How Greece Surprised Everyone to Win Euro 2004
This coming July 4th, marks the anniversary when Greece had managed to stun the world with their victory in Euro 2004. Greece were 80/1 odds to win Euro 2004 at the time. Many passionate Greek fans surely had a punt on that. This could have been further maximised with help of a betting bonus too depending on which new bookies you can sign up to as a Greek citizen.
The story of the most unlikely triumph within one of the most major tournaments in football, is still spoken about until today. Of course, it all began during the qualifier within 2001, when Greece had travelled all the way up to Old Trafford, to face England. That match ended at a 2-2 draw and it sealed Erikssons place within the 2002 World Cup. While England did fall out of luck in the quarter finals, for the visitors Greece, it provided much more than a win. It was actually the start of a journey where we would see Greece confident and able to muster up the courage to face the world and provide the shock of 2004.
This was the biggest moment for Greece, since they managed to make it to the European Championships back in 1980. Although they made it to the 1994 World Cup, it was not enough to win and proceed forward within the United States. They never had a tournament to their name, nor did they even score a goal. In 2001, they did intend to change their record and reputation within football, so they saw to see that happen in 2001, with the Greek Football Association providing a German coach to veteran and train the national team. This is where Greek Football and Otto Rehhagel were onto something. Rehhagel insisted that everything would follow well for Greece’s football reputation, when the national team incorporates a strategy.
In 2004, when the qualifiers for the Euro came around, Greece did not lose one game in a row for 15 games. They beat even the great Spaniards, under carefully instructed guidance that Rehhagel had implemented. This win streak gave them confidence boosts upon confidence boosts, as well as super great form. They even strolled into Portugal and surprised everyone with their formidable performance that seemed to spring out of nowhere. The team became a family, not just a team with 20 or so players, it was a close integrated system of everyone looking out for each other.
Their good form within qualifying was not as big as the impact that the Euro 2004 approach brought. Their target from the beginning was always to win the game and substitute strategy collectively to get them through to the finals. After all, it was just that one game that was needed to make the difference. Just one.
After the opening game, all Rehhagel’s squad were pulsing with adrenaline, the win and its after effects preventing anyone from actually getting a good night's sleep. The 2-1 win against Portugal was watched over and over again by the team, as a visual representation of what could be done, even when the odds were against them. All Greek national radios reported the win and bellowed such celebrations through the streets. It was something to be celebrated indeed, there is no doubt about that. It was that win that released any constraints against the idea that Greece did not have a chance. Tsiartas commented to media outlets that day, saying ‘the win released them’ as contenders and no longer the fall backs to national football. He was right. That qualifying win made an impact on Portugal later on.
The match to come after was against France, and after coming through with a 1-0, it was not just Tsiartas that thought Greece was something special, everyone else did too. The next opponents Czech Republic did illuminate what was at stake in the competition-making them wanting all the more. Czech viewed them as the underdogs, and believed to see them as no competition, easily beaten. However, Greece managed to shut the game with an attack that supposedly made everyone see and admire just how great Greece had become. With just one goal from Dellas, it was labelled the silver goal of history. Everyone started to believe that Greece could possibly do it, and win the final.
A total of 15,000 Greek fans were reported to have come through to witness the final against Portugal in Lisbon. On the 4th of July 2004, destiny had arrived and a moment where Greece really wanted to prove to themselves they could do it, despite all the backtalk and belief that they couldn't. Greece wanted the final more than ever, and it would seem that Rehhagel’s defence and resistance installed within his team had actually paid off. The 1-0 win from a header at the 57th minute, caused one of the greatest upsets in all of Euro Championship history. The pride of the Portuguese-at home too was stripped away.
Even though all the media outlets tried to weigh down Greek’s win with lucky circumstances, and essentially write it off, the Greeks had fought for such a victory as this for a very long time. The chanting, the endless celebrations, Greece was indeed delivered for a memorable day that went down in history.
