UEFA Euro 2004 - the twelfth UEFA European Football Championship

The 2004 UEFA European Football Championship (Euro 2004) was the twelfth UEFA European Football Championship. It took place in Portugal (for the first time) between 12 June and 4 July 2004. For the first time organization of Euro tournament was divided between UEFA, the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) and Portuguese government. A special company, Euro 2004 S.A., was set up to implement efficient organization of the event. To host Euro 2004, Portugal constructed 10 new stadiums, which continue to be used as important sport facilities:

• Estádio da Luz, Lisbon - Capacity: 65,647
• Estádio do Dragão, Porto - Capacity: 52,002
• Estádio José Alvalade, Lisbon - Capacity: 52,466
• Estádio Algarve, Faro / Loulé - Capacity: 30,000
• Estádio Cidade de Coimbra, - Coimbra Capacity: 30,000
• Estádio D. Afonso Henriques, - Guimarães Capacity: 30,000
• Estádio do Bessa Século XXI, Porto - Capacity: 30,000
• Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa, Leiria - Capacity: 30,000
• Estádio Municipal de Braga, Braga - Capacity: 30,000
• Estádio Municipal de Aveiro, Aveiro - Capacity: 30,000

Over 96% of tickets were sold. About half a million fans came to Portugal for Euro 2004. Fans wearing colors of their national teams, with painted faces and hearts full of hope – changed this grand sport event into a month of never-ending fun under the sun of Portugal. The official mascot of the tournament was a boy named Kinas (derived from quinas, one of the symbols of the Portuguese national flag) who wore a Portuguese kit (red shirt and green shorts) and was constantly playing with a football. Sixteen teams contested the final tournament after going through a qualification round which began in 2002. The teams that participated in the final tournament were:

Greek success carried with it an array of significant European Championship landmarks. For the first time, the same two teams contested the tournament's two show-piece matches. In defeat, the Portuguese became the first host nation to lose both the opening match and final of a European Championship.

During the tournament there were several surprises: the German, Italian and Spanish national football teams were knocked out during the group stage. The title-holders France were eliminated in the quarter-finals by unfancied Greece. France failed in training for the match and lost with the winning goal by Angelos Charisteas. England led by David Beckham lost to Portugal after a 2-2 draw and a penalty shoot-out with their new hero Wayne Rooney injured during the match.

The Portuguese hosts managed a winning streak towards the final, following their opening defeat, by beating Spain, England and Netherlands along the way. For the first time, the final featured the same teams as the opening match, with the hosts losing both of them also for the first time. Portugal was beaten by Greece on both occasions. Greece's triumph was even more outstanding considering that in their only other appearance, back in 1980, they did not win a single game.

The winners of the 2004 tournament in Portugal were unexpected dark horses no one had thought to be the champions before the competition kicked off. Greece, coached by Otto Rehhagel won the opening match against the hosts Portugal 2-1 and moved into a higher gear with each game to win the title in the end. The Portuguese fans were wild-eyed and expectant but their team was being tamed by a resolute Greek outfit. Angelos Charisteas forced Ricardo to smother at his feet after some intelligent playmaking by Zisis Vryzas, in one of the visitor's forays forward. Maniche replied for Portugal just before the interval, his long-range drive whistled millimetres past the Greek upright. They played the final against Portugal, the same opponents as in the opening match, and this fact shows how eventful this tournament was.Greece's frustrating tactic paid off early in the second half however, when Angelos Basinas crossed to find Charisteas leaping unchallenged to head his side into a decisive 1-0 lead. 57 minutes had elapsed at the Estadio de Luz as the gloom lowered on Lisbon. Future superstar Cristiano Ronaldo had two good opportunities to fire his side level and veteran Luis Figo almost pinched an equaliser in injury time. Ultimately, Greece managed to cling to their lead through five minutes of injury time to leave Portugal's Golden Generation unrewarded for a glittering career's work.

The 2004 UEFA European Football Championship in Portugal was definitely a ravishing and thrilling sport event. Euro 2004 matches were broadcast to over 200 countries all over the world. Dramatic matches at a very high level of skills attracted crowds of fans and the unexpected victory of Greece proved that a team is more than just a collection of individual players.

The UEFA European Championship is a football (known as soccer in America) competition held every four years featuring the national teams of European countries. The following is a list of ten facts and figures, but the emphasis is on the tournament's history, not details like the quickest goal!

Teams:

Portugal: Ricardo, Miguel, Ricardo Carvalho, Jorge Andrade, Nuno Valente, Maniche, Costinha, Luis Figo, Cristiano Ronaldo, Deco, Pauleta.

Greece: Antonis Nikopolidis, Yourkas Seitaridis, Traianos Dellas, Michalis Kapsis, Takis Fyssas, Theo Zagorakis, Angelos Basinas, Costas Katsouranis, Zisis Vryzas, Stelios Giannakopoulos, Angelos Charisteas.