International football’s greatest shock, Euro 2004 proved yet another unbelievable festival of football.
While some of the games were lacking in action, the underdog stories that ran through the tournament more than made up for some of the low-scoring games.
As teams prepared for a trip to sunny Portugal, for the 12th instalment of the European Championships, all 16 teams would have felt in with a chance of doing something special.
The Group Stage
As the groups were announced, most eyes were immediately drawn towards Group C.
Consisting of England, France, Croatia and Switzerland, most were anticipating a tightly fought group. As much as France and England were firm favourites, both Croatia and Switzerland were worthy opponents, both capable of upsets on their day.
Croatia were a well-drilled unit, in between golden generations, but capable of frustrating opponents. The likes of Ivica Olic and Ivan Klasnic up top were a defender’s nightmare. Both players routinely popped up with crucial Croatian goals.
Switzerland on the other hand had many excited. Arsene Wenger had picked out striker Alexander Frei as a potential player to watch, having observed the 24-year-old score a hat-trick in a 4-3 win over Marseille at club level.
The Swiss side was full of players plying their trade in teams in the Champions League and the Uefa Cup.
But of course, it was all about England and France. Zidane vs. Lampard. Owen vs. Desailly. Sol Campbell vs. Thierry Henry.
This was a great England squad, and an elite, if not ageing France squad, still boasting some of the core from the side that won the 1998 World Cup.
As the group unfolded, England found themselves in desperate need of a result vs. Croatia.
The Croatians had already proven a nuisance, holding France to a 2-2. This came after France left it late to dramatically come back from one nil down against England.
England should have made their final match vs. Croatia unimportant, as Beckham missed a late penalty to wrap the game up.
In typical English fashion, they’d be left to rue their miss, as Zidane struck a fine Free-kick in the first minute of stoppage time, before David James brought down a galloping Thierry Henry with seconds left, leaving Zidane to do what Beckham couldn’t, and wrap the game up.
Thankfully for the mental health of the English faithful, England would in turn do what France couldn’t, and come out the vicars over Croatia as goals from Scholes, Lampard and two from Rooney wrapped up the group, with France and England going through.
The Greek’s Squeeze Into the Knockouts
Elsewhere, the biggest shock of the whole group stage came in Group A.
There were signs from the first games that something unbelievable was brewing. Greece had managed a shock 2-1 win over Portugal, leaving Portugal bottom after the first round of games.
Another great Greek performance bought a 1-1 draw against Spain, and with arguably the easiest game left to play, Greece were looking good to pull off an unlikely upset.
With one game left to play, Spain and Greece both sat on 4 points, as Russia languished on 0 points having lost 2-0 to Portugal.
Setting up an Iberian clash to finish the group stage, Greece were in a great position to progress for the first time in their history, this only being their second-ever appearance in a European Championship.
But Greece had gotten their results by inviting better teams onto them, with Russia proving too much, Greece were left banking on a Portugal win.
Russia had taken an early 2-0 lead, but a goal back from Zisis Vryzas proved more important than he could have imagined as it went in.
Over in Lisbon, Portugal had secured top spot, with a 1-0 win thanks to a brilliant move and finish from Nuno Gomes.
Both on 4 points, level on goal difference, Greece and Spain were separated by goals scored. The Greeks had scored 2 more, and Spain were out, to everyone’s surprise.
Germany and Italy Collapse
Whilst a disappointing Germany would falter in Group D, the Czech Republic were the big story, romping to 1st place, putting on great displays against the Netherlands, Germany and a defensively solid Latvia that only conceded 4 goals in a very tough group.
But the craziest group was by far Group C. With Italy, Sweden, Denmark and Bulgaria it’s fair to say that the great footballing nation of Italy were the favourites.
Yet, 2 games later, Italy sat in 3rd, without a win, two points behind Denmark and Sweden.
Italy had drawn against both Sweden and Denmark, as the group proved even tougher than expected for the Italians.
As the final day waned, both Scandinavian sides sat 1st and 2nd with four points, while Italy, who were due to play Bulgaria, sat on two points.
To progress, Italy needed a win, and anything but a draw in the other game, unless they could beat Bulgaria by 3 goals.
It took a 94th-minute Cassano winner to give Italy the win they needed, but unbeknownst to an Italy side that celebrated what they thought was a dramatic qualification, Henrik Larsson had equalised just a few minutes earlier.
Striking in the 89th minute to send Sweden and Denmark through on goal difference.
