First of all I need to rest and think and then I will make a decision.”

His Portugal team-mate Fernando Couto, the 34-year-old Lazio central defender, is also considering retirement. He said: “We have to look to the future and forget this game because we have proven that this team has quality but I have not decided what do myself yet.”

Meanwhile, Portugal’s coach Luis Felipe Scolari believes Greece’s triumph should be regarded as a challenge to the more glamorous sides in Europe.

The Greeks have been the subject of scorn all tournament for their defensive approach and strict man-marking tactics but beat some of the best sides on the continent on their way to being crowned European champions.

Scolari said: “I do not think Greece winning is a backwards step for football. It is up to the more offensive teams to find the way through this system. They play like this and it is up to us to combat it.

“Our players have been very well marked but I don’t see this as a failure by our team, more the quality of the Greek defenders and the wonderful job they have done.”

Angelos Charisteas scored the only goal of the game, out jumping Jorge Andrade and Costinha to head in Angelis Basinas’ corner – Greece’s only one of the match.

Scolari stifled his bitter regret to offer Greece his congratulations and promised the hosts’ fans that success would come Portugal’s way in the future.

He added: “Of course I am not happy with the result, we have been better in some parts of the game but they have scored, we didn’t and I want to congratulate my colleague Otto Rehhagel and all the Greek team.

“I also want to say to the Portuguese people that this is not the end of the story for us, we are European vice-champions, we are going to keep working and we are going to win something in the future.”

Scolari also refused to make excuses by rejecting criticism of referee Markus Merk who turned down a couple of Portuguese penalty claims.

He said: “I think the referee has done mainly good work, he made some faults in the last 10 minutes but I would prefer to congratulate the Greek team. It is time football stops complaining about referees – so congratulations to both the referee and the Greek team.”