Larsson had saved his side, and sunk Italy at the same time.
All 3 teams finished on 5 points, in what remains the closest group stage finale in Euro history.
The Quarter-Finals: England Faces yet another Penalty Shootout
With Spain, Germany and Italy all knocked out in the group Stages, the 2004 Euro Quarter Finals saw multiple unexpected nations in with a chance at glory.
The biggest game of the round was comfortably England vs. Portugal. A match that would go the distance, extending into extra time.
The match would prove a classic.
England took an early lead through Michael Owen and would hold on until the 83rd minute.
A Simao cross was poorly defended, leaving Helder Postiga unmarked to nod the ball into the net at the near post.
Extra-time beckoned.
Both sides fought well, but a moment of magic from Rui Costa sent Portugal into pandemonium, as 10 minutes from time, Portugal had the lead.
Though this joy was short-lived, another piece of dreadful marking from a cross, this time Portugal the ones to suffer, as Lampard swivelled to snatch an equaliser for England.
Penalties awaited, and every England fan knew too well how cruel a mistress it was.
Sure enough in one of the most bizarre, incredible shootouts ever seen, with goalkeeper antics so memorable even Emi Martinez would be impressed (More detail here) Portugal progressed. Darius Vassell saw his effort saved, before the goalkeeper, Ricardo, scored the winning penalty, despite it being the 6th kick.
Elsewhere, Greece would stun the world.
Facing France, a youthful Greek side outlasted the ageing French. Frustrating the 1998 World Cup winners as they ground out a 1-0 win.
It was a mighty performance, capped off by a thumping header in the 65th minute by Angelo Christeas.
A comfortable 3-0 Czech win over Denmark, and a bore draw between Sweden and the Dutch that would end in the Netherlands progressing, saw the two Scandinavian sides knocked out.
The Semi-Finals: Greece in Unfamiliar Territory
The Semi-Finals saw a chance for 2 teams to win their first major international tournament.
The Netherlands had won Euro 88, but with their tie against Portugal, there was real cause for optimism for both the Czech Republic and Greece, who faced off in the other tie.
But the match between the underdogs promised an enticing affair simply through the significance of a Semi-final appearance for both teams.
A young Cristiano Ronaldo scored a trademark header, though he was just 19 at the time which was followed by a Maniche wondergoal sending the hosts 2-0 up.
The Dutch saw a glimmer of hope through a calamitous Andrade own goal, but in truth, they didn’t deserve anything from the match, as they only mustered a single shot on target.
The hosts were through to the final.
The Czech Republic had won Euro 76 but would have snapped hands off for a place in the Semi-final before the tournament.
Greece however had already proven many wrong just by qualifying.
Before this tournament, the Greeks hadn’t won a single game in a major international competition. They hadn’t even scored in one.
Yet thanks to German coach Otto Rehhagel, Greece had transformed into formidable opponents overnight.
It was uncanny. A team with seemingly no star players or big names and just 8 players in their squad playing outside of the Greek league had suddenly found themselves a game away from a major International final.
In a tactical battle, the two sides lay in a stalemate. For the third time in the tournament, we’d see extra-time, though this time there would be no need for penalties.
It was hardly one for the purists, but on the stroke of half-time in extra-time, the deadlock was mercifully broken.
A simple corner, whipped into the near post saw Centre-back Trianos Dellas send the Greek faithful into ecstasy.
The game itself had hardly been a spectacle, but the result, the story more than made up for a dull match.
Greece had hardly set the world alight with their football, but they had still captured the hearts and minds of many.
The Pass at Thermopylae – The Greeks Couldn’t Battle All the Way… Right?
Come the day of the final, everyone knew the Greek game plan. Like the Battle of Thermopylae, they would hold and restrict their opponents as much as possible.
The Portuguese had 16 attempts on target that game. The Greeks managed 4.
But the all-important moment came in the 57th minute.
A corner. Of course, it was. It was exactly what they hoped for, their game plan was going perfectly, and things were about to get even better.
It wasn’t a spectacular goal, in fact, it was a fairly routine set-piece. A whipped ball to the 6-yard box, where top-scorer Angelo Charisteas was waiting to direct the ball past an onrushing Ricardo into an empty net.
1-0, and somehow, you just knew that would be enough. The defensive acumen of the Greeks had proved too much for France, the Czech Republic and even Portugal the first time.
They’d hold on, as a managerial masterclass of Mourinho proportions saw the completion of an underdog story nobody saw coming.
